Out in the Mountains

KEEP US POSTED!

Please let us know of any events
that you feel should be on our cal-
endar so that we can share them
with all our readers. Send your
group’s listings or other information
to: OITM, PO Box Box 177, Bur-
ington VT 05402. Materials must be
received by the 1st of the month
prior to publication in order to be
assured of appearing in print.

 

Letters to the Editor

The Editor, OITM

This may be a very unusual request, but I’ll
be very grateful if you could grant me this. I
am seeking your help in finding penfriends.
I live in Jamaica in the West Indies and the
gay community here is small and closeted. I
could not put an ad in any of our news-
papers seeking gay penfriends and that’s
why I am asking you to help me. I need peo-
ple who I can relate to. In other words, I
need gay friends. Below are particulars of
myself.

Sophia Simpson, age 22, 19 Avery Cres-
cent, Edgewater, Bridgeport P.O., St. Cathe-
rine, Jamaica, W.I.

By the way, I love your magazine although
if and when I get them they are 1 year old.

Yours Truly,
Sophia Eimpeon

O O 0
Dear Out in the Mountains,

I just got done watching the eleven o’clock
news. I felt that a word must be said on the
ban that was lifted today and the court cases
against gays and lesbians. This is a great
thing. But I want all of us to take a moment
and remember all of the ones that died and
didn’t get to see this day. One such person I
will never forget. I was in D.C. in 92 at the
AIDS Quilt when walking through the rows
of panels I found my self looking down at an
all black panel with white letters and a pic-
ture of an officer. This panel said “They
gave me a medal for killing a man and a dis-
charge for loving one.”

I didn’t know this man but I’d give anything
if I could tell him the news of this. So I hope
that all will think of people that didn’t get to
see this day and thank them for their part.

James

Editor’s Note: The officer referred to in
James’ letter was Leonard Matlovitch. V

Dear Editor,

After years of fighting against the ban on gay
men and lesbians in the military, we were
very pleased with President Clinton’s strong,
principled commitment to this effort.

One factor that will determine the outcome of
this fight against discrimination is the extent
to which our congressional colleagues hear
from their constituents on this issue. The sin-
gle most important thing anyone can do to

2

4;

fight this discriminatory policy is to writem
the people who represent him or her in the
United State House and the United State
Senate. Members of the House and Senate an
influenced far more by expressions of opin
ion from the people in their own Corr
stituencies than they are from other sources.

We would add one additional letter that is im
portant to send —— to President Clinton to
thank him for standing up for the principle
that Americans should not be discriminated
against on the basis of their sexual orientation
despite strong political opposition.

There will be organized efforts on the part 01
those opposed to fair treatment of gay men
and lesbians to flood Members of Congress
with constituent communications against the
President’s position, and its is essential that
those who believe fairness do what they can
do to offset this. And if after writing your own
letter or making your own phone calls you
can persuade friends, co—workers, relativeg
etc, to do the same to their own Repre-
sentatives and Senators, that will also be very
helpful.

Kepreaentative Gerry Studde
Keprcaentative Barney Frank

Editors Note:
To contact your representatives in Ver-
mont write or call:

Representative Bernard Sanders,
U.S. House of Representatives;
Washington, DC or call (802) 862-0697

Senator Patrick Leahy, U.S. Senate,
Washington DC, 20510
(1-800) 642-3193

Senator James Jeffords, U.S. Senate,
Washington DC, 20510
( 1-800) 835-5500

In New Hampshire

Senator Judd Gregg, U.S. Senate,
Washington DC, 20510
(202) 224-3324
(in Concord, NH 225-71 1)
Senator Bob Smith, U.S. Senate,
Washington DC, 20510
(202) 224-2841
(in Manchester, NH 634-5000)
Representative Dick Swett,
U.S. House of Representatives;
Washington, DC
(202) 225-5206

White House Opinion Line
(202)456-1111

General Colin Powell
(703) 697-9121 V