Dramatization of Legislation Committee Meeting Demanding Discrimination Victims

Obfuscation as a political tactic seemed to serve Alderman Ken Boyce well as interest in the committee meetings waned rapidly—and so did the rancor. By the third such meeting, the only audience members were the two mayoral candidates, Orville Barber and me.

Earlier that same day I received a letter from Mayor Manny Singer. “Produce the teacher if you want the council to vote on the ordinance. We need another actual instance of discrimination.”

At the meeting, Ken Boyce was on the same kick as the mayor. He too, referred to my oft-mentioned anonymous fired Urbana school teacher. “You told us an Urbana school teacher was fired for being gay,” said Boyce. “This committee wants to meet this teacher.”

I jumped from my chair shouting, “You want the fucking teacher. Fine! I’ll give you the…” I must have stood too quickly. The blood rushed from head. Feeling faint, I sat back down. All eyes were on me. What was Brian Powers to me anyway? He abandoned me after we shared the hurricane together. And again when the Wigwam starting attacking gay people. And then forever when the Urbana police arrested me for having a straight athlete arrested. Why shouldn’t I out Brian? Why not plaster his name on the front page of every paper in the Twin Cities? “I’ll see what I can do,” I added more calmly.