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Jungian Psychoanalyst Licensed Psychologist — Master Specializing in issues of Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexua/ and Transgendered individuals and couples Quechee — White River Junction (802-) 295-5533 Insurance Accepted A Proud To The Stone Hearth Inn 8: Tavern -Vermont ".45. Great Escape from Beach Trafiic & Crowds" Y Grca1B10 Inn with 10 Guest Rooms, . . " . " All with Private Bath, Somevwith .0112 . 7 In Chester Midway Between Brattieboro _ 8: Rutland ard Close to Sunmer Playhouses in Weston & Saxtcns River V Full Bar &CasuaI Menu in Our Tavern or an the Outdoor Patio . V Your Hosts Chris Clay St gtrent Arderson Civil Unions, Weddings 8: Events from £2 to 2!!) Rats from $59 to $139 with Full Breakfast The Qone Hearth Inn VI” Route 11 West, Chester VT 05143 802-875 525 $8-617-3656 w W w . lhestonehearthi nn. com r. Joel Arthur Nichols . ‘ wrote an article in your April issue. It seems laced with anger, prejudices and hostility that can only come from too little education in a protected socio-eco- nomic environment and not enough life-experience. He states in his arti- cle that “To me, the American flag signals a loss of safety. Its red, white and blue are slavery, oppression and poverty.” Perhaps he should try writ- ing this lettcr in China, Afghanistan, Yemen, Israel or Palestine, Pakistan or India. His words would not be taken kindly if written about their flag or their country, and perhaps then he would begin to understand what oppression is. My dad just came back from TelAviv, Israel, where a friend and member of his Shul opened a children’s hospital. This doctor’s daughter’s fourteenth birthday was the weekend they were there, and they had dropped the girls — twelve in total - ofl“ at a mall. A suicide bomber came into the mall where the girls were with a plastic explosive and about twenty pounds of rooting nails taped to his body and exploded himself. The men had been across the street and heard the explosion and ran to the mall to find five of the the camps. When they were finally sponsored to come to this country they came with nothing except what was on their backs, and they were very proud to do so. Rosey. my grandmother, ‘worked in a coat facto- ry in lower Manhattan sewing but- tons on coats for $3 a week. Growing up we were taught to ‘negotiate’ or ‘Jew-down’ prices because our par- ents and their parents didn’t have money or oftentimes enough food. And because things were tight we learned to value, to do without, and to work against the odds to have a better life. We learned early on life has no guarantees. The pride in America and being American represented a chance I personally think that we as ‘Americans are suffering from over-liberalization. girls were critical, two of the girls died, and one of the girls had roofing nails imbedded in her skull. And this is daily life. In Shul oftentimes the men have guns under their prayer robes in the back of their pants and this is daily life. Everything in life comes down to individualized perception and life experience. Lisually opinitttts reflect the experience of tin: indi‘. ual stating them. - I am in my mid-forties. six feet. two inches and weigh about l9li pounds. I am also gay and have been for as long as I can remember. I am also an Orthodox Jew. None of these factors defines me as an individual, but collectively they speak to my essence as an individual. To attempt to draw parallels between others and myself based on these factors and characteristics would be limiting my options as an individual. It seems to me that Mr. Nichols’ attempt to draw underliningly inferred experiential alliances between being gay and minorities and 911 and the qualities embraced by being American or showing patriotism is seriously flawed. ' America and especially the American flag represent safety. choice. prosperity and hope. It also offers any individual a chance to become the most they can. My grandparents came to this country after being in the camps. They were taken from their homes in Czechoslovakia in the middle ofthe night by the Nazis and put into trucks, trains and then delivered to that all who sought refuge could work toward the dream of a better life. It is only through self-limitation and affixing labels to oneself and others that the individual lessens their level ofopportunity, making their life journey more difficult for th:*'nsel\'es. Being patriotic and A: terican is a darn wonderful thing. '1l‘.(l showing that pride by putting a ling on 1. our pick-up truck (straight. lesbian or gay) an iitdi\‘idual's rigltt. '\ chance to be safe. regardless of gender-preference is guaranteed to all A1r.:-ri-cans. especially those who worked in the twin towcrsl And for one I think it is highly acceptable that anyone who could be affiliated with such an act could and should be called into ques- tion. I personally think that we as Americans are suffering from over- liberalization. Life has become all too easy, as has access to the American dream and everyone thinks they are due equality without having to work to earn and maintain it. Mr. Nichol’s anger at his choice of disenfranchisement due perhaps to how he has chosen to define himself comes through too loud and clear. Anyone can say it’s because I’m gay, it’s because I’m a Jew or a minority but what it real- ly comes down to is respecting your- self and allowing yourself to believe you are capable and taking the oppor- tunity to excel against adversity. Life isn’t always fair or easy. But it is a life worth the journey Be An American and worth the chance taking. The litany of disparaging citations Mr. ‘ -Nichols listed speaks to his youth and perhaps his own unhappiness within himself. He manages to cover most minorities from African Americans to the Native American genocide and detainment of the Japanese and actually is outraged (to use his verbiage) about the Arab- America and Muslim detentions and stigmatization, drawing parallels with being gay. There are no reasonable parallels to be drawn from his con- cerns. His reasoning is flawed at best. as is his shock over seeing: “...cars displaying American flags and rain- bow color simultaneously. It com- pletely ruined my day to see two les- bians proclaiming their American -and pride simultaneously on their car.” The labels Mr. Nichols affixes to everyone else defines how he has been taught to view himself, by being inside the metaphoric box. Pride in yourself and who you are is a start, a positive quality which unites people and draws them together under a solidarity of ‘caring through awareness.’ Each of us is a highly unique aspect of creation that reflects that very perfection. Our efforts should be better put to the task of pulling humanity together. We started a memorial wall in Connecticut where I also have a home. Before long the entire town and community as a whole gathered \ to place candles, signs, cards, flags and prayers. Mothers whose sons were being taken to Afghanistan put up thcirphotos, firemen who had been down to clear the towerrubble gathered for a service and prayer ses- sion. Children came and drew chalk pictures on the sidewalk. We started this wall the day of what I will call ‘the American tragedy’ 9/11 and it is still up and being lovingly cared for. Mr. Nichols outrage would have been better placed at the compassion and effort to seek a positive resolu- tion over what occurred that morning when we as Americans. including the minorities Mr. Nichols cited. \t crc invaded without warning and without just cause on our own soil. America and the .'-\mcrican llag represent all that is right and good in the world. We export our education. we open our doors and provide sanctuary to all who seek it. And some ofus. including myself. might not care for Mr. Nichols’s arti- cle, but the very flag and country he criticizes gives him the opportunity to express his views in an open forum. V David Reid Lowe/lproudlyflies an Americanflag in Bethlehem, New Hampshire.