10 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE AUGUST 6, 1993

EDITORIAL

Who are our friends?

What strange times are these. The struggle for our rights as gay men, lesbians and bisexuals continues, but with disinformation specialists and questionable friends in our midst.

The rules used to be fairly simple: Gay men were perverts, lesbians did not exist, everyone else was normal, and don't even think about upsetting the system. As gay activism took on a life of its own, the system began to be upset. The original call for "gay rights now" created divisiveness-the gay "us" against the straight "them." Several years of seasoning later the call was tempered to "civil rights for gays and lesbians." Now it's a very homogeneous "equal rights for all.”

Years of education and explanation that homosexuality is not a choice and is not a disease have started to dull the shrill accusations of those who call us perverts (the notable exception being the recent Senate Armed Services Committee hearings which seemed locked in the time warp of the 1950s). Activism and outrage spawned negotiation, experience and, we hope, some shrewdness.

But now we must be especially shrewd, and question who our real friends and allies are. The rules have changed with the times, and so have the players. More "enlightened" foes have taken the stance of "Condemn the sin, but show compassion for the sinner." The self-anointed majority leaders now accept us-as long as we close up our Pandora's box of sex and AIDS and fade into the moralistic fabric. Yes, you're out there, but don't show, don't tell.

Some observations:

In our cultural awakening, gay men and lesbians identified with and claimed

the same ignoble heritage as African Americans centuries of abuse and second class citizenship and helped in the struggle for black equality. But it seems there is only so much room near the top; as we secure more press coverage, we're being disavowed by much of the black community. Their recognition and support of the March on Washington was long in coming and light in substance. Black leaders are divided, with many saying it is a travesty for the gay struggle to equate itself with the black struggle: gays have more money, it's a behavioral thing, and besides, there are all those condemning verses in the Bible.

Our struggle becomes more subversive as the conservative religious coalitions maneuver to turn back our victories, thwart our efforts and neutralize our message of equality. Like some humanoid version of the HIV, fundamentalists are entering our midst with false credentials, claiming that they are on our side! That they are one with us! That they are our friends!

Through fundamentalist "training classes," the conservative guerilla leaders show their misguided minions how to empathize with gay men and lesbians, how to say all the right supportive things and avoid the nasty buzzwords like "Bible" or "Christian." These same people use the other side of their mouths-when talking to their converted-to say how gay men (still no lesbians) want to ignore and tarnish Biblical teachings.

The United Church of Christ is a liberal religious denomination which continues unabashed support of gays and lesbians. But if you're looking to be "converted" from homosexuality to heterosexuality, there's a weekly meeting of a

group called ARK that tries to do that-at St. John's UCC in Massillon.

●Politicians, always accurate barometers of influential groups, now flock to the gay vote and the gay dollar. A victory? Sure, but don't expect them to always be our friends. Bill Clinton, for all his sincerity and promises, has sunk into the national political quagmire when we were expecting him to walk on water. Even the durable Barney Frank has lost his luster by blinking a little too soon on the debate over the military's policy on gays.

• While being besieged by outside forces, we continue to argue among ourselves and draw artificial dividing lines. White cliques, black cliques, East Side versus West Side, HIV positive or negative. Are bisexuals part of our culture? Are transgenders?

ACT UP, the renegade prodigy of the movement that often embarrasses our more sedate comrades, now has to verify that its guerrilla activities are "authentic." It seems frustrated unauthorized individuals have been threatening or taking action to solve their problems, using ACT UP's name in vain.

Truly, Alice, we have fallen through the looking glass.

Our struggle today mimics the political struggles of the Middle East with internal. squabbling and subversive infiltration. In 25 years of advances we have now come full circle to the devices used in the cultural ghettos that preceded Stonewall: Be very careful who you're talking to; don't be taken in by assurances; keep your wits about you; and make no compromises.

It used to be you knew someone was gay if they dropped their pants. Now it seems time to carry "self-avowed homosexual" cards to know who we are.

COMMUNITY FORUM

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GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Volume 9, Issue 3

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Operation Rescue blocks safer sex

To the Editors:

In response to the letter titled "Aborting our own," [July 23] ACT UP Cleveland feels it necessary to clarify our decision to defend local abortion clinics against Operation Rescue. Without understanding our purpose, it is very easy to jump to the wrong conclusion about our involvement with an issue that, on the surface, should not be included in ACT UP's agenda in the fight against AIDS.

The reason ACT UP Cleveland, the AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power, stood against Operation Rescue is because they are vehemently against condom distribution and safer sex education-measures necessary to prevent the spread of AIDS among teens and young adults, who are now the fastest growing infected group. Operation Rescue seems to be confused; they insist that every child has a right to life, yet as those very same children grow up, they refuse to provide them with safer sex education and the condoms needed to save their lives from HIV infection! ACT UP finds this kind of sick, twisted logic deplorable and will fight against it whenever necessary. Operation Rescue is a smaller part of a much larger right wing agenda that seeks to eliminate us by spreading hate and bigotry. They misquote the Bible to justify discrimination and harassment against women, PLWA's, gays and minorities. When any one of us is oppressed, we are all oppressed!

You say that ACT UP is "setting up our

elimination;" in case you did not notice, our elimination has already been set up for 13 years now! The AIDS pandemic has eliminated most of an entire generation of gays who fought hard so that we could even have this kind of newspaper to write a letter to, or be able to sit safely in our favorite bars,

drinking ourselves into the apathetic state

we now find ourselves in because no one cares enough to fight back! No one will fight for you, not Kristine Gebbie [federal AIDS policy coordinator] whose job does not have anything to do with gay-lesbian policy. With the increasing passage of anti-gay amendments across the country, our elimination is almost complete. When the right wing comes to power in the White House, then it will be complete. ACT UP has been fighting since the beginning and will not stop until either a cure is found or there is no one left to fight for. It terrifies us to realize it will probably be the latter.

We do not pretend to be the voice of the whole community; ACT UP is the voice of its members, a diverse, non-partisan group of individuals united in anger and radically committed to direct action to end the AIDS crisis. Our zeal is a result of mature deliberation and a thorough understanding of any issue we choose to support. After heated discussion from both pro-choice and prolife members of ACT UP, it was put to a vote and decided that those in the group who wanted to fight Operation Rescue could do so wearing the ACT UP T-shirt. The vote was very close, one person could have changed the outcome. Where were you? One member, one vote. Come to our meetings and make your opinion known! The

voice of ACT UP is the voice of those who have chosen not to sit back and remain silent while the pandemic continues.

Kenneth J. Kriz ACT UP Cleveland

March March through the death camps

To the Editors:

I would like to take issue with Name Withheld by Request whose letter to the editor ["Aborting our own"] in the July 23 issue of the Chronicle challenged the gay and lesbian community to not let ACT UP represent them.

ACT UP does not, never did, and doesn't propose to represent the gay and lesbian community. ACT UP represents all those who directly or indirectly have been wronged by the more than decade old Holocaust known as AIDS.

Yes! I have appointed myself, as all other members of ACT UP have, the accuser, prosecutor, judge and jury, and if need be, executioner of the money-grabbing drug companies, homophobic politicians, sinners of the broken-down medical system,

and glory-headline-grabbing medical researchers who have perpetuated crimes

against humanity for allowing the Holo-

caust to continue, as long as it primarily affects only gay people, minority women and intravenous drug users.

I'm reminded of a quote from the World War II Nuremberg War Crimes Trial. To paraphrase, as I'm recalling it from memory:

"First they came for the Jews. And I said

nothing. Because I was not a Jew. "Then they came for the communists. And I said nothing. Because I was not communist.

"Then they came for the trade unionists. And I said nothing. Because I was not a trade unionist.

"Then they came for me. And there was no one left to stand up for me."

Just as the Allied soldiers marched the local German townspeople through the death camps to see the wretchedness their leaders created, so should everyone be marched through today's death camp-the AIDS ward at your local hospital-to watch the sick and dying.

But, you don't need to be marched through! You know it is happening.

How many more newspaper and magazine articles do you need to read? How many more world conferences on AIDS need to be held? How many more grim statistics need to be shoved in your face? You have said nothing. Because you are not HIV positive.

When will you stand alongside me? Gordon Jones ACT UP Cleveland

S&M stood for 'sensual and mystical'

To the Editors:

This is in response to the "Clitty Cat Club was Gross" letter in the July 23 issue. I attended both Clitty Cat Club events and I enjoyed both shows. It was great being among women in a not so conservative,