. .__ .7.-_, 4-77"‘ ~:'rr:: ‘~ ==== “lettersmmt read with interest Chris Moes’ thoughtful editorial last month, in which he ruminated about the purpose of the Vermont Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights, and wondered whether the organization has served its purpose and should disband. As someone who has served on the VCLGR board for several years, and as someone who regards VCLGR’s continued existence as critical to our community, I wanted to take theopportunity to respond to Chris. Chris is right when he points out that the VCLGR was formed over a decade ago, when we did not yet have any g/l/b/It youth groups or social groups, when we did not yet have an AIDS resource and supportorganization or a marriage task force, when we did not yet have a newspaper to disseminate information and news. In those early days, the VCLGR helped to fill the void by sponsoring social events, talking with politicians about the dis- crimination we ‘faced, and estab- lishing a mailing list to provide folks with information. In short, the VCLGR was the only state- wide organization addressing the myriad issues facing our commu- nity. I As a direct and indirect re- sult of the work the VCLGR did back then, the VCLGR helped to spawn all of the various organiza- tions which now exist in our com- munity, including groups such as the Adoption Task Force and the Freedom to Marry Task Force. The fact that we now have such issue- specific groups in our community, however, does not mean that the VCLGR is obsolete. In fact, I see two very important roles that the VCLGR serves, and should con- tinue to serve. First, the VCLGR is our only true statewide organiza- tion; it has a large membership and a tremendous mailing list. It really is the only organization that is equipped to organize and spon- sor an annual conference and Town Meeting. The fact that hun- dreds of g/ l/b/ t Vermonters at- tend this conference each year is proof of its continuing viability; the conference serves the valuable function of bringing us together, for socializing, checking in, debat- ing, discussing, sharing informa- tion, showing our pride. Second, the VCLGR serves the extremely important role of dealing with the politicians and bureaucrats in Montpelier on our behalf. The VCLGR has two liai- sons to the state government, Keith Goslant and Virginia Renfrew, who spend many volun- teer hours each legislative session at the statehouse, talking with leg- islators about our issues, monitor- ing bills, lobbying on our behalf. Let us not forget that it was the VCLGR liaisons, and VCLGR members, who were instrumental in lobbying for many of the legis- lative protections we now enjoy, such as the anti-discrimination law, the hate crimes law, and the second parent adoption law, among many others. I Finally, and most impor- tantly, we cannot overlook the fact that the VCLGR, to a degree un- like any other g/l/b/t organiza- tion in this state, has name recog- nition and respect Within the (mostly straight) political estab- -i.vl.v.’Al-..-,*.- ‘Pd-&"&