Out in the Mountains

Editorial

When is support
not support?

Two Vermont newspapers printed editori-
als supporting the civil rights bill in the last
month. On March 4, just after the hearings,
the Valley News printed a very strong ed-
itorial in favor of the bill. On April 3, fol-
lowing the Senate vote, The Burlington
Free Press also printed an editorial sup-
porting passage of the bill. Both papers
“did the right thing”, but one was positive
and the other backhanded.

Referring to the testimony, the Valley
News stated, “The outpouring of ignorance
and outright bigotry from some opponents
of the legislation makes it all to clear that
this expansion of the state’s anti-
discrimination law is long overdue.” After
a description of the proposed amendment,
the editorial continues, “This (protection
against discrimination) should not be a
hard concept to grasp or support. It is pred-
icated on the belief that people’s sexual
preferences are a private matter and should
not provide grounds for denying them the
same rights and privileges enjoyed by oth-
ers in the state...Nothing is clear about the
opposition to this proposal except that a
disappointingly large number of people
still are not prepared to relinquish their
harmful myths and prejudices about gay
people.”

Compare this language to the Free Press
editorial, “Some Vermonters believe ho-
mosexuality is a sin; others are simply un-

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comfortable with a sexuality different from
their own. People are entitled to their pri-
vate opinions. (The bill specifically ex-
empts religious organizations from being
forced to employ homosexuals if that vi-
olates the group’s religious principles)”

Again compare the closing of the two ed-
itorials. “Make no mistake: Passage of this
law will do little to help people overcome
their bigotry. That is something that will,
we hope, disappear over time. In the mean-
time though, those Vermonters who must
endure this prejudice need legal protection
to ensure that they have some recourse
against those who would deny them their
rights. This law would provide it. It’s high
time it passed.”

“Gays and lesbians are not seeking special
treatment from the Vennont Legislature.
They are simply seeking the same as-
surances society has given to other groups.
In fact ‘gay rights’ is the wrong name for
this legislation. The House is being asked
to approve a new kind of ‘equal rights’
law.”

The first quote is from the Valley News, the
second the Free Press. The difference is
clear; the Valley News clearly identifies
bigotry for what it is and calls for its end
The Free Press, while understanding and
supporting the need for legal protections, is
not willing or able to understand that un-
derlying issue. This is not a “new kind of
equal rights law”. It is an extension of ex-
isting laws.

Deborah Laehman V

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