Out in the Mountains

Editorial

Maybe what we really need is more an-
ger.

While I’ve always been a strong support-
er of working through the system, I think
more and more that groups like ACT-UP
and Queer Nation play a vital part be-
cause we have to become visible.

The media treatment of Magic Johnson’s
announcement that he has tested positive
for AIDS is a classic example. I have re-
spect for J ohnson’s decision and the way
in which he is handling it, especially his
work on educating others. I have no re-
spect for and am angered by the fact that
the media has suddenly decided AIDS is
newsworthy again. The deaths of over
128,000 Americans is not newsworthy;
the HIV positive status of one basketball
star IS.

Some would say I should be glad for the
attention this is focusing on AIDS and
that maybe this it what it will take to get
our government moving on the issue. I’m
tired of being grateful for gratuitous vic-
tories. Just once I’d like us to win one be-
cause its the right thing to do, not be-
cause it can somehow be twisted into
something acceptable to the straight com-
munity. The theme nmning behind all the
media reporting and commentary on
Magic Johnson is that now we have to
pay attention because it happened to one
of “us” not one of “them”.

It’s comforting to focus on how far we
have come; harder to think about how far
we have to go. When our families are not
accorded the same basic rights as other

families, when we have to fight and
make a special case every time we need
health insurance, when we are dis-
criminated against by everyone from the
IRS to credit card companies to busi-
nesses offering “family discounts”; when
we read that violence against gays and
lesbians is at an all time high it’s time to
fight back in every way possible. For
some of us that means civil disobedience,
for others lobbying and legal challenges,
for others letter writing. For all of us it
means being out and visible in as open a
way as we can possibly be.

Next month’s issue will be coming to
you just as the Vermont legislature once
again considers the civil rights bill. It is
incumbent on all of us to do as much as
possible to highlight the issue and lobby
our legislators (and the rest of the state).
At a minimum, write or call your repre-
sentive. Legislators need to know we
elect them and can equally well vote
against them. If they don’t hear from us it
is easy to ignore us.

This month we’ve printed Peter Cooper’s
description of testifying before the leg-
islature. Next month we will provide an
easy way for you to be heard; a clip—out
form to mail your representative.

Deborah Laehman V

  

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