October 16, 1992 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE
Page 3
Letters
Murder is never right
To the Editors:
I am writing in response to your [August 21] article on the Tonni murder. Your headline read, "Woman kills lover to save her from family's harassment." I applaud your detailed account of the crime and the tenacity with which you obtained your facts. However, I fear that your harassment theory falls short of reality.
I felt as if we as readers were supposed to sympathize with the accused and her lover for falling victims of homophobia. To be sure, gays and lesbians face various forms of harassment daily, however, this fact in itself does not minimize or rationalize this brutal crime. The truth is that nobody, bigoted though they may be, can make one pull a trigger. A person who is driven to murder is not done so by unyielding harassment but rather by an internal emotional dysfunction. I suggest, therefore, that the gays and lesbians for which this is applicable, be less inclined to blame their abusive behavior on the torment of others.
Sadly enough, injustice surrounds us. True... it is maddening. But if we are to confront the anger and intolerance of society we must first be held accountable for our own actions. What this means essentially is that if we entertain murder or violence as a viable option to the problem, perhaps we need to take a long introspective look at how we handle conflict. Perhaps our behavior or thinking has become distorted. Perhaps we have a problem of our
own.
Bigotry, harassment, homophobia . . . they are all four-letter words that breed hate and contempt. As a member of the Gay community, I sympathize with their victims, and I strive for a more peaceful coexistence with heterosexuals. I draw the line however, at excusing reckless, harmful behavior as retaliation as its sole conclusion makes us no better than our bigoted transgressors.
Sandy Ferrara
Don't sympathize with LaRosa
To the Editors:
Instead of upholding an illogical premise that people are not responsible for their behavior, the Gay People's Chronicle would have better served its readership by pointing out that such an argument is a fraud and any perpetuation of such a damnable lie is extremely dangerous because its' maintenance can only continue to hurt victims of violence.
Tressa Tonni's premeditated murder was tragic and avoidable. Equally distressing is a queer newspaper which prints articles that are sympathetic toward sociopaths.
While the Chronicle was able to get an exclusive interview and begin its coverage with a clever lead paragraph, the story's most important aspect was almost totally ignored. Sensationalistic coverage guaranteed that your readers' morbid curiosity would be piqued but did little else.
The Chronicle's coverage neglected to explain how Jan LaRosa was unaware of organizations serving the gay and lesbian community.
Ms. LaRosa's past volunteer work with the Chronicle illustrates that she wasn't born the day she killed her lover. Instead, her volunteerism indicates that she was courageous and determined. Yet your readers are told that Ms. LaRosa couldn't help herself or her lover without engaging in murderous acts. And while it is possible that Ms. LaRosa may not have known about programs designed to meet her specific needs, she presumably knew people who did have such information. Ms. LaRosa certainly had more options than her victim. Ms. LaRosa's alibi was concocted to disguise her betrayal of Ms. Tonni and
doesn't deserve the credibility it sought in the Chronicle. Rational people are able to see beyond Ms. LaRosa's evil lie and find any justification of her actions repugnant.
More baffling than the Chronicle's "unbiased" news coverage was its editorial content. Homophobia did not quell Ms. LaRosa's screams for help because she chose to be silent. Likewise, an editorial which blames societal homophobia and/or indifference on Ms. Tonni's death obscures the awful truth. Such editorializing ignores Ms. Tonni's voice.
I expected outrage and found misplaced hostility. Anger shouldn't have been directed at the Plain Dealer's lack of coverage. Maybe the Plain Dealer should have been thanked for not covering the entire sordid story.
Our homophobic society doesn't need any more ammunition to use against us and doesn't deserve another reason to hate us. Heterosexual bigots say that we molest our children. Do we want to tell them that we kill our lovers? Until queers can discuss gay and lesbian domestic violence, it's entirely inappropriate for any heterosexual to know that such a problem even exists.
Violence in our queer households is still inadequately discussed as evidenced by the ambiguous editorial on how "Violence Can Be Avoided." To suggest contributions to an anti-violence project in honor of Ms. LaRosa underscores how much work we need to do.
Will the Chronicle soon suggest that gay and lesbian victims of heterosexual assault make donations in their assailants' names? Wouldn't such a suggestion indicate selfhatred or internalized homophobia? What's the difference?
Henry J. Ceslewski, Jr.
Of course murder is an unjustifiable crime and should be punished. Nowhere in the article on the murder, nor the editorial on domestic violence, did we say or imply otherwise. Reporting a murderer's--obviously insane--stated motive has never meant condoning or agreeing with it. The victim's opinions died with her; others close to her chose not to state theirs. LaRosa's motive, no matter how twisted, was newsworthy. So was the mainstream media's silence on it for involving a lesbian relationship. That is why we reported it.--Eds.
They're all gay-even Data
To the Editors:
Reading a back issue [August 21] of the Gay People's Chronicle I read the letter from Mr. DeSort who asserts that there are "still no lesbians or gays on Star Trek." Is this man blind? It's obvious they are all lesbians and gays! Does he need the male crew members requesting cans of Crisco from the galley to recognize the obvious?
Sir, not all gays act like "Nellies" nor do all dykes walk around with the stereotypical sullen death-row inmate grimaces. Open your eyes!
Dale Huffman
Full of fear and AIDSphobia
To the Editors:
After reading the September issue of the Gay People's Chronicle, I'm very disturbed and upset at the style of the so-called reporting you did in that issue. The first, "Gay men still walk a tightrope over the chasm of AIDS," by Glenn Rowe, was a very uncomfortable article for me as I am a man living with HIV.
First off, his whole article is chock full of fear, hopelessness and even AIDSphobia. Imagine for a minute how it makes me feel. I realize that there is no such thing as 100
percent safe sex, but there is safer sex, and if practiced regularly, the risks are reduced. The line that was most disturbing, "and
to see you express yourself and challenge us.--Eds.
after the tiniest gamble, like deep-kissing a They're after me
man...if I got AIDS from that, would I still feel it was a chance worth taking?" Where in the hell is this idiot from? Talk about internalized homophobia! I thought that the Chronicle was always to be politically correct or have you sold out? "We are getting nowhere at all; we are going in circles. Never has a statement of aimless anxiety seemed more true than here in 1992." That statement itself I find truly appalling. My life with the HIV disease is going as planned; ahead, forward, not in circles.
The second article that I thought was mediocre was by Gary Hemphill, "Lesbian and living with HIV: one woman's experience." The article in general was good, but in one paragraph, Terry has little desire to meet with these support groups because she believes she would have little in common with the other members of the group except being infected.
As a regular of the Living Room Support Group, I am absolutely appalled and bewildered. Apparently this woman has never attended more than one meeting, if that. In the eleven weeks since my diagnosis, the Living Room has become my second family. We share very much in common except this damn disease. How dare you make this assumption without even checking us out?
We don't know how much time we have left, true... but with that outlook, Terry, how can we expect to be long-time survivors? Give the Living Room a try for at least two months, then if you're still unhappy, complain.
And finally, this paper along with a lot of other people are bashing the Plain Dealer. If you don't like it, report the story as it really is. For example, the Aaron Kittle story and the events surrounding Elizabeth Taylor's Parmatown appearance. Where is that article? The Plain Dealer did such a poor job reporting this event and the issues surrounding AIDS where is the Chronicle's article? God knows, we had community there including myself, Melissa Ross and Twiggy. Come on girls... one of us could write an article.
Well, I hope this has fallen on hearing ears and that changes are being made as we speak.
C.D.
The Glenn Rowe article was run in the Guest Opinion section. There, the writer is free to express a personal view, even if it may upset other readers. Part of the Chronicle's mission is dialogue. We're glad
The following is a fundraising letter sent to voters by State Sen. Gary Suhadolnik, R24 of Parma. His opponent is Mary Dunning (D).
Dear Pro-Life Friend,
I am writing to you because I need your help.
I have been targeted for defeat by C.A.R.A.L. (the local arm of the National Abortion Rights Action League), N.O.W. and several other extreme radical feminist groups.
These groups will use every possible tactic to defeat me because of my strong Pro-Life and solid Pro-Family record. This coupled with the usual liberal media bias and the President's low approval rating will make it a very difficult re-election year for
me.
I have always supported the rights of unborn children, the positions of the Ohio Right to Life Society and I have taken very strong stands for the family.
Conversely my opponent is boldly pushing her pro-abortion, anti-family agenda. I am convinced that if she were ever elected she would boldly support abortion on demand, condoms in schools and government funding of abortions.
Unfortunately most of the Pro-Life and Pro-Family candidates lost in the June primary elections. Virtually all of the candidates running for Congress, for County Commissioner and for the State Legislature boldly support abortion on demand. So guess where the Pro-Abortion groups will concentrate their efforts.
Recent Supreme Court decisions are returning more power to the states and so the election of Pro-Life candidates to state office has never been more important.
I am asking you for the sake of unborn children to do three things for my campaign.
Please make a $25 contribution to my campaign or send whatever you can. Secondly allow me to display a sign in your yard and finally please make it a point to urge 4 neighbors to vote for me on November 3rd.
My sign in your yard will show your neighbors that we both support the rights of unborn children. Your support is critical to match the massive, well coordinated, big bucks effort of N.A.R.A.L., N.O.W. and the other extreme radical feminist groups. Thank you for reading this letter and may God bless you and your family. Gary Suhadolnik
The Chronicle encourages everyone to write and express their opinion about the paper or life in general. Please be brief. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. We will print your name unless you specifically ask us not to.
Address letters to the Chronicle, P.O. Box 5426, Cleveland, Ohio, 44101, or fax to 216-621-5282. Include your address and phone number so we may contact you.
Hate Crime Update
Compiled by the Maryann Finegan Project
The following hate crimes have been reported to the Maryann Finegan Project:
July 2, W. 117th and Detroit-Three teenage males verbally abusing, then attacking victim in Legends parking lot. Injuries required hospital treatment.
August 18-Gay man murdered in Brooklyn home. Blunt instrument and knife used as weapons. Brooklyn police have been working with Mix Drinkery, where he was last seen, and Over the Rainbow.
September 3--Homophobic verbal abuse by police officer, Windmere. Dropping in on a business conducting an AIDS fundraiser, the officer called people names
and said, "The only thing I have for fags is a bullet."
September-Repeated harassment and vandalism by neighboring family of Lakewood lesbian resident. Victim contacted landlord, who told family to stop or move. Family moved.
The Maryann Finegan Project is greatly in need of volunteers to work as case managers for victims. Four hours a week, reliability and committment to victim assistance are the three main requirements. Call the Center at 522-1999 if you would be interested in discovering more. Also call that number, or the Lesbian-Gay Hotline at 781-6736 evenings, to report hate crimes, or to seek the Project's assistance.