Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site fortune.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!ihnp4!fortune!crane
From: crane@fortune.UUCP (John Crane)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Reply to "Tinkerbelle"
Message-ID: <2227@fortune.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 9-Jan-84 19:07:23 EST
Article-I.D.: fortune.2227
Posted: Mon Jan  9 19:07:23 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Jan-84 03:16:51 EST
Organization: Fortune Systems, Redwood City, CA
Lines: 68

Dear Tink at MIT:

Alias:
Will Doherty
USE: wdoherty!decvax!bbncca
ARPA: wdoherty@bbng
TINKLEBELL: 617-262-3485

I could not let your letter go unanswered. Here is my reply:

>       This is my first submission (har) to motts.  I've  been  trying  to
>       find it for quite some time.  I want to state that I am gay so that
>       someone at least will show that they are proud (at least  unashamed
>       of their sexuality) and not afraid of reprisal.

Who really cares what somebody's  sexual  orientation  is  unless  you  are
trying to pick him/her up and don't want to get punched out?  I put knowing
somebody's sexual orientation on the same category as  what  they  had  for
breakfast yesterday or their mother's maiden name.  Nice to talk about but,
beyond that, not really relevant or useful.

>       I consider this fear to be paranoid, although probably  appropriate
>       for some people.

Who are you to judge other people.  Maybe its not  fear  they  have.  Maybe
they just think it's nobody else's "%#^$^%" business.  Maybe they do it out
of respect for other people's feelings.  That  is,  a  Gay  person  is  not
afraid  of  reprisal,  but  he  doesn't want to lay a heavy trip on another
person that the other person just isn't equipped to handle.  Would you, for
instance,  tell  your  85-year old grandmother who is on her death bed that
you are Gay, just to prove that you are brave and fearless.  The  old  lady
would probably die from shock on the spot, and you would get to feel guilty
about having  killed  her.  An  extreme  example,  perhaps,  but  a  useful
extrapolation of the point I want to make.


>       I find  that  I  could  not  possibly  work  with  people  who  are
>       homophobic,  nor  consider them to be close friends.  Frankly, such
>       people are ignorant, just as are racist and sexist folks.  In  this
>       particular use, I mean people who are intentionally racist, sexist,
>       or homophobic, not those who are unintentionally so.  But even  for
>       those  people,  I  do  not  believe  that  the  oppressed  have  an
>       obligation to educate the oppressor.  A vested interest  to  do  so
>       perhaps.

Does this make you homohomophobic?  Do  you  honestly  believe  people  are
intrinsically  "racist"  or  "sexist",  or do they (or sometimes all of us)
commit isolated acts that may seem "racist  or  sexist"  to  other  people?
Also,  if  you  think  somebody  else hates you, why bring yourself down to
their level by hating them back?

>       Also, by the way, I'm a member of NAMBLA and I'm  really  angry  at
>       the  person  who described me as a bane to the homosexual movement.
>       I think you're both arrogant and wrong.  But then,  let's  not  get
>       emotional  about  this.  I  will  gladly  debate  the  position  on
>       completely rational turf.

The person was both humble and right.  If you want to make any friends, you
should learn to be a little more tactful.

It sounds like you are active and involved in civic affairs.  Good for you.
But  it  seems  to  me  you should learn the one fundamental principle that
successful politicians know: how to disagree without being disagreeable.

John Crane