Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site wivax.UUCP 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