tangents

news & views

by dal mcintire

In Santa Monica, Cal., a beachfront block between a bathhouse and two gay bars has been a hot issue. Gordon Macker, columnist for a weekly paper, decided in January "Queers" were giving his city a bad name. "Close Queer Alley!" became his battlecry. Many a matron, offended by youths who ignored her cascading bosoms, joined ranks. Election in offing: three insurgent candidates for City Council got into act. Hardpressed police said can't close a place just because homos gather there, added they'd made 200 arrests in ten months.

Macker, thinking gay bars were dope dens and sites for seduction of local juveniles, investigated, found to surprise this was untrue.

Political campaign got hot. A civic leader called one candidate "lying bastard," and candidate called incumbents dishonest. EVENING OUTLOOK printed evidence that vociferous insurgent, Rev. Judson, sworn enemy of gambling, homosexuality and offshore oil, had accepted loans and gifts from a top gambler.

Macker, hammering away, began to change tone. Stung by charge he was persecuting homos, he said "the boys" were sick and oughtn't be harried, "but why don't they stay inside their bars instead of parading around outside?" Such tolerance infuriated his followers. They turned on him. Letters suggested "some-

one

thing" must have rubbed-off on Mr. Macker (they said Mrs.? Macker -or Mackerel) during his tour of "Queer Alley."

He then did full about-face: "I wouldn't be too impulsive about closing Queer Alley;" suggested crusaders first find out about subject. "Closing one block won't solve problem." A reader hinted "Mrs." Macker either owned part interest in one of the bars, or was planning trip to Denmark.

Election Day: Three insurgents in. Old mayor out. Vice Squad out. Heat on. Police Chief out and half force ready to walk when outsider got the job. But new City Councilmen settled down in their seats and things returned to normal. The heat was off.

Only the shrill old ladies (male and female) who first considered Macker a hero and now suspected his masculinity, remained unhappy. Macker, who once said he didn't want to know any "queers" personally, now expected to study the matter and write about it for a national magazine. Suggest he also study that intolerant wolf pack that formerly worshipped him.

One other thing changed: New state law effective in September: taverns becoming homo hangouts stand to lose liquor licenses. How this will affect State Supreme Court ruling to contrary remains to be

seen.