READERS on Writers

I READ

Reader Franklin E. Kameny, of Washington, D.C., takes up the cudgels in defense of homophile picketing, knocking over straw men right and left as he does so. The question remains: is picketing not already pretty "old hat" Pros in the civil rights struggle tell us this is so; that the modern trend is to use fresher techniques.

I write in response to the editorial by Richard Conger, in the November, 1965, Magazine. Although, as Chairman of the Mattachine Society of Washington's Committee on Picketing and Other Lawful Demonstrations, I have been one of the prime movers and planners in the picketing demonstrations which have occurred in the East in the past eight months, I make it plain that I write here as a private individual, for myself only, expressing my own views. I sincerely believe, I sincerely believe, however, that very many members of the eastern homophile organizations and western ones, tooagree with what I am saying. I find Mr. Conger's editorial interesting both for what it does say and for what it does not say.

We find Mr. Conger criticizing frequent radio and TV appearances. Does he object to our presenting our case to the public? If so, I think his position needs some careful justification. If not, how better would he do it than through radio and TVand other public appearances? Or is it Mr. Conger's position that if we hide ourselves sufficiently well, everyone will think that we have gone away, forget about us, and that this, somehow, will get for

us our rights and our equality? I will grant that some radio and TV appearances, including some very recent ones, have been deplorably poor. But this is not the issue raised by Mr. Conger. He is under a not uncommon misapprehension, if he believes that the primary purpose of our picketing demonstrations has been to call attention to ourselves.

To call very much needed public attention to our cause, and to the abuses meted out to our minority, is a very valid Secondary purpose of these demonstrations, and they have succeeded admirably in this, with no "disaster." "damage" or "setback"-in fact, very much to the contrary.

se,

We are not seeking attention, per

but the right kind of attention. Our demonstrations and our public appearances have gotten it for us! We are seeking shock, in a way, but in order to take fully proper and carefully calculated advantage of the novelty created by a firm public request for rights, by a group which has hitherto consistently been disregarded because no one expected them to put their protests in a form worth listening to, or noting or, in fact, in an "audible"

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