.. ..«.a4nHa -—=———l e t t e r s ———— —— 0ITM, POB 177, Burlington, VT 05402-0177 or oitm@together-.net in March 25 at 6pm, the Vermont Coali tion for Lesbian and Gay Rights Board will meet at the Fletcher Free Library in Burlington to plan the fall con- ference. All who have ideas and want to be involved are wel- come. Those who would like to be involved, but are busy plan- - ning Pride Day are encouraged to come to this first meeting. Future meetings to address more detailed plans will be held after ]une. For those of you who want—to be involved, but are unable to attend, please call us at 888-825-4989 We look forward to seeing all interested and creative individuals. Sincerely, Virginia Renfrew am writing in response to [Gay America's relentless and fashionable dis- paragement of Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Let's start by putting into perspective his great his- torical achievements: If Newt Gingrich had been run over by a truck in 1993, it is almost certain that there would not be a Republi- can majority in the House to- day. Few other congressional politicians have made such a difference in partisan history as Speaker Gingrich. Since the Republicans won the 1994 election — with the help of almost 40 percent of the national gay vote —— the Dow Iones has doubled, the welfare rolls have been cut by 25 percent, and crime has fallen by almost as much. The Ameri- can people — gay and straight — are richer, less dependent, safer than they were before, and by margins almost no one anticipated. I think it can be plausibly argued that the first two would not have happened if the Re- publicans had not won and held Congress — and the last would not have happened if gay—friendly Rudolph Giuliani had not been elected Republi- can Mayor of New York City in 1993. The Republican Con- gress and the Greenspan Fed gave heart to investors, includ- ing the generally affluent gay community, while the GOP Congress and Giuliani's police department withdrew the sanctions other officeholders a generation ago gave to welfare dependency and criminal be- havior. So give Speaker Gingrich some credit. His professorial style may turn off many vot- ers; his pugnacity may get him in needless trouble with the straight and gay press. Still, Gingrich reminds me of one of the leading figures in Churchill's Life of Marlborough, King William III. Cool in his personal'de— meanor, William III was un- loved in his country and his capital; he was an outsider who took oyer a great king- dom almost by accident; as- King of England, he undertook responsibilities far beyond the capacity of any one man, and so his performance was often ragged. Yet he made a difference; in his reign began annual Par- liaments, representative gov- ernment and international fi- nance as we know it today; he held the line against then re- pressive Catholic France and preserved the liberties of his sullen subjects and rebellious allies. Gingrich, approaching his twentieth year in Congress, is a stranger in insider Wash- ington and a disliked figure beyond the Beltway and in Gay America; has taken on the responsibilities of long-term strategist and short—term tacti- cian without the institutional means or all the personal skills needed to fulfill them. Like William .111, he in- spires little loyalty and may not be missed when he leaves. William III had to wait until , Macaulay wrote, 150 years later, to be appreciated; per- haps gays today should give I Mr. Gingrich some credit. Matthew Veritas Tsien 7 X To suggest an analogy... Our society is deeply fa- _ miliar with harms of violence. We have publicly acknowl- edged the violent parent and the violent spouse, have con- demned abuse and have tried to teach ourselves not to use force as a vent for frustration. In our increasingly dys- functional international family, the New World Order of George Bush is taking on the alarming dimensions. Nowa- days, the United States is ”Dad.” Not just any Dad; but a father with a short fuse, a shaky and reactive ego, and fits of extraordinary violence. The United Nations, with more frequency in the last de- cade, is ”Mom.” And Mom really doesn't have Dad's re- spect. After Dad whups_12— year—old junior (for not turning out his pockets for the sus- pected switchblade) and has broken teeth/ bones / skull, he may turn on Mom. The freshly ordered New World is no longer safe from (face it, folks) us. Good old Uncle Sam has a problem. Quite a few people are unable to sleep at night for fear of what Mr. Clinton will do. Here,‘ in the United States, many fear Russia's par- ticipation. In Israel, anticipat- ing a rapidly widening circle of conflict, families pick up tens of thousands of gas masks ev- ery day. Other fearful people live in nearby India and Iran and Jordan, often downwind from whatever we might un- earth blowing up pieces of Iraq. Last time it was oil wells and nerve gas. ‘This year, who knows. No longer have we ”nothing to fear but fear itself.” Now we have Bully Bill. Mr. Clinton loves follow- ing in the footsteps of his hero, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. He’s had his brief flirtations with reform and liberalism, and now he's moving into the LETTERS, P4 Legendary Roy Hedrick On The Move — Has Listed Home With Bill Desautels Burlington - You’ve heard him sing with the choir, you’ve been to his home for countless_ Rainbow Business Association" meetings, you’ve even stuffed Out In The Mountains with him. Now this incredible southern gentleman is moving on. Being that Roy has become one of my most cherished friends, I’m hoping his house never . sells. But, as his Realtorlmust do everything possible to sell it so that Roy’s transition to his new home is a smooth one. . Offering four bedrooms, with vaulted ceilings, the master is complete with a romantic wood burning fireplace and a wall of windows for those sunny Vermont days. There’s even another fireplace in the 23 foot long living room. What a great house for entertaining, not to mention the private yard. Located on Prospect Parkway in Burlington, this home will surprise you at $162,900. 1 Condo Guy, Bill Desautels is at it again. He’s selling homes and not just ‘condos. Call Bill at RE/MAX North Professionals no matter what _you plan to buy or sell. (802) 655-3333 X17 or (800) 639- 4520 X17. man i i:ias$awm.avasasaaw.aasssraasa.aeea+.~.- §»§.;i~;«g»;«l+.L+.....-.... OUT IN THE MOUNTAINS — MARCH 1998 -03 A Tax &Acc0untz'ng Services i&9d9inI\ gr i- Julie M. Miller Ccrrlfietl l’ul)li'cAccomzlam‘ Browns Trace Building P.0. Box 910 Richmond, VI’ 05477 302-434-6466 'l17.l. 802-434-6465 mi Elizabeth Campbell CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT 15 E. Washington St:.Rutland, VT 05701 (802) 773-4030 Elizabct@sover.nct Serving tbe Vet1nontC'onmmm't_y 2 Serving the Financial Needs of Gay Men and Lesbians Sound financial planning for: 0 Investments 0 Tax Management AMERIMN BPRESS (9 Financial Advisors 802.872.2775 Ext. 209 © 1997 American Express Financial Corporation 0 Estate Planning 0 Risk Protection 0 Retirement 0 Domestic Partners Call today for your complimentary consultation. ' American Express Financial Advisors Inc. Personal Financial Advisors Chad M. Dubois Mark Bates Clara Charlebois BETH ROBINSON , LANGROCK SPERRY & WOOL ATTORNEYS AT LAW 15 SOUTH PLEASANT STREET MIDDLEBURY, VERMONT 05753 Burlington Office: 275 College Street Burlington, Vermont 05402 802-864-021 7 Area Code: 802 Telephone: 388-6356 FAX8: 388-6149 BLACKWOOD ' AND KRAYNAK P.C. 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