February, 1989 GAY PEOPLES CHRONICLE Page 3

LETTERS

Chronicle too depressing?

To the editor:

Having watched and experienced the growth and development of the gay community in Cleveland since the early sixties, I find it almost incomprehen-

to serve the community. It certainly can be a thankless job so let me be one to say thank-you. I wish you luck and hope you make the Chronicle a lasting and impressionable publication.

Richard S.

sible that there has not been a quality, Gays don't sell

professional publication until the Chronicle appeared on the scene. For the past 25 years, Cleveland has certainly seen its share of cheap "bitch" reports, ad publications and vehicles used to perpetuate one's "stardom". Real life is not a soap opera, so why do Clevelanders insist on "queeny" competition and internal bickering rather than unification? With all the difficulties the gay community has to endure during these difficult and troubled times, wouldn't it be nice for a change to unite for the common good?

As professional as the Chronicle makes itself out to be, I wish I knew the direction it is taking or will be taking before it, too, becomes a memory. It seems to me that the Chronicle has political leanings and is trying to present a "holier than thou" attitude through its selection of features which, incidentally, seem limited to politics and AIDS. On the one hand, it wants to keep from appearing like the others, and on the other hand, the recipe column is a regular feature. Isn't there room for everything, including ads, reviews, special columns, cartoons and, of course, the news of the day, which doesn't necessarily have to be all AIDS related?

While I do understand and have experienced the devastation that AIDS has brought to our community, as well as to the world, it is also important to let readers know the positive and happy things that are going on in our local community, as well as on the national/international scene. I find the Chronicle depressing to read with AIDS-related articles spilling over from page to page. Negativity can only breed depression and disinterest leading to apathy which is so typical of Cleveland's gay community. Is that what we want? Or need?

While one certainly wouldn't expect the Chronicle to become an Advocate, it would be worth your while to examine what other communities are doing to reach out to unite their brothers and sisters. I love Cleveland and I love my chosen lifestyle, and I would love to see the Chronicle help others to also love the life they have chosen through positive articles, features and columns.

I certainly can realize the financial constraints of your publication, but other major cities, as well as some not so major, are able to produce, perhaps due to the dollars generated through advertising. Would it be so awful to take money from a bar where so many of us spend a large portion of our income?

Lastly, one can't help but admire the Chronicle staff for all the donated time and resources put forth in trying

Text of a January 25 GayWaves editorial:

Last month's edition of the Gay Peoples Chronicle features a reprint of a letter from one Michael Standman to Cleve Jones, the executive director of the NAMES Project. In it, Mr. Standman talks about the Mothers' March Against AIDS in Washington, D.C. this past October. While it was attended by throngs of gay men and lesbian women, Mr. Standman questions the NAMES Project's motives for keeping the mention of gay men out of the speeches that were given that evening.

With Mr. Standman's letter is Cleve Jones' reply. It is Mr. Jones cites the need to deemphasize the fact that AIDS strikes certain socioeconomic groups even though gay men are by far the single largest group affected. The goal, according to Mr. Jones, is to do away with the labels that are put upon all of these groups and emphasize that AIDS patients are people foremost,

necessary to target a general population of potential donors who would be less receptive to a gay fundraising drive for whatever purpose. However it seems there must be a point where political expediency is not necessarily the best servant of a social movement, particularly when it plots to recast the principal players, gay men and lesbian women, in cameo roles.

on

It is not my intention to cast aspersions any organization's integrity. Both the NAMES Project and Mothers of AIDS Patients are organizations that have merit. Rather, I have attempted to make some sense of this issue. The message or conclusion is that the lesbian and gay rights movement in this country has progressed to a day when it is clearly not enough to pick up a picket sign and adopt a chant for a social change. The sad fact is that in keeping with the trend of modern American society, we have to learn to market ourselves to a larger society that does not know yet that they need us. Our marketing strategy should be one of soft selling but it does not serve our best interest to become members of a nondescript AIDS-affected population. For, after all, AIDS does primarily affect gay men, followed by other groups in lesser numbers of no lesser importance.

Drew Cari

regardless of their sexual orientation, Read my lips

age, race, religion, or economic level.

Apparently in like fashion, the Mothers of AIDS Patients has decided to take the same direction. Their goal is to gather donations by selling "PWA bracelets" that are engraved with the names and dates of PWAS. Their literature is devoid of any mention of gay men. Such phrases as "thousands of men, women, and children," "individuals struck down by AIDS," "people with AIDS and their families," "individual commemorated." and that evernebulous "someone," fill their promotional literature. Only one AIDSaffected group is specifically mentioned. Hemophiliacs.

One has to ask why. The answer is apparent. This organization, like the NAMES Project, is another that is seeking to push gays to the background in an effort to make AIDS acceptably destigmatized.

Although neither of these organizations claims to be political, it is nonetheless politically advantageous to use hemophiliacs and nondescript persons as examples of those affected by AIDS when it comes to the question of raising money. More to the point, dead gay men do not sell, but dead children and hemophiliacs who the public presumes to be straight are marketable.

It is understandable that there are not enough of us, the lesbian and gay community, to part with dollars significant enough to fund th operation of such organizations as the NAMES Project and the Mothers of AIDS Patients. And, that because of this it is

To the editor:

"Read my lips."

Every time George Bush slapped us with this bullying quip during this past campaign I wanted to pull one of my man friends up close to me, smack a luscious kiss together and retort, "Read my lips, George!"

Despite the bad press and the dismal return on the money we pay our government, we all know that our lesbian-gay love, our sexuality, our relationships, our ways of seeing and being in the world are potent and powerful. We are also learning that our loves empowers us when we let the world see it, alive, healthy, creative, even demanding!

Soon we'll be celebrating Valentine's Day, a day of love and lovers. This year I'd like to inundate the White House, Congress, the Supreme Court,

ABC, CBS, etc. . . with lesbian-gay Valentine wishes. So, I invite you all to play along and head to your favorite lesbian-gay card shop, find your favorite postcards of men or women kissing, color them with a few red hearts, and inscribe them with "Read My Lips!" and any other quips you fancy. Then send them off to George Bush, Justices Rehnquist or O'Conner or to whomever you'd like to read your lips. Let our collective lips daringly speak our love.

Do be my valentine! Michael Nelson Monte Rio, California

Thank you Akron

An open letter to the gay community of Greater Akron:

All of us at the Gay Lesbian Student Resource of Akron University wish to thank all who helped us with our Christmas project.

With your help we were able to fill 20 gift boxes full of toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving cream, razors, pens and pencils, gamebooks, skin cream, fresh fruit, tissues, etc for area PWAS.

The gift boxes were sent to the Stark County Health Department in Canton, The Health Issues Task Force in Cleveland, and the Northeast Task Force on AIDS here in Akron. From the reaction we received the PWA's were shocked and happy both that someone remembered them at Christmas.

We would especially like to thank Vern and the Staff at the Interbelt for their nice cash contribution as well as Tear-Ez and the Adams Street Bar for their help and contribution in allowing us to have some space in their business to collect the items.

We wish that this is the last year that this type of project is needed, and that by the grace of God that there will be a cure for this deadly disease. Until that time comes we all need to remember to help each other.

Again thank you all.

The Gay Lesbian Student Resource of the University of Akron

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