About The Barb. (Atlanta, Ga.) 197?-197? | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1975)
THE BARB • 12 THE y. ON CARING by Mark N. Silber Movie audiences were stunned and scandalized when Clark Gable turned to Vivian Leiglj (ag all you nostagia buffs and scarlett O’Haras will recall) and said, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn”. It is no longer a shock ing phrase, for today it is almost our national motto. We no longer give a damn about our brothers and sisters. We no longer give a damn about the elderly, the poor, the hungry. We don’t even give a damn about our own civil rights to live and love according to our homosexual nature. And we no longer give a damn about anything unless there’s something in it for us. This attitude is wrong. How else could men in high government positions com mit crimes and be corrupt unless no one gave a damn? How else could our brothers and sisters still be harassed, jailed, and persecuted in 1974, for only being gay? What is the most unfortunate turn of events is that we have also said, “I don’t give a damn about G-d.” Whether we call him Adonai, Mohammed, Bud dha, or whatever we call the Divine Inspiration that fill our liveswith a purpose higher than just ourselves. Many of us felt we as gay people have no place be fore G-d. But is not G-d the creator of all things and all love? Perhaps self- appointed “men of G-d” have oppressed and de nounced us, but these are mere men. Let us not turn our backs to both G-d and other people. It is the love of freedom, justice, and each other which led us to the streets of New York 1969....a love instilled in us by the King of Universe. G-d hates injustice, and our struggle for equality and acceptence is a religious experience. We must therefore turn around. Turn and look at ourselves and our brothers and sisters on this speck of G-d’s creation in the galaxies and say, “Icare”. “I care” because that is what life is made of. “I care” because, in the end, it is only in caring that we give meaning to our exist ence and is the essense of our lives. May the Lord G-d, G-d of Israel and all the Uni verse, care for you, my brothers and sisters. And may we all be blessed with caring for one another. Amen Note: The word “G-d” is spelled in this fashion on purpose, according to Jewish tradition. Sex With your Friends Continued from page 2 sexuals- This is reflected by many peonle, including widely read authors. So we distinguish those we meet and know into two cate gories: sexual and friendly, because we find that the emotional involvement be tween lovers, even casual ones. The commonest re lationship gays know about is the non- or post-sexual friendship, in which two people find that a much more comfortable re lationship is possible without being sexually in volved. So sex assumes the anomalous role of occupying a lot of one’s time while geing relegated to such a physical lot that it’s spiritual and emo tional possibilities are largely suppressed. This sounds like a specific indictment of gay people but it isn’t, because the problem is a human one. and gay people are human, the opinions of cer tain policy makers and leg islative bodies not withstanding. The problem is only unique to gays in that their life styles fre quently, if not usually, lead to arrangements such as the ones discussed. Now that I have identified the problem what is the so lution?? As unique as each individual. Just as marriage for straights is no guarantee of love (or even harmonious sex), neither does taking a lover and being “faithful” pro mise any more than free dom from VD. As long as one person treats another as solely a sex object and ignores feelings the pro blem exists. I would seem that the ease of obtaining physical gratification would allow a lot more time for the communica tion necessary for satis faction of other needs, but it usuallv doesn’t work out that way. We rush from trick, minimizing seduc tion time as much as possible, leaving the hu manity behind, trampled with a hangover, an infec tion. or a mysterious rash. Logically, sex should work best with those we care the most for. Funny (peculiar) that is doesn’t seem to work that way. So we have lots of gay sex with darned few serious, lasting relation ships. and we wind up exactly like those straight people we disdain, that is, not having any rules and then wondering what went wrong. The solution lies only within each of us and our willingness to be an individual human being having high respect for the humanness of our fellows. Editor’s _Notebook Continued from page 2 give to a gay activist would be during a shortage of toilet paper. Like black churches the “gay” church could be the crucial ingre dient missing from the hodgepodge of activist groups and programs; a unified - force strong to bring the programs and individuals together in a concentrated effort. There is a general feeling among gay political activist that the top heavy structure of the MCC Fellowship will never be conducive to a nurturing of an activist program. The general con ference and district confer ence which are the legis lative bodies of the Fellow ship. because of the expense and time necessary to attend, are not representa tive of either the church membership which they ostensively represent or the gay community in general which they make no effort to represent. Few Fellowship churches can afford to pay the expense of delegates. The result is an older, more affluent and less responsive group of predominantly white middle class making the rules for and setting the programs for the fel lowship. Black gays are almost non-existent within the fellowship while women are fast becoming a factor Led by the Rev. Elder Freda Smith the women are poten tially the saving factor for activism within the Fel- loship. Unfortuantly, even the dynamic drive and spirit of a Freda Smith or a Troy Perry have a hard time growing in the nega tive atmosphere of the church structure. Indivi dual “Uncle Toms” in black churches impeded the black civil rights movement. The total lack of activism with the “gay” church is a srious void for the growth of the gay civil rights pro gram. Black gays have not been shut out from the gay civil rights movement yet no significant outreach has been made to the black community. Personal ex perience has found that black gays like gay women are predominantly more concerned with the more pressing oppression of being a woman, being black or both. These gay people are understandably putting their energy into the first priority in their life. Their valuable contacts and ex perience will eventually be turned to the gay civil rights struggle. Unfortunately they will have to contend with the sexism and racism that is existent in the gay community. It will not be as large a battle as in the straight society but it is sad that blacks and women or any other minority per son , any human being, should have to contend with prejudice within our com munity. Somehow the ma jority has been able to keep minority groups seperate and contending with each other for shares of the pie. Experience has taught us that while we might find it somewhat easier to deal with other minority groups, the shared status of “mi nority" does not guarantee support. This issue of the BARB has serveral articles con cerning blacks in our com munity. The purpose of this is educational. We think is is important that people become more aware of the feeling and actions of the minority within a minority. Why? Simply that there is a great truth in the state ment that no one will be truly free until all are free.” I hope you find this issue informative and en- lighting and as always we invite vour comments. Line Chattanooga Chatter Continued from Page 10 It seems to me that the “trashy” Trisha Danelli is still out to find her Atlanta man. She’s made several trips to the Sweet-Gun Head showing off her tantalizing talents—(and other things?). Oh well, maybe she’ll get her wish yet. Can anyone guess who the Ms. Butch of the Powder Puff is now? Rita? No. Carol? Maybe. Misti Damn Dawn? Of course not. It’s Miss Real herself—Polly. If you don’t believe it-just ask her. She became a waiter just during the pageant and I’m willing to bet she could tell you what everybody was drinking—es pecially the judges. Well, fans I suppose it’s about time to sigh off for now, so I’ll be seeing you next time. Remember Kathy says: “Rub it in.!” RED DYKE THEATER miTT1 Presents THE DAYIDA FROSTING SHOW To Benefit ALFA Softball Teams MCC 800 N. Highland Ave. March 15th 8:00P.M. METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH 800 NORTH HIGHLAND AVENUE, NJE. ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30306 (404) 872-2246 msm AFQ "REVEREND JOHN w. GILL PASTOR REVEREND JIM N. SNOW ASSISTANT PASTOR REVEREND ARTHUR C. CAZEAULT SUNDAY Worship Services . 2:00 P.M. and 6*00 p.m. Movies .,*7:5o"P.MT ALTERNATE WEDNESDAYS Worship Services ... 8:00 P. Rap Sessions . V 8:00 P.
