Rep. Don Edwards Dan White’s New Prison: Fear talks to Our Paper By Dion B. Sanders Kfa GPA Wire Service San Francisco — On a chilly day in November 1933, an I f mob violence could ever be justified it would be in a out-of-control mob, siezed case like this, and we believe the general public wiU agree with an unquenchable thirst with us. There was never a more fiendish crime committed for revenge following the bru­ anywhere in the United States, and we are o f the belief that tal murder of the highly- unless these two prisoners are kept safely away from San popular son of a prominent Jose, there is Ukely to be a hanging without waiting fo r the local businessman, stormed a courts o f Justice. San Jose jail, dragged out two To read the confessions o f both o f these criminals — men who had confessed to the told to officers in a cold-blooded manner, makes one feel crime and hanged them from lik e h e w anted to g o o u t a n d b e p a r t o f th a t m o b . two trees in St. James Park — - , —Front Page Editorial, San Jose News with the tacit approval of the •- Brooke Hart murder'ease, November L933 local newspaper, the old San Jose News. Fifty years later, a similar mood of extracting the ulti­ forever damned by the people of But at the Castro Street rally, mate revenge against the con­ his hometown — and he’d be entertainer Blackberri, singing a victed killer of the highly- wise to never come back. ballad he wrote especially for the popular mayor of San Franci­ Sister Boom-Boom, the most occasion, crooned: sco and a member of the city’s prominent member of the Sisters Oh, Danny Boy! Where‘re ya Board of Supervisors who of Perpetual Indulgence and an gonna go? was a hero to the city’s large unsuccessful 1982 candidate for Someone's gonna find ya, wherever ya go! and politically powerful gay the Board of Supervisors, said out loud what many of the pro­ But while many gay San Fran­ community has been on the testers thought privately when he ciscans may harbor feelings of ill minds of many residents of said, “ The Bible says that we will toward White, many gay Los this city some 35 miles north should forgive the sinner, even Angelenos, while infuriated over of San Jose, but in a maimer for the most horrible, vicious, White being released in their city, far different than that used disgusting crime.’’ arc not as highly-charged over back then. “ But I am not stupid,’’ Boom- White as their f^ellow gays up On January 6, the object of the Boom continued, “Somebody is north are, according to the Los current outpouring of public out­ going to (try to^ kill Dan White, Angeles Times. Congressman Don Edwards (D-San Jose) has fo r many years repre­ rage, Dan White, became a free and when it happens, I will be “ Because we weren’t there and sented the lOth District, Including San Jose, MUpItas, Fremont, man after five-and-a-half years back here to beg you for love, didn’t know Moscone and Milk Newark, and Union City. Edwards serves on the Committee on behind bars — his penalty for compassion and forgiveness,” to as intimately, the anger is here, Veterans’ Affairs, Committee on Judiciary, and Is chairman o f the killing Mayor George Moscone the roar of the crowd, some of but the deep emotion isn’t here,” Subcommittee on d vtt and Constitutional Bights. A third generation and openly gay city Supervisor whom let fly with shouts of “ Off Stephen Smith, a local gay activ­ San Josean, he attended local public schools, Stanford University Harvey Milk — seen here by White!” ist and deputy to California and Stanford Law School Before enlisting In the Navy and fighting many as an insult for two brutal Boom-Boom, whose real name Assembly Speaker Willie Brown, In World War II, he was an FBI agent. In 1951, he started h!s own murders. is Jack Fertig, known for his was quoted by the Times as business In San Jose, where he raised five sons before his election to Somewhere amid the seven mil­ high-camp humor, said with de­ saying. Congress. A co-sponsor o f the federal gay dvU rights bill. Rep. Don Edwards Is Interviewed bt this issue o f Our Paper beginning on l ^ e 2. lion people who live and work in adly seriousness, “ Today, Dan The fact that Los Angeles is so Los Angeles is Dan White, a free White starts a life sentence, and spread out — seven million peo­ man in the eyes of the law. I’m sorry to say it won’t be a very ple living within 4,000 square But in the eyes of San Francis­ long one.” miles — was the chief reason Gay Activist Attorney Robert cans — especially gay San Fran­ After his speech, Boom-Boom prison officials chose it to place ciscans, White only ended one told reporters that he genuinely White for his one-year parole Schwab Dies of AIDS prison sentence and began an­ fears for White’s life — especially term. other — this one to last the rest of after learning that White had But because Los Angeles is the By Robert Hyde Penal Code) being ruled uncon­ his life. been released in Los Angeles, media capital of the West Coast Montrose Voice stitutional in August 1982. The prison this time is fear. whose gay community is believed — and is home to more celebrities Via GPA Wire Service Don Baker, plaintiff in the case Fear that one day the killer will to be the second-largest in the than any other city in the world and close friend of Schwab, said, himself become the target of a nation behind New York. — officials admit that it will be Morton Robert Schwab, noted “ I personally join hundreds of killer. Attorney Mary Dunlap, sens­ almost impossible to keep White Texas Civil Rights Activist and thousands of gay men and wo­ That fear has been uppermost ing a very strong mood among out of the public eye for very chief strategist in the landmark men in Texas to mourn the loss of on the minds of state correctional the throng for revenge against long. “21.06” (Texas Sodomy Statute) one of our state’s foremost gay officials, who rejected White’s White, denounced any thought L.A. City Councilmember Joel repeal case died Dec. 15 in Hous­ rights leaders. request to return to San Franci­ of “ an eye for an eye” in the Wachs, whose district includes ton of AIDS complications. “ Robert and I were comrades- sco, where public outrage — White case, saying that, “ We predominantly-gay West Hollyw­ It had been announced about a in-arms over the years, something especially by gays — over White’s demean our movement and our ood, told the Times that White year ago that Schwab had been that solidified a deep sense of short prison sentence still runs lives and our values and everthing “ will pay a price simply by trying diagnosed with AIDS. respect and camaraderie when we high. for which we stand if we join in to live in Los Angeles. Bom in Chicago 36 years ago, were caught in the trenches to­ In two rallies here last Friday the chain of his violence and we “ If you think about it, the Schwab obtained a Ph.D. and gether.” to protest White’s release, more call for (White’s) blood. greatest punishment for Dan went on to become a noted civil Baker said that Schwab be­ rights attorney who was the chief than 13,000 San Franciscans — “ We demean ourselves and we White may be that he’s out of the came a close friend of his in 1976. 4,000 downtown and 9,000 in the become our own enemy when we protection of prison and has to strategist behind the landmark “ We worked together for so case of Baker vs. Wade, which gay Castro Street district — sent expect to avenge his wrong by walk the streets of Southern Cali- long,” he said, near tears. resulted in section 21.06 (the an ominous message to White: killing the killer,” Dunlap, a fomia, and hope that’s where it “ His loss extends to the en- lesbian, told the crowd. ends,” Wachs continued. ■ “ sodomy statute” of the Texas Conlinued on Back Page INTERVIEW: known he was gay since age 13, had told an investigator that in 1968. Gleanings from the Non-Gay In 1971, the hunky black solder began performing before troops as a female impersonator, with his commander’s permission. Gay Press meets Congressman bon Edwards Press in Phoenix Clare” war really means. By J in Kepaer CONTRARY OPINIONS The Federalist Papers say that Via CPA Wire Service Reporting a poll of 1,000 young people, TeenAge magazine for By Roy Rdni over and over again — that we • December said that 46Vi regarded homosexuality as uimatural, 42Vi Via C PA Wire Service cannot trust the Commander-in- Shortly before Robert SnUlvan’s electrocution in Florida Nov. 30 socially unacceptable (238%8h acceptable), 348h weird, but 558h felt Chief to have the decision­ for the murder of a Howard Johnson assistant manager, both gay that gays shoukd be able to teach, be parents or hold public office. The importance of a strong making power about making and non-gay papers gave wide circulation to a “ gay alibi.” 35 knew of gay students in their schools — 369b did not.