We followed the debate and the votes this spring from Texas. We were so impressed with the courage of your legislators who supported us and by your Governor, Howard Dean, who also put his career on the line with his support of civil unions.

It was my privilege to meet both Rep. Bill Lippert and Governor Howard Dean in Los Angeles at the Democratic National Convention, where I was a Texas delegate. I am so glad I had the chance to personally thank both of them for making a difference in my life.

Is there any gay or lesbian voter who would not stand in line on Election Day to vote for Governor Dean? If I were eligible to vote in Vermont, I would literally crawl, swim, walk over hot coals (whatever I had to do) to cast my vote for him. I realize that I am the ultimate “flatlander”—a Texan—but also I have been a political activist in our movement for 29 years. I know this is true: we must, we absolutely must stand up for those who have stood for us. Howard Dean backed civil unions and signed the bill that gave ALL of us in the United States the most sweeping set of legal rights in our lifetime.

Are there Vermont gays and lesbians who seriously thinking about voting for the Progressive Party candidate, Anthony Pollina? Please tell me it’s not true! I heartily agree with Bill Lippert’s quote in the September OITM, that a vote for Pollina is a vote for Ruth Dwyer. I read the Rutland Herald online each day and also OITM. The reality is, if your vote doesn’t go to Governor Dean, it really goes to the ultimate Dr. Laura clone, Ruth Dwyer.

Of all the wonderful experiences I’ve had in the gay rights movement, the most moving was meeting San Francisco City Supervisor, Harvey Milk, in 1978, just months before his assassination. He sent me a poster for our community’s voter registration drive in Dallas. The words on that poster were powerful: “It’s Your Life, You Decide.” Please remember those words in November. Do what I can’t do, but wish so much I could…cast your vote for Governor Howard Dean.

Louise Young
Dallas, TX

Support a supporter

Some BLTG people in Vermont may feel that Anthony Pollina is more sympathetic and responsive to our community, but the political reality of the civil union legislation as being only a part of a national movement for our civil rights is that we need to stick by and vote for Howard Dean.

If we as a voting bloc are seen as having turned our backs on Governor Dean for his reelection bid, it would send a message to politicians from sea to shining sea: BLTG voters desert their allies without provocation. Furthermore, if Dean loses the election it would send a message to politicians of every ilk: Allying with the BLTG community by helping implement groundbreaking legislation is political suicide.

I’m voting for Howie because I respect a man who can see past his discomfort with us and support our struggle for full civil rights. (Think about that for one second: it’s a greater act of courage to champion the rights of a group you are uncomfortable with.) His infamous remark to the effect that: I’m as uncomfortable with homosexuality as anyone else or some such never bothered me at all. I considered it to be a remarkably candid statement coming from a politician. He doesn’t have to love me, he just has to understand that I deserve a seat at the table, and act to help me occupy my seat. (How many BLTG people do you know who can’t be bothered to work for their own rights?)

A vote for Pollina is not just a vote for Dwyer; it’s a vote against the civil union legislation that exists now, and against any similar legislation in the future.

Vincent Downing

Ankeney an ally

I’m writing to heartily endorse Senator Jean Ankeney for reelection to the Vermont State Senate from Chittenden County. During her past eight years in the Senate, Jean Ankeney has been a good and loyal friend to the GLBT community. She is an ardent supporter of civil unions and has publicly stated that she would support full fledge marriage benefits for same-sex couples. She is truly a kind and compassionate woman who is an advocate for children, elders, and working families (all families!) She deserves our community’s support and, most importantly, our votes. I encourage everyone in the Chittenden Senate District to cast a vote for Jean Ankeney for Vermont State Senate on Election Day.

Richard Thorngren
South Burlington

A Vote For Fun!

Frank Zappa asked, Does Comedy Belong in Music? We ask, Does Politics Belong in Comedy?

We ARE queer for Ruth! We are QUEER for Ruth!

Not since the 1996 Republican National Convention-when Robert Dole arranged a prostate examination booth for all his Republican male buddies-have Republicans done this much for those of us who are PROUD and QUEER of it!

And ask yourselves, as we have asked our queerselves, what is so CIVIL about UNIONS anyway? What does a good republican have to do with UNIONS?

What was so civil about Jimmy Hoffa, Tony Boyle?

Some of us whose great-grandfathers were UNION soldiers in the CIVIL war are just SO MAD about CIVIL UNIONS that we too are QUEER for RUTH!

And so many of us have big boyfriends (with worn-out truck seat cushions) in the Northeast Kingdom who want to clearcut more than 41 acres without paying $100 that we’re QUEER FOR RUTH for them too!

And phooey on Act 60, too! Enough Supreme Court POPPYCOCK about equal effort and equal educational opportunity! We Queer for Ruth ask, If we take Vermont BACKWARD, will we even NEED education?

And those of us QUEER FOR RUTH who like to hang out at deer camp oiling our model 94 Winchester lever action 30-30s- we are also sure that Ruth would get rid of doe season, too!

Further, we QUEER FOR RUTH want to say: we are native too! Our honorary vice-president of overseas operations, Davis Ford Fairbanksiana is a BILLIONTH generation Vermonter who counts among his ancestry judges, governors, rubble, rabble, and just plain folks; we count among our recessive genes many notable ABNAKI; we include in the ranks not only those who may be Jewish, black or pink all over but also many who have in the course of their YANKEE REPUBLICAN ancestry pulled 4 teaters & 3 teaters, picked blueberries in Maine & dug quahoags in Massachusetts, built and manned clipper ships and whalers (with frolics below decks) & exploited factory labor everywhere with the best of them & are proud not only that our parents out-crossed TO DO IT with Democrats, Catholics & Masons & other OTHERS but that we are TRUE QUEER VERMONTERS FOR RUTH, THE WHOLE RUTH & NOTHING BUT THE RUTH!!!!!!

And may our support reveal her own pink drawers!

You can be QUEER for Ruth too! For more information on how you can be a part of this year’s queer election campaign for Ruth, the whole Ruth and nothing but the Ruth go to: www.queer4ruth.org

Andrew Whittaker

Polls not helping anyone

A week ago the phone rang twice, and somebody asked each time, “If you were voting today, would you vote for Ruth Dwyer or William Meub?” I said, “I wouldn’t vote for either.”

Today I told the pollster, “Every day in the Rutland Herald, mostly the same people are writing letters to the editor saying homosexuals ought to be killed. It’s inflammatory, and the polls are making it worse.”

If out there 20 billion light years back in time and space, there dwells a god who has any justice and mercy for his creation, he should send a thunderbolt to this planet in this infinitesimal corner of space and destroy this corrupted planet and every human being on it.

The only problem with that—it would destroy a lot of gentle loving dogs and cats, and flowers that bloom in sun and rain, and whales in the sea and penguins on the Antarctic, and polar bears on the Arctic ice floes.

However, in good time will it take a God created in man’s image to wreak destruction? Will his beautiful people, for whom he created Heaven and Earth, bring destruction down on themselves?

“What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty, in form and moving! How express and admirable in action! How like an angel in apprehension How like a god! The beauty of the world! The paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?” Hamlet, II.2.315-320

Lyle Glazier
Bennington

Uneasy in the Kingdom

This last week there have been three incidents of hate in the North East Kingdom. The Caledonia Record reported one.

Graffiti was spray-painted on a back door of a St. Johnsbury drug store. The graffiti used the word ‘fag.’

Later that week, I saw a bumper sticker stating “Keep HIV homos out of VT.” That same day I noticed graffiti spray-painted on the deck of a bridge between VT and NH in my new hometown stating the same.

When I moved here, I spoke with some native gays and they said it was quite safe to be gay in the NEK. I’m beginning to wonder. I do not have any gay bumper stickers on my vehicle and I doubt I will. I live in a very remote area without telephone or electricity and do not need to draw attention to myself without any way to call for help. My nearest neighbors are several miles away.

I have lived in and visited some major cities in this country and have never felt as uneasy as I do now.

Any other NEK gays or lesbians fell this way?

Stephen Tracy

Community Vigil

Recently our small community of Norwich, and the greater community of our state and nation, have suffered as issues of divisiveness, intolerance and misunderstanding have surfaced among us. Our suffering as a community has been all-inclusive. It has affected those who were directly targeted by such aggression and intolerance, those who perpetrated these acts, and those who were saddened and distraught by hearing of these actions from neighbors or in the media.

Examples are many: the expressions of hatred, intolerance and probably frustration that were manifest in anti-Semitic symbols and racial slurs appearing in public places in the town of Norwich; the outpouring of animosity towards homosexuals in some parts of the state following the institutional acknowledgment of same-gender unions; violence against a Mexican-American family in St. Albans, and attacks against gays, minorities and the “different” throughout the country.

We as a community of people have all been affected by this and we as a community must all stand up and speak up against this situation. This can only be done by each and every one of us reaching out to our fellow human beings, offering a hand of friendship, and being open to understanding and appreciating others.

On Thursday, October 5th, there will be a Community Vigil for Tolerance and Understanding held on the Green in Norwich from 5 - 7 P.M. We ask that all who can please attend as an outpouring of concern and a search for tolerance, understanding and healing in our community. Come and reach out your hand to your fellow human beings. Show your love, concern and simple caring for each other. Let us heal and grow.