Letters

The views expressed here are those of the writers. ONE's readers cover a wide range of geographical, economic, age, and educational status. This department aims to express this diversity.

THESE UNITED STATES

Dear Friends:

Is Denver going to become the next "hot Spot"? It has been so nice there and we have enjoyed going there for the weekend, though it is a long way to drive for a few short hours. There are two very gay bars there, neither of which are fancy, but very, very gay. Hope they will still be there, though the enclosed clippings look bad. We liked those drawings in the Aug-

ust issue.

Friends:

Mr. C.

Sheridan, Wyoming

Cherry Grove has a dark side too. The community is attracting more and more squares interested only in gaping at and ogling the boys.

A surprise police raid netted not person, thanks to advance notice of one queen, nicknamed "Pauline" Revere. He saw the police boats in the harbor, covered with tarpaulins and ran about ringing out the alarm.

Even darker is the ever-increasing amount of dope being used this year. "Pot" parties are are common and it is used very overtly. Irresponsibility seems. to be the code this year. Oh well, I suppose all good things do come to an end.

Dear friends:

Mr. G.

New York, N. Y.

I read in the Magazine (June, 1963) the letter of Mr. B. about the sordid story of persecution in Philadelphia by the police, especially the lower form of police called the Vice Squad.

Persecution of the sex "offender" is the opposite of democratic government. Lawyers took the Bible reading in public schools case to the Supreme Court and won a decision that it was against the Con-

stitution of the U.S. This same action should be started against the laws now in effect against homosexuals in Pennsylvania.

New Orleans is like Philadelphia except that the most you can get is five years in the penitentiary. The Vice Squad here is everywhere, like the Gestapo was in Germany and just as filthy.

I was entrapped here in this city and arrested. I was arraigned in court and pled not guilty, but after spending five months in prison I changed my plea to guilty and was released as time served. Mr. E.

Dear friends:

New Orleans, Louisiana

Here in Boston police problems are rather rare, and generally only those who seek trouble seem to encounter any trouble at all. Many of the problems you have mentioned as occurring regularly in other cities seemed miraculously remote to us until just recently. Our unsolved "Boston Stranglings" have turned the somewhat less vigilant eyes of the police in all directions including that of the gay set. The bars are still pretty much the same, but the parks are being carefully watched.

Special congratulations on Randy Lloyd's article on "Homophile Marriage' (June, 1963); that entire issue was masterful, both in content and your skilled presentation. any of my straight friends enjoy the Magazine each month. They seem to feel acceptance is not far off for such a ponsible minority as as is pictured in Magazine.

Dear Mr. Gregory:

Mr. M.

in our

Boston, Massachusetts

Father Newman's article "Path of Truth" (July, 1963) is greatly encouraging. Don Slater's Editorial in the same issue strikes the right note when he says we cannot afford to be exploited. Neither should we exploit ourselves by improper behavior.