distinguished writer's memory. For he finally understood, as many never do, that it was not his "'queerness" which was his mistake, only the self-deception. SO WHO'S SICK?

Daniel Stern's comments in the 11/6 SATURDAY REVIEW on James Baldwin's "Going To Meet The Man," seemed to stir up much more reader controversy (judging from the letter columns) than TIME's later "essay" on homosexuals. Perhaps this is because TIME (1/21/66) tried the something-foreverybody approach and thus im-. pressed no one to speak of, whereas Stern at least adopted a position--so much so that he himself felt obliged to get back in the act to assert his homosexual "nonbigotry." He isn't kidding anybody, though, since all he really did was try to conceal bigotry under the cloak of "science" and "common sense" in an effort to absolve himself. He should remember that it is people who create the standards of "science" and "common sense," so if these are bigoted, who is to blame? There is no real refuge behind such man-made defenses. They will not last. Homosexuality, like heterosexuality, is first of all: a subjective preference, which may not necessarily coincide with the requirements of biological procreation. All that common sense could possibly tell anyone about prefer-

ences of any nature is simply to follow them, so long as they are harmless to all concerned. Thus it is not common sense to expect someone to follow a sexual preference not his. As for "science," it has not so far even been able to define homosexuality, much less explain it, so that Mr. Stern should use caution in invoking it as a criterion of choice in sexual areas. As to what Mr. Stern imagines that. homosexuals want-they do not want or expect sympathy, compassion, admiration, or respect any more or less than Mr. Stern. After all, such attitudes cannot be aroused merely by means of sexual preferences or behavior. All that homosexuals want are the same simple liberties accorded to heterosexuals-a single legal standard for both sexes governing private and public sexual behavior. As to matters of personal character, homosexuals would not consider Mr. Stern "psychically deformed," and see no inherent reason why they should be so considered. Homosexual inclinations, per se, have never been proven any more "abnormal"-either statistically or morally-than, for example, lefthandedness, and the sooner that all can adopt a laissez-faire policy toward adult sexual behavior that is harmless to the public the better off all will be.

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