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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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