I believe it tells just what ONE is doing for all of us. I hope you will hang it on the office wall.
Dear Sirs:
Mr. C.
North White Plains, N. Y.
Please allow me to correct Mr. P. A. V.'s statement concerning our club in Switzerland (his letter published in the October issue). In the first place the club in Switzerland is not closed, and secondly, there were hardly ever any minors on its premises, the entrance to which is severely controlled.
I had the pleasure of meeting your Tour group, which passed Zurich Zurich some weeks ago. We had some really lovely hours together.
Dear Editor:
The editorial in the
Mr. R. A. Zurich, Switzerland
October issue hits a lot of us where we live. I live in a small town where, to my knowledge, there are no others like me. I have been almost driven out of my mind by frustration and, several times, have come close to yielding to the temptation of joining a male pen pal club. Fortunately, the too-public atmosphere has always deterred me. At one time in my life, I was very nearly trapped by a vicesquad officer, and as a result, I am extremely reticent to attempt a meeting at any of what I deem to be appropriate spots for homophiles to gather.
I keep thinking that there just has to be at least one other like me in this town of 15,000 souls, and yet I am too timid to initiate a first move. It does not seem right to me that there should be a ban against people like me using first class mail to acquaint ourselves. If there are others who feel as I do, please write to the Editor as I have done. I am aware that it is not in keeping with ONE's policy to divulge Member's names to each other, but if I could know that there is at least one other in this town, it would be some small comfort.
Gentlemen:
Mr. A. Albany, Oregon
The interview with Miss Destiny was both amusing and interesting. I should like to hear Rechy's comments on some of "her" remarks about him.
Dear Sirs:
Mr. S. Syracuse, New York
All good wishes to you for your Magazine, for your educational and research programs, your classes, your Library, for the help you give those who come to you in their need.
With the rise in rates, I am unable to
renew my subscription; while while I am certainly friendly to ONE, to become a Friend of ONE is beyond my means. Unfortunately. the distance between this city and your own prevents me from participating in any of your activities. I can allow myself just so much in expenses and feel it wiser to answer local appeals of our Society here.
And with the apparent demise of Mattachine Review, no issue having been received locally since March, your publication has our good wishes and prayers. While I was never able to have any of my stuff published, Babs Gittings and her Ladder has seen me as "Sidney Ravenswood" a number of times
now.
As a sometimes active worker here in the East, my gratitude to all the old timers who started things out there some 12 years ago. I came in much later. While there are times East/West personality clashes (Kameney vs. Cutler) at present, I think it was Don Slater who once wrote me, "There is room for differences of opinion" and still surviving. True as Smith says, we have but our sexual inclinations as our bond, but we still have a respect, an affection for the kind of stuff that has been coming out of ONE for so long now. Bless you for the October editorial and the courage and wisdom in it.
Maybe I am drawing into my shell, but too many conferences, too many sensational approaches brought out the Amer Nazi party to ECHO and I am a bit fed up with some of the Eastern attitudes. We have sold ourselves to "Randy Wicker" the young Lochinvar from the West with the sometimes mad ideas. We need to have a little dignity too.
Don't think you've lost me or I you. We shall meet on some distant battleground for our cause whether it be only as the above SR in The Ladder.
Dear Mr. Slater:
Mr. B. Bronx, N. Y.
I was much much interested in the article "Race and Sex," by Andrew Bradbury. It is true that there is often a sadistic motivation. involved in sexual relations. There was case not too long ago in a nearby city where sadism played a part. All the principals involved were white juveniles. A 14 year old boy was the victim of a particularly brutal anal rape committed by. five high school athletes. The lad that had been assaulted suffered a nervous collapse. Strange to say, the boys responsible were simply put on indefinite probation. There were no names published in the newspapers because of Florida's juvenile secrecy laws.
Mr. A. Sarasota, Florida
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