___ % Out in the Mountains s1 ’ : ' -. 0.. 02;1Bfi11<"i‘atevp<>stage"fOr;=t .6: enewspapefjisfiiaidziinBiiil-‘ subscriptigntaue is'*$20.per he».Ur'iitedf-Sta es: A if ii‘)/i‘i\‘.;,i1A\’I0l1’_i1V_Vt’é‘I1'11‘s«.h5‘ .3 :0 Su brn rtsvArt|cless :Vt(e‘§'é'nc_o_urag_ef*§and, implore ourf:reag;:; ers tO.d5iWhat they can fq.;makfq_OI.TM *5. 9?5P9!..D°fh’7°"“afld by 9336. |é’Si|?i3‘n; and'bis;e‘xualvVermo.ntérs..P‘Iea$e_;as-3 typing; your "articiIes'%:;;anq,: lettersfgfdoubgle-spaced V and v vincvluding? your U3i“9.3iid~Dho‘ne number liwéhaite. 8ViY“9tiIé$fl°ri$L’ YOU? SL1 bmisej I ' ' Id 5%}. received "by-; OITM o:; iiilatergthavnv th‘e'*10th‘ of the previous, ;mam_n; Thank‘ you for helping out!» by Hugh Coyle Even as many of us looked toward a new year full of promise and hope just weeks ago, others were already undergoing the fears and anxieties of a nation on the brink (and now in the midst) of war. Many of our friends and family members, gay and straight alike, now find themselves in a life- threatening situation in the Middle East. Some have sacrificed their own honor (after all, being gay in the U.S. Army is a crimepunishable by imprisonment and/ora dishonorable discharge) in order to defend the honor of our country — a tough decision that your average heterosexual recruit doesn’t have to live or die with. While the battles continue overseas, so do the battles here at home. In Vennont, for example, we continue to push for the pas- sage of the anti-discrimination bill cur- rently working its way through the state legislature. This too is a battle for justice, liberty, and the American way; make no mistake about that. In this particular arena, however, it’s a mission best served by words rather than warheads. What wonies me most, however, is that in the past two months, the context of our struggle for equality has changed. Pa- triotism and national pride have scored a strong resurgence, as symbolized by the number of yellow ribbons and American flags decorating the countryside. With this trend has come an increased desire to be considered “model citizens” of this coun- try. New norms are being established (though by whom it’s never quite clear) as to what it takes to be an “American.” This is where nationalism threatens to become a damaging and potentially lethal force in society. Issues of diversity and freedom of expression suddenly lose their significance as the nation scrambles to come together like one massive cheerlead- ing squad for our troops overseas. After all, cheerleading squads don’t function on principles of individualism and difference; they work best by adhering to notions of uniformity and likeness. We sing the same rally songs, or we don’t sing at all. Unfortunately, gay, lesbian, and bi- sexual voices (particularly those rallying for civil rights here at home) sound incon- gruous to a number of American citizens. The military is just one clear example in its refusal to recognize members of our com- munity as capable and dedicated personnel. Those who don’t conform to established standards are targeted as the opposition, Gay Life During Wartime tagged“un-American,” and dismissed. We are a nation at war and it is dictated that we must now devote our energies to supporting our troops overseas. Clamoring for addi- tional AIDS funding is not supporting our troops and is perceived to be “un-Ameri- can.” Lobbying for equality in the assur- ance of civil rights is not supporting our troops and is perceived to be “un-Ameri- can.” Sadly, protesting for peace has also been equated with not supporting our troops and has all too often been perceived to be “un-American.” We can’t as a nation promote aggres- sion in some parts of the world and expect it to diminish on our home soil. The equa- tion simply does not factor that way. Ten- sions are high in this country at the moment, and understandably so. People are search- ing desperately for outlets for their fear, anxiety, and confusion. Sadly, a number of people will find their release the same way it is being found by various world leaders - through violence. If you can label something as “un- American” these days, it becomes a likely target for the kinds of violence brewing in the national mind. If you’re not a “decent, moral, upstanding citizen,” as so many people are trying to claim they are across the nation, then you’re a target, the enemy. Now think to yourselves, how many times have gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals been allowed to define themselves as “decent, moral, upstanding citizens?” Certainly the military doesn't permit such a definition. And we are, after all, supporting our coun- try’s military these days, are we not? Or am I sounding “un-American?” These are times of great confusion for us, both as individuals and as one society in a world of diverse cultures. My deepest wish is to oppose any and all acts of war and violence, to promote and uphold peace however possible, and yet to also support the endeavors of the men and women serv- ing our country overseas. The grains of contradiction lurking between those state- ments irritate me and cannot be ignored. There are no easy answers to the questions haunting all of us as we attempt to settle on and defend our own positions regarding the events in the Gulf. We must learn to acknowledge the difficulties we are all experiencing in these arduous times and share our frustration and grief. Fighting amongst one another here at home only heightens the tragedy of war and (continued on page 13)