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Council Ignores Human Rights Ordinance

Council Ignores Human Rights Ordinance image
Parent Issue
Day
8
Month
March
Year
1974
OCR Text

Despite thirteen separate complaints filed by local gay women against the Rubaiyat, City Attorney Edwin Pear claims he does not have'enough evidence to prosecute. After more than three months of continued stalling, the city administration has refused to prosecute the Rubaiyat's owner under the local Human Rights Ordinance, which forbids discrimination on the basis of sexual preference.

"It is clear to those of us who filed complaints," said Council woman Nancy Wechsler, "that Pear has all the evidence he needs, and that the real reason for his action are merely that he (and Council Republicans) does not want to go to court defending the rights of lesbians and homosexuals."

Problems began for the gay women last fall, after lesbians had been going regularly to the Rubaiyat all summer to dance. In October, the Rubaiyat's owner suddenly became upset over women dancing together, claiming they were hurting business. Stating he didn't want any more of these "provocative demonstrations," he pulled the electricity on the band and turned on the lights in the bar. From then on, when the women were there, he forbid the band to play any slow music so that the women could not dance together. In one case, the owner actually separated two women dancing together, although he had never done so to a straight couple.

Following one argument between the women and the owner over their right to dance together, the owner called the police. When they arrived, Councilwoman Wechsler asked the officer to explain to the Rubaiyat's owner that there was a local law forbidding discrimination on the basis of sexual preference. The police officer refused.

After continued harassment, the owner finally stopped having any dancing on Sunday nights (the one which the gay women regularly carne to dance.)

Wechsler pointed to increased harassment since the Rubaiyat problems last fall at other local bars, including the Scene, and the recent firing of a male by a local business because he was gay. "By not prosecuting the Rubaiyat in this case," said Wechsler, "the city has given free reign to all other businesses and public accommodations to continue their policies of discrimination against gays," Wechsler pointed.

When confronted with the issue at the Council meeting on March 4, Pear told Council and the audience that he thought the Rubaiyat's owner had the right to regulate conduct in his establishment. When asked if he thought that separating two women dancing together was not discriminatory, he said he did not have enough evidence to indicate that the owner had acted on the basis of the sex of the dancers.

When Republicans on Council refused to pass an HRP resolution requiring Pear to prosecute the Rubaiyat, gay activists shut down the Council meeting by singing and shouting to prevent the Republicans from speaking. After two hours. Stephenson adjourned the meeting.

The following day, Stephenson was using the disruptive tactics to rally support for Republican politics.

"The message to Ann Arbor citizens who are preparing to vote on April 1 is clear," he said. "The HRP and Democratic Council members organize, encouraged and led disruptive mob action at the City Council which made it impossible for the Council to conclude city business...I am pleading with voters who care about a democratic society to turn out in record numbers on April 1 to defeat the HRP and Democratic candidates and the charter changes that the HRP sponsors."

Stephenson backed up Pear claiming that he thought the restaurant owner had been regulating "unacceptable conduct and bad manners in a public place."

"In my opinion," said the mayor, "this is not what the ordinance is designed to regulate. It is designed to prevent discrimination in the areas of employment, housing and public accomodations."

Due to the Repubiican majority's refusai to press the City Attorney to prosecute, the Human Rights Party is planning to prepare a resolution for Council to fire City Attorney Edwin Pear, Polke Chief Walter Krasny and James Slaughter,  head of the city's Human Rights Department for refusing to protect the rights of gay people, as well as women and other minorities.

"If the city is committed to enforcing its Human Rights Ordinance in total, it needs department heads who are willing to fight for minority rights," said Wechsler. "If this city is not willing to make this commitment, as it seems clear it is not, City Council should repeal the entire Human Rights Ordinance. Repeal it or enforce it, that is the choice."

But ultimately, Council Republicans will vote down the resolution to the employees who are only enforcing Republican-determined policies. And when asked what members of the gay community would do to further the issue, Wechsler said she did not know how much energy there was for pursuing the case further.

But the Rubaiyat does provide the gay community with a strong issue for gaining mass support. While "militant" tactics like shutting down Council may get some publicity, it mostly serves to unite the opposition without bringing together united support from the progressive community. Such support is necessary to end the oppression of all gay people. The energy exerted at City Council shows that there is support for this issue, and if it can be rechanneled into more effective actions, gay rights will be a reality, not just a paper law.