Letters
HOMO LIFE
Gentlemen:
It seems incredible that you keep repeating homo life in Russia is difficult. I've a close friend who vacations every year on the Black Sea. He has a ball doing Rumania on the way. But I just heard from him and the homo Russian must be most hospitable. Mr. J. L. Colon, Neb.
Gentlemen:
The Monte Carlo Baths, 2203 E. 1st Street, Los Angeles, last week posted a hand-lettered sign reading "No Homos Allowed." This sign was prominently displayed in their lobby for all to see. Presumably, this organization now refuses services to all homophiles, when and if it can discover them.
To our knowledge we have no laws of discrimination in this country based on based individual sexual preferences. We do have a number of laws that apparently make such discrimination easy and perhaps can be interpreted to mean that this type of discrimination is desirable. We are writing to the ACLU regarding this matter with the hopes that it may interest them for the above reasons.
It is quite possible that we will be seeing more anti-homophile signs before long as our enemies discover this Achille's heel. How long then before something even more offensive than the present California Sex Registration Law?
Gentlemen:
Mr. M. J. T. and Mr. R. H. Los Angeles, Calif.
I am glad you gave favorable mention to Sidney Katz' two-part article in Maclean's Magazine. I am a member of the homosexual social club mentioned in the article and can vouch for the accuracy of Mr. Katz' observations. Mr. Katz has a reputation for superior reporting; he does things like taking drugs to see what the
what the reactions will be, and writing about it. You may be interested to know that the club has now fulfilled its required year's probation period, and it has
been granted a public assembly hall license by the city government. I do not know of any other club anywhere that is licensed to be what it is; it never pretends to be anything but a social club for homosexuals, with dancing, etc., and the importance of the license is that it cannot now be closed by arbitrary action of any official (assuming fireprevention regulations are observed, and alcoholic beverages are barred) without taking the management to court and showing cause why the license should be revoked. Fortunately, the Canadian judicial system, whose judges and other plenipotentiaries are all appointed not elected, is much more impartial and jealous of people's rights than in other places. The club has recently opened a branch not far away, in premises previously occupied by a straight coffee and jazz club that went bankrupt, as most of them do before they reach the end of the year waiting period.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Mr. M. J. M. Canada
It is encouraging to learn that Canada has licensed club for homosexuals, but we cannot agree with M. J. M. that appointment of government officials leads to anything but favoritism. We believe, rather, with Thomas Jefferson that "The functionaries of every government have propensities to command at will the liberty and property of their constituents; there is no safe deposit for these but with the people themselves." Dear Mr. Slater:
The state attorney of Dade County has raised a bit of stink regarding the report on homosexuality of the Legislative Investigating state atCommittee. Richard Gerstein, the state. torney has banned the report in Dade County. The gay people in Florida may have the last laugh after all. Wealthy homosexuals may even have put the "bug" in Gerstein's ear regarding the report. It would be one way to discredit the committee and perhaps lead to its ultimate disolution.
The Sarasota chapter of the ACLU is getting under way, and gay people here should support it wholeheartedly.
ROOM FOR GOSSIP Dear Friends:
Elliott Castor Sarasota, Fla.
Of course I still love you. As for going "straight" on you, that would be an impossibility even in this age of miracles. If you don't believe me, may I refer you to my parents? After spending hundreds of dollars trying to make a "straight" out of a "queer" little bundle from heaven they finally realized they were fighting a losing battle.
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