But now there comes along an interesting and extremely significant trend, one slowly, but powerfully gaining momentum. This trend has been set in motion by legal minds concerned, as the best legal minds always are, with the relentless logic of Law. One question is involved, they are saying, and that is the question of individual rights, as guaranteed by our Constitution. Ironically enough, it may turn out that the Law, claimed by many to be the enemy of the homosexual, will prove his best friend.

The sceptical may feel that this is going too far, yet, what is the record? Who first publicly proclaimed in this country that homosexual acts between consenting adults should be removed from the penal codes, but a distinguished committee of the American Law Institute, chaired by the redoubtable Judge Learned Hand? Who was it won for homosexuals the right to discuss the whole subject freely in print by carrying a case to the U. S. Supreme Court, but Eric Julber, ONE's attorney? Who won important freedoms from the infamous California "sex registration law" but Kenneth Zwerin, an attorney. Now, along comes another attorney, Morris Lowenthal (see story, page six) boldly staking out rights for homosexuals such as few of them would have dreamed of claiming for themselves. Still another irony is that those having no personal interest in the subject whatever should be doing what homosexuals have hitherto been too spineless to do for themselves.

When are American homosexuals going to stop sitting around pitying themselves, excusing themselves, hiding their faces and bemoaning their lot? When are they going to roll up their sleeves and do some of the hard work and the fighting that any segment of society must do to defend its own rights? These attorneys are pointing out some of the ways of going at these things. How embarrasing that this should have been necessary!

For its own part, ONE feels remiss that it should have been Attorney Lowenthal, coming almost accidently against the problem, through a labor case involving a gay bar, who should have been the one to point out to the Courts that homosexuals have the right to congregate wherever and whenever they please (quite as do other citizens), to select their own attire for themselves, to dance with each other in public, if they wish, yes, even to kiss each other! All without being subjected to harrassment or the charge of lewd behavior. Either that, or no one can do such things, for neither legislatures nor courts may, under the American Constitution, treat various classes of citizens in different ways.

A salute to the attorneys for waking us up! Once awakened, what are we going to do about it? Let it never be forgotten that evils unchallenged grow even worse, nor that few evils are more vicious than the suppression of personal freedoms. ONE proposes to strengthen its battle for the social and civil rights of homosexuals. The ride may be bumpier from here on out. But what is anyone with a shred of self-respect to do about that?

William Lambert, Associate Editor

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