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Letters to the Editor

Published Thursday, 17-Jan-2008 in issue 1047

“The gay rights movement long ago bought into the vulgar left’s crude “race-class-gender” paradigm of victimology, according to which one must never be racist against non-whites, classist against the poor, or sexist against women, but it is perfectly fine to be racist against whites, classist against the middle and upper classes, and sexist against men.”

Dear Editor:

I am writing in regard to your “On the record” statement by transgender rights activist Meredith Bacon: “As long as HRC is controlled by and is dependent upon white, rich, professional gay men, such collaboration may never occur.” Bacon was “denouncing the Human Rights Campaign’s handling of the ENDA debate.”

Why is it that middle and upper-class white gay men must always defer to other interest groups, when said interest groups never defer to middle and upper-class white gay men?

The answer to that question is clear. The gay rights movement long ago bought into the vulgar left’s crude “race-class-gender” paradigm of victimology, according to which one must never be racist against non-whites, classist against the poor, or sexist against women, but it is perfectly fine to be racist against whites, classist against the middle and upper classes, and sexist against men.

The result is that gay white men who are middle and upper class can never be respected for their own struggles against anti-gay discrimination, because they are considered by the left to be a “oppressors” because they are white, male and reasonably well off.

In order to be “politically correct”, middle and upper class gay white men must make their own struggles against homophobia secondary to helping nonwhites, women, the poor, and any other group that sees itself as victimized by the white, male, middle and upper class establishment.

Should straight white women not have supported the black civil rights movement because that movement did not require recognition for women’s equality and an endorsement of the ERA before any civil rights legislation benefiting blacks could be passed? Of course not.

Should gays and lesbians not have supported the ERA and women’s equality because the women’s rights movement did not require recognition for gay and lesbian equality and an endorsement of ENDA before any civil rights legislation benefiting women could be passed? Of course not.

But, according to Bacon, gays and lesbians should not have pressed ahead in their quest for non-discrimination in the work place unless and until that legislation included protections for transgenders. Congress, by the way, was not about to pass legislation that included protections for transgenders.

Let me remind Bacon that the gay rights movement as a whole has largely been financed by those evil “white, rich, professional gay men” and that successful legislation ensuring gay equal rights will pave the way for eventual legislation ensuring transgender equal rights, just as earlier successful legislation ensuring equal rights for blacks and women paved the way for eventual legislation to protect gays and lesbians.

And let me add that while nonwhites and women cannot legally be discriminated against in the work place, white males still can be in parts of this country if they happen to be gay.

Andrew Towne

“It’s not only unfair to the child to be expected to remain quiet for several hours, but it’s grossly inconsiderate of the parent to ruin the performance for everyone else.”

Dear Editor:

I have two words to say to Linda Jaffe and all parents gay or straight: BABY SITTER. I love children, but toddlers have no business attending the symphony, the opera, an adult movie, or concert. It’s not only unfair to the child to be expected to remain quiet for several hours, but it’s grossly inconsiderate of the parent to ruin the performance for everyone else. Get a clue!

Carson McIntyre

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