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(24 Dec 89)

Dear Dan Rotan {\it et al},

First Dan, if you have ``friends'' -- straight or otherwise --¨
that voted ``anti-gay'' (sic) simply because they didn't like¨
what some other group of people did -- that's your problem. ¨
Personally, I would never consider people that petty, spiteful¨
and obviously homophobic to be ``friends''.

But I didn't write to comment on your insecurities, but the thing¨
unsaid behind yours and many other letters I've read lately:

That you consider yourself to be one of the ``real'' gay people,¨
you know, the legitimate ones. The ones that act like ``you''.¨
``We'' give ``you'' a bad name. If it weren't for us, much more¨
progress would be made. And so on. (I won't make the obvious¨
analogy with German Jews trying to ``pass''. Especially in these¨
Interesting Times.)

Seems we've heard this story before -- how unsightly drag queens¨
(etc) give us good gay people a bad name. Butch boys say ``not¨
all gay men are like that!'' about sissy boys. Or how straight¨
boys hate ``fags''. Don't you recognize the process? -- it's the¨
same old fears in new clothing. 

Are you so unsure of yourself that you confuse someone else's¨
actions with your own? Don't your own actions speak for¨
themselves?

Since you asked: I firmly believe that the attempt of some gay¨
people to blend into the so-called mainstream is suicide, and¨
that the people that want to do this will sell us ``weirdos''¨
out, climbing over our bodies if necessary, to get there. Your¨
incredible intolerance, for something as minor as disagreeing¨
with the tactics of a group you are not even part of, tells me¨
that I could not rely on you for anything.

Your beliefs and actions genuinely give {\it me} a bad name. I¨
get shit in my life because mainstream, upscale, yuppy¨
consumptive people like you claim to represent ``all gay¨
people''. {\it You embarrass me!} Why is it that the so-called¨
``mainstream'' can't tolerate difference? And no, I am not part¨
of ACT-UP, SANOE, or any other activist group. They don't¨
represent me either. Only I do that.

You have no choice but to live with us. And us with you. 


{\leftskip3in\obeylines\par
Tom Jennings
Box 77731
San Francisco CA 94107
882-9832
}

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