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From: irish@ihuxb.UUCP (Laura Sheldon-Fehlberg)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Re: Posted as per requested...
Message-ID: <723@ihuxb.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 5-Jun-84 18:16:27 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxb.723
Posted: Tue Jun  5 18:16:27 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 6-Jun-84 06:17:22 EDT
References: <1202@sun.uucp>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 74

Just as I learned many years ago to use the term "black" in place of
"colored", Keith has now taught me to say "sexual orientation" instead
of "sexual preference".  I'm sorry if I offended anyone with my
ignorance.

About the Supreme's Court refusal to hear the case about the gay person
who was refused citizenship:  I was shocked.  I am quickly losing faith
in the government's promise of "equality for all".  If I thought it
would do any good at all, I'd personally bash in the faces of those
responsible.

Keith, you seem to have misunderstood the intention of my article.  I
did not mean to "make light" of the problems of gays with my analogies
between them and someone who likes certain TV shows and musicians.
The point I was (and am) trying to make is that sexual orientation
(see!  I'm learning!) SHOULDN'T make any more difference in how a
person is perceived than what music he or she listens to.  It's very
disturbing to me that it DOES.  Aside from the spread of AIDS (Hey,
the Haitians are all right...  Let's blame the homosexuals for it!)
and the dictates of some ancient book (many parts of which I strongly
disagree with), what reason is there for such discrimination?  Can
anyone fill me in there?

(Oh, God...  Don't get me wrong about what I just said about AIDS.
The general public is SCARED of the disease, and "it's all because
of those damned queers".  It's too bad we can't give everyone a
vaccination against ignorance.  I thought Archie Bunker was a great
comedic character.  Now, I'm saddened at how many real-life Archies
I know.)

I fully understand the lack of choice in whether to be gay or not.
I didn't ask to have brown hair and brown eyes, I just turned out
that way.  I don't believe I made a conscious choice when I realized
that Beethoven and The Monkees were my favorite "groups" when I was
in high school (note: this was 1976), but I knew their music had
something in it that satisfied me.  And I stood my ground when the
other 10th graders teased me.  I realize this "analogy" may be
pushing it somewhat.  I could have (not too easily) broken all of
my records and sworn never to utter the names "Ludwig" or "Mike
Nesmith" ever again, but there would have been something inside of
me that was pushing to get out.

Not understanding oppression?  In my high school, there were two
groups: the "smart kids" and the "burnouts".  I was caught in the
middle.  The smarts ones didn't want me around because I did drugs.
The burnouts didn't want me because I was too smart.  I really
didn't have any friends until I went to college.  Try going through
those so-important high school years with nothing but strange
looks and being ignored.  Anyway, if homosexuality were the norm,
I doubt that I would hesitate to proclaim my heterosexuality, whether
it would mean oppression or not.  I am who I am, no one else.

(BTW, Joe was the president of the class ahead of me.  He was very
well liked during high school.  A few years ago, he was arrested
for "making out in his car with an underaged male".  The reaction
from a girl I know who was a member of that class was, "Oh, no!
Who's going to plan next year's reunion now that Joe is gay?")

This is getting sort of long, and I realize that my writing style
is kind of choppy.  I don't admit to knowing every facet of what
gay rights entail, but what I do know of, I back 100%.  I am not
trying to make light of any concerns of the homosexual population.
Discrimination based on sexual orientation is as stupid as that
based on skin color, hair color, or how many trees one has in his
back yard.

Keith, I'm sorry that I offended you.  It was not my intention.  I'd
like to hear from you sometime via mail.  I have no close gay friends.
Perhaps you can enlighten me more on what it's like to be gay.

As always,
The Irish Aardvark  (Laura)
ihnp4!ihuxb!irish