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Path: utzoo!linus!wivax!dyer
From: dyer@wivax.UUCP (Stephen Dyer)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: An open letter to Steve Dyer
Message-ID: <19633@wivax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 20-Jun-84 00:56:50 EDT
Article-I.D.: wivax.19633
Posted: Wed Jun 20 00:56:50 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 21-Jun-84 04:19:36 EDT
References: <343@hogpd.UUCP>
Organization: Wang Institute, Tyngsboro, Ma.  01879
Lines: 38

Actually, the lines which pressed my own intolerance button were:

	>Out of the closet and onto the terminals?
	>...I don't view releasing yourself on the screen to be
	>one of the greatest things to do. 

Tempers are running a bit high here, and I will admit that it can be
very easy to misinterpret someone's possibly well-meaning remark
after only one reading.  Let me tell you the way I read it: the first
remark struck me as flippant, as if the fact that some gay people cared enough
to speak out was simply a whim, merely a concomitant to coming out.
The bit about "releasing yourself on the screen" I felt was judgemental,
implying that taking exception to earlier statements about the nature of
gay people represented "releasing yourself."  I don't know how you read
this phrase, but I read "releasing yourself" as meaning making inappropriate
personal disclosure.  I can point to lots of instances of just this on
net.singles, but I must admit that I've never seen that in any of the postings
by gay people, unless one feels that simply mentioning the fact that one is
gay within this discussion is inappropriate.

Now, I will be the first to back off if the sentiments that I thought I read
were not in fact what the writer meant.  Perhaps she can clarify.  My other
points remain, and in fact, I agree with your points about the need for
education above all else.  I try to keep my postings with this in mind, but
do realize that I am only human.  The recent spate of messages found me
trapped between the desire for dispassionate discussion and the need to
flame violently!  Just imagine yourself in my position as a part of whatever
minority group you find yourself in.  Now, if this group is not as reviled
gay people, imagine it is even worse.  Now, given that you are someone
who doesn't desire to ignore the whole issue, how are you to reach to a spate
of articles which questions your ability to fully experience being human
and characterizes you as a "severely damaged individual."  Even if you
don't agree with the premises, you can certainly see how this tries one's
patience!
-- 
/Steve Dyer
decvax!bbncca!sdyer
sdyer@bbncca.ARPA