4 jM St M t • September 21.2ÛQ1
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E ditor :
I
n this time of terrible destruction and great
loss, the American community comes to
gether in support and aid. The many factions
of our society work together much as the pas
sengers of United Airlines Flight 93, including
at least one gay man, are believed to have
handed together to take hack the plane and, in
doing so, heroically prevented it from hitting a
populated target.
As in any time of great devastation, our com
munity needs to give financially. I ask everyone
to remember those members of our gay, lesbian,
hi and trans family who have perished by giving
prudently as well.
Remember the Red Cross will not let gay or
bisexual men donate hlixxJ no matter how dire
the need.
Remember the Salvation Army asked for,
and received, special protection for religious
organizations exempting them from any nondis
crimination policy based on sexual orientation
in President Bush’s plan to involve religious
agencies in social services.
Remember the United Way supports the ban
on gay Boy Scouts and troop leaders by contin
uing to contribute financially to chapters across
the country, including New York and Washing
ton, D.C.
It is important, even imperative, to let these
organizations know that when they ask our
community for dollars to support their pro
grams, they are asking us to contribute finan
cially to our discrimination. We should not
taint the memories of our murdered gay, les
bian, hi and trans friends by financially donat
ing to any charity with a policy of discrimina
tion against us.
If you already have contributed financially to
the American Red Cross, Salvation Army,
United Way of America September 11 th Fund
or another selectively supportive service organi
zation, I encourage you to let them know how
much money they received from someone they
discriminate against. Perhaps now is the time to
open their hearts and policies; otherwise,
encourage them to return your donation to you,
then forward that same amount, or more, to a
nondiscriminatory charity.
O f the charities listed at Helping.org for this
special time of need, the New York Firefighters
9-11 Disaster Relief Fund and the New York
State Fraternal Order of Police World Trade
Center Fund stem from organizations that do
not discriminate in employment or benefits
regarding an individuals sexual orientation.
(The AO L Time Warner Foundation— also
nondiscriminatory— is covering administrative
costs associated with contributing online so 100
percent of your donation is directed to the char
ity.) You also could do a search at Helping.org to
find gay, lesbian, bi and trans organizations in
New York and Washington to which you can
donate.
And at this time of great tragedy— as I
mourn my friend who worked on the 90th floor
and my boyfriend’s colleague who was a passen
ger on the plane that struck that tower— please
give a hit more. At this time of great compas
sion, please remember also to he careful as well
as caring.
J G raigory
James Giardino
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New patriotism
To t h e
A
E d it o r :
lthough I do not wish to detract from the
righteous grieving of those who have lost
family and other loved ones in the attacks on
the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, I do
feel a gaping abyss between myself and others
“like me” and those who have “come together”
to “renew the spirit of America” so we are now
a “stronger nation.”
1 am unclear which America this is. The
America that for years has made me angry and
afraid with words like “faggot” ? That America?
The America of religious freedom whose
government makes public display of participat
ing in a Catholic ritual? The America most
commonly referred to as a “Christian nation” ?
The great melting pot that marginalizes
those who don’t fit neatly into the mainstream,
whose citizens live in fear and wariness of each
other but now unite under one banner to rise
against a common enemy? Now we’re all Amer
icans again!
Honestly, 1 am tom. A part of me grieves.
Undoubtedly whites, blacks, Hispanics, gays,
lesbians, Catholics, Jews and, yes, probably even
Muslims were killed in the recent unfortunate
events. Another part of me is satisfied to see the
America 1 was never a part of suffer in a way 1
have lived with for years.
Tmly it is pathetic that while we see waving
flags and tear-filled eyes and get our ears filled
with buzzwords like “new patriotism,” “stronger
nation” and “Americans coming together,”
threats are being phoned to mosques, Muslims
and other Arab Americans. I am not filled with
renewed patriotism for a country where it has
been made clear that I am tolerated and
abhorred in the same moment.
J oe A yers
Portland.
Surprise attack?
To t h e
E d it o r :
The Sept. 11 attack should have come as no
surprise. The United States is a high-profile
country and an open society with unsecured
borders and poor immigration control.
Getting vengeance will he difficult, as under
ground warfare is very effective. A police state
would stop this, hut we won’t tolerate one.
R alph
G aston
R aines
Eradicating hatred
To t h e
E d it o r :
e were stunned and saddened to hear of
the slaying of the young trans woman,
Loni Okaruru, in Hillsboro.
It is extremely disturbing that such grue
some, senseless actions have become common
place in our society. It is nearly impossible to
pick up a newspaper or turn on the evening
news without hearing of yet another instance of
human shortcoming in its most despicable
form— violence.
How many of us will have to die before we as
a community, we as a society, we as a nation
decide to say, “Never again” ? How many more
Loni Okarurus, Matthew Shepards and Brandon
Teenas will have their lives tom from them
before we take a stand for solidarity? To para
phrase Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Injustice
against one is injustice against all.”
Organizing for justice is central to our mis
sion at the Lesbian Community Project. We
believe that as individuals and as a society we all
are diminished by such heinous acts of degrada
tion, and we are committed to the struggle to
eradicate hatred and violence from our state.
We respect and honor the life of Loni Okaruru
by striving to build a community in which no
trans, lesbian or gay person has to suffer at the
hand of ignorance and intolerance.
A nnie O tis
Lesbian Community Project Treasurer