Before closing, I must give you my pet gripe against homosexuals, since this is the best place to gripe about them. Even though there seems to be such a vast amount of discussion from gay people about the persecution and humilities that they are subject to, on the other hand there are a great many homos who seem to think that being homo is the greatest thing in the world. This, after all, isn't any better an attitude than to feel they are the underdogs. Why talk about normals meeting gay kids on a common ground when a lot of homos are going to act superior to us? It isn't any more justified to say that homosexuals are the greatest people in the world, than to say that normals are.

We Shall Be Mocked

The Mattachine Society

Toronto, Ontario

Office of the Coordinating Council Post Office Box 851 Oakland 4, California To the Staff:

Attached is a criticism of statements made on the back cover of the December issue of ONE, in which you pointed out the wide gap between the magazine and the Mattachine Society. Opinions of a dozen or more members of the Society at San Francisco have been sought in this connection. They unanimously agree that the issue was a low point in ONE's first year, and further implore that your statements about the ideology of the present Mattachine Society be made with accuracy. I can only say that I am disappointed that you have taken steps to do what can only be interpreted as taking a b---h fight to the pages of One for airing to all your readers. So much more would be accomplished if this were not done. And please remember that it is just possible that the staff of ONE is NOT comprised of ALL the capable leaders in an effort to solve a social problem. True enough, you have the publication, and the sole power to print in it whatever your conscience dictates. But please call upon your conscience to dictate what is said-and not your emotions.

It is a fact that many of us in the Society think we can stay in it and carry out its program without having to shout from the top of L.A. city hall that we are homosexual. Further, it is a fact, that we are attracting the attention and aid of many influential persons who are positively NOT homosexual. This we consider a healthy sign.

Organizations which know of the existence, aims and purposes of the Mattachine Society at San Francisco now include the following: The

U.S. Public Health Service, the San Francisco City and County Mental Health Society, the Northern California Mental Health Society, the Langley Porter Clinic of the University of California, and persons in city offices concerned with probationary work, criminal prosecution, and so on. In addition, you know that we worked with Dr. Kinsey and his staff with marked success. Kinsey's own 20 years of study in this field caused him to remark to us that the policy adopted by the last convention was the best thing by far for the Society to do. He, incidentally, is sharply critical of ONE.

Please look beyond the limits of the City of Los Angeles in establishing the tone and policy of the magazine. Your greatest help is far removed from the entrapment cases of such immediate concern down there. And ONE nor the Society alone will never shatter that situation. anyway, the graft is too far reaching for even the State to do anything about it. Or did you know? Don't worry, others (not homosexuals, either) outside of Southern California would very much like to see the situation cleaned up. They know how rotten and graft-ridden it is. But they also know that a lot of what happens is asked for. And Los Angeles isn't the only place where arrests of that type are being made. L------y cruisers up here get it, too.

Much better to report, however, is this piece of news which came out in the Hearst and other papers up here this morning. I'm referring to the clipping about the arrest of two persons, one of whom is being charged with operating an extortion game against deviates since 1936. And you want us to antagonize a police department which has the attitude of ours in San Francisco? No. Thank heaven, they know sex laws are not enforceable, so long as it doesn't take place in public, doesn't involve minors, and doesn't include assault.

Seriously, I hope the gap I fear exists does not. If we all get involved in a b---h fight, then our cause is lost, and we shall be mocked by those people who have thus far turned a sympathetic ear and open mind to our project. "You can't organize a bunch of you-knowwhats," they'll say-and I'm afraid I can't challenge the truth of that.

Sincerely,

(I do grant permission to reveal my name to individuals who request it.) ONE does not share the above Mattachine opinion that our American government is hopelessly graft-ridden. Would it not be more loyal to advocate improving our system rather than changing it? The criticism referred to was late for this issue's deadline, will appear in March, should make the Mattachine viewpoint very clear.

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