-  April 1987. Page 3

Letters to the Editor

Thank You

Dear Out in the Mountains,

Last night I went to Montpelier to
support the Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights
Bill, # 247, now being considered by the
legislature. I saw almost all the people I
see regularly at the Vennont Coalition there;
however, I also saw a lot of different faces.

I thought that as a whole the hearing
was very successful and I would like to
thank everyone who worked so hard to
support the bill. I found the testimony in
support of the bill rational, informative, and
non-repetitive (unlike that of the
fundamentalist opposition).

I would like specifically to thank Holly
Perdue for all of her effort to organize and
co-ordinate the people who testified at the
hearing.

Yours in friendship,
Jeffrey W. Tewell
Woodstock, VT

Support Appreciated

Dear Sir:

Your newspaper offers so much to this
community that I wanted to take this
opportunity to thank you. It is your effort
to provide a variety of viewpoints and
perspectives including both information and
opinion that wins my respect.

Euan Bear’s article in the March issue
on the "New Alliance Party" was of
particular interest to me. It had style and
was refreshing to read. There was one
discrepancy that made me uncomfortable,
and I would be pleased if you would allow
me to correct it.

It is true that the "New Alliance
Party" cannot afford "yuppie food" -- any

O.K. to Be Gay!

To the Editor,

I want to thank you again for printing
my letter on "Harassment in N.H."

Also, I want to thank the people who

wrote letters in my favor.

At this point in time, I cannot afford
(financially) to hire an attorney or to take
the case to court.

The only thing that has happened this
winter is I found my car crossways in my
driveway between 2 snowbanks and 2
cigarette butts near it (and I don’t smoke).

There was no damage done, it just irritated
me a bit, so I wrote a gay friend of mine.

I'm glad to know I have a gay brother
in Lebanon. Hallelujah!‘

I'm glad to know I'm a gentleman.
That is much better than .dehumanizing
terms like "queer" and "faggot ."

There is a bit of improvement. I had
told the boys I would not answer to

anything but my light name. They are
complying with that- it seems so good to
hear "Stanley" rather than "hey. queer-
faggot, etc."

My mother and I both talked to the
parents of the boy concerned, and so have

the cops. I also have a relative on the local
police force now, so I feel much safer. In
fact, he lives right across the street from
me. So how's that for police protection.

I think EQQQAJIQE is the answer to
AIDS, harassment, discrimination. as well as
current legislation. I think they should go
hand in hand.

I long for the day of gay UTOPIA. No
diseases, no harassment. and no
discrimination from anyone towards anyone!

Also I wish the best of luck to Jeff
Busch. What a wonderful letter he wrote.
I'm behind and with him 100%.

Thanks again. everyone, for being my
friend- concern really helps, and so do
suggestions. Keep those letters coming! 

It's O.K. to be GAY! in 1987!

Stan Woodward
Your gay brother in N.H.

more than they can afford to send speakers
to Vermont all expenses paid. I cannot
attempt to explain how this newly developed
political party handles their finances. I can
only answer to my behavior as the sole
contributor of the "iced bottles of
champagne and platters of brie and
crackers". I defend my right to give the
best I have to offer.

It has been said that a simple smile can
buy many things. When someone smiles and
says, "Gay people are a part of our
community. Black people are valuable and
should be respected. Women are capable of
being good leaders." I will like that person,
and will give the best I have to show my
appreciation.

Thank you
David C.

New Alliance Party

To the Editor.

I want to thank Euan Bear for her fine
article/interview with Mary Fridley and the
New Alliance Party in the March issue. She
expressed very well what NAP is about, and
what we're doing and why, and I want to
thank Qlfmf for this opportunity to get
word of this movement out to Vennont’s
Lesbian and Gay community.

Sincerely,

Richard Ronner
Vt. State Coordinator
New Alliance Party

H.247 Debate Commentaries

By: Anita
Betty Nuovo unemotionally read us the
rules. "...Each speaker will have two

minutes..." We had filled the well of the
House of Representatives at the State House
in Montpelier. ''...There will be one speaker
in favor followed by one speaker opposed..."
My heart was- pounding. Was it the
expectation of some great historic moment
that had my stomach tied in knots?
"...There will by no applause..." I was ready
to burst.

The speakers that followed pulled at my
emotions like the string pulls on a yo-yo.
One articulate, intelligent speaker in favor of
H. 247 after another recited the importance
of the passage of this bill. One after
another, the speakers against the bill quoted
scripture at me hoping to help me change
my sinful ways.

vooooooooooooooooooooocooooneoooooo0one0no0onocoocoo0oneonoooooooooooooooooooooooi

Yes, yes I thought as some recited tales
of discrimination in housing, or credit, or
employment. It was the fear of losing my
inadequate-paying part-time job that kept me
there in seat no. 142 as others bravely sat
before the microphone.

I remembered pictures from the
McCarthy-era Senate hearing on communism
as one after another of the speakers sat
before that ever-present microphone stating
their names and their arguments for or
against the bill. I remembered that bygone
era, "Are you now or have you ever been a
member...".

How many more quotations from
Leviticus or Corinthians could I bear? How
many more times must I hear a distorted
version of Sodom and Gomorrah?

Around the room I picked out faces of
friends, acquaintances. lesbian sisters, or gay

continued, page 4

by Philip Roberts
''I speak for all of the Westem-civilized
countries of the world--homosexuality is an
abomination..." So it went from the
fundamentalists on Tuesday night, March 10.
Nothing most lesbians and gay men haven't
read before from the "right". But for many
people, actually seeing humans verbally
debase other humans was quite a shock.
Sitting in the Vennont House chamber,
being moved from Room 11 in the
Statehouse because of an overflow crowd of
250 people, added importance and drama to
the evening. I dare say this was a historic
first for many lesbians and gay men seated
in that illustrious chamber in Montpelier!
For three hours the House Judiciary
Committee heard emotional public testimony
for and against House Bill 247. This bill
would make it illegal to discriminate against
continued, page 4