6-HIGH GEAR

MARCHING TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER

By Rev. C. Shawn Farrell

Human society contains an historical tendency to act irrationally, and it remains for psychologists and sociologists

to decscribe such acts, including wars, pogroms, and persecutions, with various degrees of meaning and rationality. In effect, the quality of human life, judged overall, at times, resembles a headless beast thrashing

about in the mire and brambles. evidencing an inclination to mindless self-destruction, cruelty to itself, and indifference to other forms of life on this

thousands of gay persons who likewise asserted their right to "march to a different drummer." For many of these are the very individuals who, by clinging to personal integrity and asserting their God-given right to express their unique natures, have often afforded human life a portion of that which may be called its "saving quality."

Today, as gay people, we have the opportunity to redeem the pain and agonies of our com-

worth.

We, as a community, must never rest on our laurels because we have been told that there is a greater "acceptance" for gay people today than ten or twenty years ago. Be assured that if we are lulled by a sense of false security, we may well find ourselves back in the days of the 1700's and 1800's in this country when the punishment for male homosexuality could well mean castration. What we

"All gay people may not be

whole great artists, political giants, or

planet. Viewed as a whole, great

humanity appears to be guided more by the influences of our

so-called reptilian evolutionary

past, than by our cerebral"

present. Indeed, history is

essentially intellectual gossip attendant to large scale occasions of mass criminality.

What, then, relieves the historical procession of rapacity

or

even able to share openly with

the world, but the drive to be

true to one's self is not limited

must really deal with is that this

and carnage, this evident ten by these things. by these things. "acceptance" merely illustrates

dency of human society, as a whole, to turn violently against itself and all other life-forms? It is the altogether infrequent appearance of the person who, in the midst of mass insanity, asserts their singular humanity and individuality, often at the expense or the regard of family and friends and economic well being, sometimes at the price of their personal liberty or life.

The lives of Socrates, St. Francis, and Thoreau, as examples, are flickers of light in the long night of human history. It is a pity, history being what it is, that its gossip has excluded the recording of the lives of tens of

munity in the past, by saying "YES" to our lifestyles, by celebrating our unique personalities, by expanding ourselves freely by new experiences, in essence, by being true to ourselves. And while there is a need to cultivate greater sensitivity to the individual feelings and sensibilities of the majority at large, we should, as gay persons, reject fear and intimidation from that majority as a whole. For only the free and responsible exercise of individual differences, within the context of life built on mutual respect, can assure human

FROM A DIFFERENT PEW

(Continued from Page 5

the suppliers for the 'miracle' that will deliver them for their insufferable condition.

They were doing just fine; I was having the trouble.

The parallels to the growth of Nazi Germany get longer by the Until Anita Bryant and her "remonth. Hitler's first moves ligious" cohorts began their against the group marked for excampaign of hatred and bloodtinction (gays among the first) shed, it had been a long, long was to remove any favorable time since anyone had called me sympathy: Anita Bryant's stated a "queer". Yet as late as 1977. goals for television is to prevent the Miami gay civil rights campgays from being presented in a aign produced bumper stickers sympathetic, favorable, or intellreading "Kill a Queer for igent light. Hitler removed from Christ." And though I was those groups marked for extincreared a Southern Baptist. I tion professional licenses: John could never get used to calling Briggs, after refusing to vote to people "human garbage:" funban wearing Nazi uniforms in damentalists with their public, has, consistent with that "Christian charity" have no such position, authored Proposition 6. compunctions. It's always easier According to plan, those marked to murder someone else than to for extinction by Hitler were murder yourself. rounded up into concenThey cover their anihilistic in-tration camps: Anita Bryant has tentions behind the cry to "proalready voiced her desire to tect the children", and no one have "camps" for gays. would argue with that. But I also Yet the indolent, the lethargic, remember back to a time when I and the unconcerned would do was a child, and a Baptist, well to keep in mind that it was growing up gay and alone, in not Hitler who conducted the the midst of the very hatred and inquisitions, during which some stupidity that we see at work of the around Proposition 6. I o muddle mechanisms for the torture of most ingenious through one with not only the man were devised. It was not usual problems of adolescence. Hitler who conducted the Salem but the added burdens of being 'Witchhunts in this country. And a gay Baptist adolescent. Of the it was not to protect this country children then, it was I, not the from Hitler that our forefathers others, who needed protection. wrote the First Amendment in an

the creative breakthrough of individual gay persons who, asserting their personal integrity, have dared to break down the walls of prejudice and discrimination, and by their actions have contributed to the wellbeing of the entire American culture. The frank admission of their sexual and affectional preference, an expression of honesty and at the same time an exercise in personal liberty flavors their contribution, and lays the foundation for the assurance to future generations that "all persons have certain inalienable rights." It is not so much the fact that they

attempt to insure that no religious group got its hands on the government and imposed its "beliefs" on the others. We would do well to remember that the very word "faggot" as applied to gays is derived from the practice of placing gays under the kindling (faggots) used for burning ecclesiastical offenders at the stake by the church. Proposition 6 is, in short, nothing more than an attempt to throw another faggot on the fire.

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are gay which made their contribution possible, but rather the fact that they refused to be emotionally and intellectually intimidated by the prejudices of others.

True, all gay people may not be great artists, political giants, or even able to share openly with the world, but the drive to be true to oneself is not limited by these things. If we must not be caught in the web of prejudice from our world, then it also true we must not be caught in the web of prejudice within our own community. So often we place an additional burden of

When gay men and women possess the courage to cast aside the impediments of fear and conformity, to live fully and confidently, each seeking his or her own means of fulfillment--without imposing restrictions of expression upon each other-then, and only then will acceptance becomes a reality. Acceptance begins with the individual's willingness to affirm the right of others to be different!

Oscar Wilde says it very simply--"Those who would be free must not conform!"

ESTATE PLANNING SERIES

frustration upon each other atop layers of frustration already Iderived from society at large simply by expecting all gay persons to conform within the gay community. We are NOT alike, nor are all our lifestyles alike. Perhaps our immediate task is to be reconciled to the unique difMCC-Akron will be presenting ferences within our own comtwo free evenings of information munity, and realize that those on estate planning. The first will differences are our greatest be a discussion on life inasset. We are responsible for af-surance and annuities by Mr. firming to every gay person their Jim Palumbo, a million dollar opportunity for self-expression round table agent from New and fulfillment--FIRST WITHIN York Life, on Wednesday, Nov. THE GAY COMMUNITY---then, 8, at 7:30 p.m. Call the church as a community, TO AFFIRM office for directions at 836-3930. THAT RIGHT TO THE WORLD FOR ALL PEOPLE.

As a gay person, you have the right to choose your field of work or vacation, to express your personhood without fear of reprisal, to live within the framework of our culture as a "FIRST EDITION," a "one of a kind" individual whose personal liberties do NOT infringe upon the rights of others to express their individuality.

On Wed. Nov. 15, at the Stagecoach Inn at 259 E. Market, also at 7:30 p.m., an Akron attorney. Mr. Lee Davies will discuss legal ways to protect ourselves and our property. etc. These programs are being offered in an attempt to help all of us understand better how to use existing laws and institutions to protect ourselves and others.

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