Dear Editor,

In your article in the October 9th issue [“Scouting for All Rally in Balboa Park,” GLT issue 824], Delores Jacobs expressed regret that the Center could not provide help for the Scouting for all rally held in Balboa Park recently. I’m sure Ms. Jacobs wonders why there is a lack of support from the gay community for the center. Her lack of action in this event, which is one of the main reasons for the Center’s existence the support of the GAY community, and instead using the Centers’ resources for a non gay area of concern (Proposition 54) should cause everyone in the gay community to question their support of the Center.

A.H. Miller

San Diego

Dear Editor,

In a way, I’m actually thankful for Lee Schoenbart’s little screed [“Letters to the Editor,” GLT issue 825, Oct. 16, 2003]. Up until reading his bit of spleen venting I had thought that gays, by virtue of the horrendous discrimination and bigotry they’ve faced merely because they exist, had somehow developed a greater sense of understanding, of compassion, and of tolerance for others. It would seem hypocritical of gays to be otherwise, wouldn’t it? And then I read Mr. Schoenbart’s spew.

Aside from being malicious, bitchy, catty, needlessly insulting, and just plain wrong on the facts, what Mr. Schoenbart had to say for himself dispelled any notion in my mind that gays have any special enlightenment when compared to the rest of the world. If Mr. Schoenbart is at all representative of gays then his diatribe proves gays can be just as bigoted, insulting, narrow minded, juvenile, petty, and pathetic as any Klansman or as any parishioner of the good Reverend Phelps.

In the long run, this might actually be a good thing. No, really. By being an example — if even just an appallingly negative one, Mr. Schoenbart proves that gays really are just like everybody else — both good and bad — and that they therefore deserve no special treatment — neither good nor bad — and that makes the discrimination they face even less justifiable. That’s the big picture and long view of his insults. The more immediate view is a bit different.

When Mr. Schoenbart decries how blacks, Hispanics, and lesbians have all started up their own Pride celebrations then he has no further to look for the blame about this than his own bathroom mirror. His hateful pettiness and juvenile world view is something all too prevalent in some corners of the gay community and it is one of the reasons why so many people — people who don’t fit the good Mr. Schoenbart’s view of gay perfection — want less and less to do with the gay community that dear old Lee seems to think is his and his alone. No wonder indeed that so many others are starting up their own communities where they won’t have to deal with such asinine idiots and pathetic whiners as Mr. Schoenbart.

I think dear old Lee should recognize that the gay community has only been able to get as far as it has due to the cooperation and alliances it has established with the rest of the world. Yes, this has meant that gays have had to deal with other human beings who aren’t the “perfectly gay” vision he would otherwise want — and that’s a gosh darn shame. Considering the hostility gays still face even here in America’s Finest City we need all the allies we can get and if that means welcoming lesbians, and bis, and “trannies” (oh, the horror!) then so much the better. If this is too much for the poor Mr. Lee Schoenbart to stand, then perhaps he should go crawl back under the rock he oozed out from under in the first place.

Madoc Pope

San Diego

Dear Editor,

After reading the letters to the editor section in the G&L Times (GLT issue 825, Oct. 16, 2003) I was horrified to find a letter from Lee A. Schoenbart of La Jolla that is nothing but ugly and self-loathing.

First of all, as gay people, we all have a story in our lives where we are faced with discrimination. This is a simple fact in our lives and we all deal with it. However, reading this garbage from one of our own is horrifying.

Not to include lesbians, bisexual or transgendered persons into the parade is not only idiotic it’s discriminatory. We are gay. We know we can’t change that fact no matter how many times ex-gay ministries try.

I am not a transsexual. However, being gay, I can figure that there is something that leads a person to be transgendered. I know that one does not wake up one morning and say “Gee, I think I need a sex change operation. Let me book an appointment for next Tuesday. After that, I shall convince the powers at be to include my transgendered brothers and sisters in the parade name next summer.”

Truthfully, I don’t participate in the pride events. This is not because I wish not to see the few bars that have floats (as Mr. Schoenbart labels it), or the singing organizations that don’t sing. I don’t go these events for one simple reason. I am burned out on these events. I am in my mid 40s and I have been out since I was 17. After attending a number of these events in my day, I am simply not into big on crowds anymore. My tastes for entertainment have changed as well.

Even though I am not big on gay pride weekends, last summer I did volunteer to help Sirius Satellite Radio in educating the festival attendees about Sirius Radio and OUTQ (gay and lesbian talk radio). If it were up to me, every GLBT Person would dump their Clear Channel radio for Sirius. This is because Clear Channel supports people who are harmful to our community. Because of the fact one has to spend a little cash to enjoy satellite radio, I hardly call that item a trinket. Although I was working, I did notice a number of gay/gay friendly restaurants with a booth. I also noticed the Howard Dean folks there getting people jazzed for the next election so that we rid the country of the anti gay Bush Crime Family.

Both Sirius Satellite Radio, and the Dean Campaign are just two examples of the good that is going on at pride festivals these days. I don’t think Howard Dean’s mission is one of those travesties that needs to be monitored. Other good things come from festivals. This event provides an economic engine for our city. The more money we can collect from the tourists who attend this event, the more clout we can have with our city leaders. In the days of shrinking budgets, the city needs all the money it can get its hands on. Because of this event, our community cannot be ignored by our city leaders.

Remember, these events started because a bunch of drag queens were beat up by police officers in 1969. That marked the beginning of educating the straight public that we deserve to be treated like human beings. Over the years, the pride events have become more commercial. We need to look for ways to get back to our roots. Including transgendered and bisexual person to the table is a step in the right direction.

It is people like myself, and thousands of others, who dump their money in our inner city neighborhoods and support our community in general. Though I generally don’t go to events or hangouts that have large crowds, I do support all of the communities within the core gay area or the city. Mr. Schoenbart seems to run from the core area and loathe the parade event and our community because it everybody is invited including racial minorities. I wonder if Mr. Schoenbart opened his wallet to walk though the fence and attend the festivities? Judging from his “outrageous gate fees” comment, I have to assume that was not the case.

Mr. Schoenbart, we are not a perfect community by any stretch of the imagination. I am not perfect. I know of people within this community despise me as I walk into a room. However, I am not going to sit there and loath (sic) over that issue. Rather than bitching about it from La Jolla, I would rather live in my North Park neighborhood, discuss and attempt to solve the issues that are before us. Loathing us from a community outside the core area makes you look like an enemy similar to Jerry Falwell.

Mike Petrogeorge

North Park

Dear Editor,

I want to congratulate The Center for an outstanding job with this year’s Gala event, the 30th anniversary of support, caring and being there for our community.

The venue, the convention center, was awesome. Just to think that our community held such a prestigious event at San Diego’s most famous address is amazing. The food was creative and very good and let’s applaud the fine work of Shawn Ingram and his staff, whose tirelessness made things happen when the convention center changed the room assignment at the last minute.

What a great way to celebrate! A simple, excellent speech by Robert Gleason, a fine, honest toast to the past and the future, and a formal event without feeling stuck in one place, not stuck at a table being served boring rubber chicken. Our community did itself proud! Dressed to the nines and free to walk around, show off their finery and chat, drink, eat and just hang out with friends and meet people since we were not tied to a table for food service.

Well done. I wish more events in this city would be creative in presenting ourselves as the creative men and women we say we are!

Let’s low-key the awards and speeches and celebrate our accomplishments without the egos or self-serving speeches of the past.

Well done!

Philip M. Katcher

San Diego