Dear Editor:

Call me Sidney Falco, but my eyes were gleaming with pleasure after I read your interview with director Atom Egoyan. A first-rate writer (Scott Marks) writing about a first-rate filmmaker ... what a concept! Any chance for more of the same?

Chris Schneider

Dear Editor:

There is an old saying that given enough time, a roomful of monkeys, randomly hitting keys on typewriters, will eventually reproduce the complete works of William Shakespeare. With that in mind, I wasn’t ENTIRELY surprised when – gasp! – Nicole Murray actually wrote something in his GLT column with which I agree. His observation of the rudeness of certain supporters of Donna Frye toward people with other political opinions was right on the money.

Last summer, I wrote a letter to the editor stating that I had elected not to support either Jerry Sanders or Donna Frye in their bids for mayor. Since that time, one particular Frye supporter – someone for whom I otherwise have a great deal of affection and respect – has repeatedly given me the cold-shoulder and the silent treatment. This person has pointedly refused to acknowledge or speak to me when we have seen each other at various community events, going so far as to turn and walk away without the simple courtesy of responding to an offered hello.

As Nicole said, this behavior is “ugly and rude”. It is gratuitous and hurtful and dehumanizing. I received this sort of spiteful treatment from the members of my old church in Washington after they learned that I am Gay. They at least had the excuse of believing I had joined league with the Devil. A simple expression of non-support for a political candidate seems a poor justification for such mean-spiritedness. I had thought I would receive better treatment from a respected community leader and a friend than I did from a lot of fundamentalist hypochristian bigots.

I must mention the irony of Nicole, who has made a career of character assassination through his columns over the years, pointing out the boorishness of others. (Glass houses, hon!) That irony does not invalidate his argument, however, that we should be able to behave decently toward one another despite differences in our political decisions.

As for me, I’m tired of making enemies of people, especially over petty disagreements, and I hope for reconciliation someday with my old friend.

Rev Keith W Ramsey

Dear Editor:

Is it possible to have a respectful dialogue about anti Catholicism in the GLBT Community? Are we even able to have such a conversation without upsetting some elements in the left or the right of the gay rights movement? God forbid GLBT Catholics should come out of the closet in that movement.

We in the Rainbow Sash Movement are opposed to the systemic homophobia that permeates the structures, and the governance of the Church. We are opposed to any who would challenge the right of believers to follow their conscience. We also believe that recent attack by the Vatican on gay seminarians, priests, and religious is a form of blatant sexual hypocrisy. Do the Bishops and the Church have faults, yes they do. Have they caused harm to the LGBT community yes they have. In my opinion, many GLBT Catholics stay in the Church to work for change. Should we throw out the baby with the water. How often do we have to hear the love it or leave it mentality? But if we are going to look at the truth we should be able to do that with some integrity.

What is the difference of gay seminarians and priests who dare to identify with the gay community, and those elements in the GLBT Catholic Community who dare to identify themselves as Catholics in the GLBT public square? We are even told at times which Church we should join. Certainly the underlying message on both sides of the fence is intolerance.

So what is the difference between anti gay hatred of the Catholic Hierarchy, and anti Catholic hatred? I am sure this question will cause some type of outrage, because it is even being asked. I can no longer keep my head buried in the sand because of some type of faux GLBT unity. The present inquisition that is going on in the Catholic Church against gay priests is in my opinion being mirrored in some quarters of the gay community against GLBT Catholics. Perhaps it is time to recognize we are a family, and instead of putting each other down because of our beliefs, that we reach out to each other to help one another on our journey of faith and civil rights. I call for dialogue on this matter, is it possible?

Joe Murray