ecclesiastics preached for so long against racial discrimination. But, still worse, he will not fight for his rights. The Negro has won civil rights in the last few years not because the United States Government is freedom loving and benevolent (which it is not) but because through agitation, sacrifice, and organized effort, Negroes have forced society to recognize them and give them their rights. Homosexuals could do the same if they would put their minds to it.

However, the chances of this happening are not great, for homosexuals are not much inclined to go to bat for themselves. It does not speak well for homosexuals as a group, for example, that the New York chapter of the Mattachine Society, an organization dedicated to the furthering of homosexual interests, failed when it was most needed during the terrible persecutions of 1959 and 1960. There is, perhaps, a certain truth in the observations of some psychologists that homosexuals are by nature self-destructive. This maxim cannot easily be proved, but it is evident from an observation of recent events that homosexuals are much more inclined to be

timid than are other minority groups. The case of the West Side Y.M.C.A. again illustrates this well. If all homosexual members of that organization had canceled their memberships and boycotted the Y.M.C.A. in protest of the police tactics used by the executive staff, the West Side Y would probably have had to close its doors. There simply would not have been enough non-homosexual members to keep the place open and pay the bills. Homosexuals were numerous enough to have forced their will had they so desired. But how many would have been willing to make that simple sacrifice? Not many, I will wager. Most would have been more disposed toward playing footsie with the bigots who ran the place, thinking it easier to say nothing, to weather the storm, and hope that it would soon blow over.

Individual police campaigns do blow over, to be sure. But each successful campaign makes the next one that much easier. And with the trend of thinking that is going on in America at the present time, if the homosexual continues to acquiesce as he has done in the past, his future in this nation will be grim indeed.

DER KREIS / LE CIRCLE

Monthly magazine. Half in German, the other half divided between English and French. Liberally illustrated with photographs and drawings. Articles, stories, poetry. Oldest of homophile publications. $11 first class. Send only bank draft or cash to

Lesezirkel Der Kreis, Postfach Fraumunster 547, Zurich 22 / Switzerland. (Or through ONE, Inc.)

Former bound volumes available, 1953-1957 $8 per volume including postage.

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