Newspaper Page Text
8 Southern Voice/Noverriber 22, 1990
VIEWPOINTS
Come March
With Us
Open Letter to the Community:
How have you been effected by the
AIDS epidemic? Do you have a family
member or friend who has AIDS? Does
your lover have AIDS? Do you have
AIDS? Are you a health care worker?
Have you volunteered your time and
energy to help people with AIDS? Have
you wanted to get involved and not
known how?
If you have answered "yes" to any of
these questions, COME MARCH WITH
US! The Community AIDS Network is
sponsoring a first-of-its-kind Unity
March and Rally in observance of World
AIDS Day on Saturday, December 1,
1990, and we are offering an open invita
tion to everyone who has been touched
by AIDS. This march is expected to
unite all people—black and white,
straight and gay, men and women, indi
viduals and families—in a message of
solidarity to demonstrate to the city of
Atlanta that we all stand together in the
fight against AIDS.
For more information please call at
the Community AIDS Network at 881
9800, ext. 327.
Carrie Jane Singleton
Please see page 7 for more details on
this worthwhile effort.—Ed.
Credibility
Check, Anyone?
Dear Editors:
I'd like to respond to Debbie Fraker's
comments concerning my OUTWEEK
story on the Michigan Women's Music
Festival in her piece, "Where do you
Draw the Line on Obscenity?" (Oct. 11).
Although mostly a passing comment on
her part to make a point, her sarcastic
mention of me and my writing made me
mad enough to take the time to respond.
Most Southern Voice readers may not
know me as a nationally published writer
nor would have seen the cover story I did
for OUTWEEK on Michigan, which
appeared in the magazine in September.
Fraker contends that in covering the fest,
I "practically ignored the controversy
around curtailing the activities of S/M
women as if it were a minor issue."
The truth is, of course, far to the con
trary! Not only was I clearly sympathet
ic to the leatherwomen in my article, I
did indeed cover the controversy fairly
within the limits of a 2000 word article
(as I heard from many leatherwomen out
here). In fact, Fraker may be interested
to know that my editors at OUTWEEK
actually cut a few paragraphs on the S/M
issue from the final version of my story
because they felt that I had written too
much on the topic! Because, whether
Fraker understands it or not, the idea of
balanced journalism is to cover an issue
fairly, not concentrating a whole story on
a single issue from one perspective when
there are others to discuss. At Michigan
this year this meant talking about issues
like racism, separatism, the rainy weath
er, and the fest's performers and perfor
mances.
Fraker hints that she wanted my arti
cle to read like the Advocates' "festival"
article, which was in actual fact all about
S/M, only one page long and written by
an angry leatherwoman BEFORE the
festival even happened!! This is
balanced coverage of an event attended
by 8000 women, all with their own
issues and agendas, but mostly up there
to have, as Fraker criticizes me for hav
ing, a "rosy" time? Finally, think about
the implications of a lesbian writer ask
ing her own readers to open their eyes
about censorship, as Fraker does, while
attacking another dyke for writing a bal
anced, uncensored feature story good
enough for the country's best gay and
lesbian magazine but clearly not good
enough for her!
Credibility check, anyone?
Rachel Pepper
San Francisco
The point of Ms. Fraker's story was to
comment attitudes about an area of
some controversy, not to in any way
malign Ms. Pepper. In editing the arti
cle I should have removed Rachel's
name; my apologies.—Ed.
Ludicrous
Mindset
Treble Yell:
I'm writing in reference to your com
mentary in Southern Voice October 25
“Throwing Rocks at Your Grandma”.
Your insinuation that the Quilt is
going “mainstream” (straight communi
ty), in hopes that they would feel sorry
for us and time a cure is insulting!!
Your reference to the General/
Mainstream and our Oppressors as
straight people is a Gay mind set I find
ludicrous.
You say no reference to Gay, or the
word Love is never used in any NAMES
Project material. Enclosed is a copy of
the program used during the weekend.
I've highlighted a few areas you may
find interesting.
Jeff Walters
NAMES Project/Atlanta
Treble’s words were "How is it, time
and time again, The Name's Project's
media and educational tactics omit
words like "gay," "love," and "sex"
from their scripts? The reference was,
in particular, to the media event held at
Grady High School on the Friday prior
to the Quilt's showing. The materials
sent by Mr. Walters—a schedule and a
promotional brochure— do include the
words lesbian and gay—nine times.
Seven of those times are in the names of
organizations or in ads; two are in the
copy of the booklet.—Ed.
Especially
Tacky
To the Editor:
Southern Voice looks great and typi
cally displays responsible reporting on a
budget. I also appreciate your efforts to
diversity the advertising base. However,
I was disappointed by the cover on the
October 25th issue. Since when is
advertising appropriate on page 1? In
other media, perhaps cover ads are
acceptable, but not on a newspaper.
Featuring the “Protest as Fashion
Statement” model, complete with hair
and makeup credits seems especially
tacky when there was so much going on
and so many people involved with the
protest. Featuring the side-shows is such
a predictable response—from the main
stream media who consistently trivialize
gay and lesbian news. Surely there were
other interesting and newsworthy shots
available.
Sincerely,
Terri Rushing
Richard Adams, Atlanta, GA
Dear Mr. Adams:
In response to your letter to
Newsweek, let me say that it was my
intention to write a piece that made a
very narrow linguistic point in a
provocative and, I hoped, humorous
fashion, and not to insult or degrade any
person or group. In retrospect, judging
both from response and from those who
took exception to my approach and those
who said they agreed with my point, I
believe that I did not succeed in my
intent, and I apologize for that and for
any hurt that I have caused anyone.
My source for historical uses of the
word "gay" was the Oxford English
Dictionary and Webster’s guide to word
origins.
I meant some of the expressions you
found offensive to be, rather, slangy,
jocular and, at the same time, confronta
tional on my particular point—not hate-
filled, as you suggest. But, as I said, I
take responsibility as a writer that my
intent was not clear and that my words
had a far harsher impact than I intended.
Indeed I have been more disturbed by
the sentiments of many of those who
have written to cheer me on than I have
been by those who disagree strongly
with me, a clear indication of failure.
Sincerely,
Eric Zorn
Mr. Zorn was the author of an op-ed
piece in Newsweek which suggested
that, among other things, gays should
replace use the word " "gay" with "fab
ulous" when they describe themselves.
Mr. Adams sent a letter of protest to
Newsweek, with a copy to Mr. Zorn.
We appreciate Mr. Adams sharing
Zorn’s response with our readers
Tom Connolly, Station Manager
WKLS - 96 Rock
1800 Century Boulevard, N.E., Rm 1200
Atlanta, Georgia 30345
Dear Mr. Connolly:
I was offended by the running com
mentary and off-color remarks by your
D.J.s (in the 8AM-9AM slot) today
[Nov. 7,1990] regarding the coming out
of Pete Townshend. The negative tone
promoted and encouraged anti-gay senti
ment.
In today's society we need more
understanding and accepting of each
other. Your DJ.s laid seeds for further
misunderstanding and hate. This is irre
sponsible behavior for a station licensed
by the public. Your D.J.s need counsel
ing and education. Additionally, they
need to make an apology.
Sincerely,
Anthony George
cc: FCC
The Atlanta Constitution
Southern Voice