EDITORIAL VIEWPOINTS
Goodstein
Schisms in the movement.
There is, we believe, a thin line between the right of people-individuallyor collectively to express themselves in their own manner, according to their own beliefs and in support of or in opposition to the beliefs of others, and the indirect, unconscious, or covert suppression of dissenting points of view. Dissent, in fact may be the crucial political problem of the decade.
Nowhere does the issue of dissent become clearer than in the seemingly ceaseless clash between "traditional" political forces and "radical" politicsregardless of which happens to be stronger at any given moment.
In theory, at least, minority groups have tacitly agreed that dissenting views must be tolerated, that dissent is basically healthy and invigorating, that either or" choices are not (usually) necessary. At least in their more rarified moments of philosophical musing, gay liberationists have spoken highly of diverse political opinion throughout the Movement, of the political advisability of various groups working toward the same ends from differing political/ ideological viewpoints.
Unfortunately, at times this broad-minded theory seems to get lost amidst self-seeking power plays and what we end up with is not a variety of "separate but equal" groups working toward a common goal, but rather a swarm of selfinterest groups all vying with each other for what precious little power there may be in the gay movement.
In the past. this often took the form of a kind of "one-upspersonship" rivalry among organizations: we're the first, we're the largest, we're the most respected, we're the most radical. etc. This was probably harmless enough at the time.
But the spirit behind the rivalry has turned sour in the past year or so. Rivalry has turned into a cancerous cut-throat bossism that speaks ill of the gay movement.
Nationally, as reported in Section B of this issue, it has begun to take on a sinister cast: "enemies lists." secret meetings of "approved" activists specifically excluding general community representation, and dissent squelched by fiat. Such totalitarian tactics and clandestine maneuvering suggest, by their very covertness, a malevolent politics, completely by-passing dissenting views.
Where can there be any accountability to anyone except the "emperors" in such empire-building?
Hell hath no fury like a majority, H.L. Mencken once commented. And the only way to avoid the hellishness of majority bludgeoning minority is for each faction to recognize, accept, and always remember its responsibility to the
other factions.
The attempt on the part of The Advocate to unilaterally establish an elite national lobby on behalf of gays while at the same time purposely excluding gays distasteful to D.B. Goodstein is not only reprehensible, it is also utter non--
sense.
We have no idea which "select few" from the gay movement were invited to attend the "Advocate Invitational Conference, nor which leaders were not invited. What is obvious, however-and what we hope these sham-conferees bear in mind-is that by their own plan they represent no one and cannot legitimately speak for any wider community.
The days of the Fuhrer Prinzip, of smoke-filled, back-room politics, of cloak-and-dagger Machiavellianism are over. If we can't tolerate each other, how can we expect the heterosexual power structure to tolerate any of us?
Keith Clark
The opinions expressed in the GAY NEWS are not necessarily the views of our advertisers, nor of the management or staff of the Gay News Chain except for those expressed in the "Editorial Viewpoints" column in each issue; which may be construed as the official view of the newspaper. Features authored by an individual are noted as such with a byline and may only express that persons' views.
Page A12-OHIO EAST GAY NEWS-Saturday, March 6, 1976
...THINGS TO COME?
HERE AT THE O'HARE REGENCY-HY 7
The 976 ADVOCATE Invitational CONFERENC
MARCH 27
REE BUTTON
TO ANYONE WHO
CAN RECITE
THE BLACKLIST
60 SECONDS LESS
GET YOUR CONFERENCE
BROWN SHIRT HERE
"OFFICIAL" DESIGN FOR FUTURE USE!
30's NEWEST FARK.
AUTHENTIC EARLYNG
EVEN BLOOD WON'T STAINIT!
"I GUESS THESE LONG KNIVES ARE A NEAT SOUVENIR, BUT WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT HIM OPENING A PRIVATE RESORT IN THE CATSKILLS FOR THE NATIONS GAY LEADERS?" READER VIEWPOINTS
Dear editor,
Reprinted courtesy of News West
Red faces on
Ohio's rednecks?
It strikes me as very interesting that Milton Shapp, the Governor of Pennsylvania and presidential candidate, had taken the stand that he has on behalf of sexual minorities.
Here in Ohio as you may or may not know, the Ohio State Supreme Court in the case of City of Columbus vs. Rodgers did a courageous thing and ruled that the city ordinances that make crossdressing illegal were unconstitutional, having in effect given transvestism a respectable status.
What was even more surprising to observers of judicial procedures was that all of the Justices concurred with Chief Justice C. William O'Neal.
Considering the fact that Ohio is the haven of every right wing group i the cation, and considering the fact the utr: rightists are a very vocal group, the Chiei Justice's decision must surely come as a bolt out of the blue, and I suspect there were a lot of red, faces or the rednecks of this state.
Even more interesting is the fact that the City of Columbus has opted to drop the subject at the State Supreme Court level, and not try for a favorable U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
in
For years there has been an "understanding" here Youngstown, and TV's have had little hassle.
There is an anti-crossdressing law on the books, but police have taken a live and let live attitude provided the TV does "her" thing without complicating the minds of the good citizens.
This has resulted in a rather stable TV "community" here, a couple of bars, and a monthly confab.
The whole issue of equal rights for sexual minorities has so far as the TV-TS community, been given a strangely compassionate, if not kidgloves treatment here; for the police blotters show that there were only six arrests for cross-dressing in 1972.
March of Dimes thanks Gypsy's
EDITOR'S NOTE: Gypsy, proprietor of Gypsy's Restaurant at 2418 St. Clair Avenue in Cleveland, received the following letter from a local representative of the March of Dimes campaign and asked the Gay News to share it with readers. Dear patrons Restaurant:
of Gypsy's
On behalf of the Northeast Ohio Chapter, National Foundation --March of Dimes, my thanks to you all for your concern andgenerosity.
We are in receipt of the $55.00 check, the proceeds from a raffle for two Bette Midler concert tickets.
The March of Dimes spends all contributions in the areas of research, medical service and public and professional education. The aim of our programs is the preven-
"Vicki" Youngstown
tion of the Birth Defects that strike 200,000 children yearly in America. Progress is being made, but it is an uphill fight. Your donation to help fund the fight is appreciatively accepted.
Anne McLandrich
Public Education Representative
Letters welcome
Letters-to-the-editor are most welcome for publication in the "Reader Viewpoints" section. All letters should be mailed to the Gay News by the editorial deadline noted in each issue beneath the masthead. They must by typed, triple-spaced, and are subject to editing. We also reserve the right to refuse any letter for publication. If so requested, an alias or "name withheld" may be substituted in print for the legal name of the author, but we will not consider for publication any letter submitted anonymously or under an alias.
Ohio East
Gay News
Published monthly by PGN Inc. Mailing Address: P. O. Box 84, Kent, Ohio 44240, Telephone: (216) 678-5626
PGN, Inc. main office, for classified and subscription service: P. O. Box 10236, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15232. (412) 363-0594.
• Single copy price: 50'
Mail Subscriptions: First Class and Third.Class Available. See Order Form This Issue.
Classified Ads: Free To Subscribers. Businesses and nonsubscribers write for order form.
• Display Advertising: Rate card mailed upon request. Credit
to established, approved accounts only.
PGN, Inc. also publishes Pittsburgh Goy
News and Philadelphia Gay News.
General Manager
Jim Austin
Ohio East Editor
David Goodenough
Copy Editor/National News Editor M. David Stein
Features Editor'
Deborah E. Boyle
Organization Editor Donald Moore
Religion Editor Fr. Tim
Entertainment Editors
Michael Mascioli
David Nardozzi
Ohio Entertainment Editor
Nick Danger
Calendar Editor
Position Open
Advertising Director Position Open
Circulation Manager Position Open
Contributing Photographers Harry Eberlin
Richard Jeffers Brian Michaels Studio Two
Contributing Artists
Brian Bulkey
Fred Gormley Escogito
Contributing Writers
John Auburn
Jeanne Barney
Joseph Bowden
Debbie Boyle
Keith Clark Janet Cooper Nick Danger Samuel Deetz
Nina Feldman Lee Fogarty Randal Forrester
Rod Fuller Susan Gaddis
Ron Girson Fred Gormley William Haught DuMont Howard
James Huggins Patrick Kader
Keith Kamm Denise Keiller Lance A. Lott
Harry Langhorne
Glenn Larson
David March
Brian Michaels Donald Moore Dolores Noll
Christine Potters Shawn Regal Richard Rusinow
Janet Schrim Frank W. Scott Kevin Smith
Mark Segal
C. Lil Spell Clifford Turpin Chuck Tyson Rick Vesper
Betti Watts
Francis Wayne Jerry Weller
Bernard Yadoff John Zeh
Member: Gay Press Association Next Issue Dated: April 3 Editorial Deadline: March 12 Advertising Deadline: March 19