Dear Editor:

This letter is in reference to an incident that happened on Jan. 7, 2006.

While riding the metro bus number 304 (bus I.D. #6518) I witnessed a very disturbing and unpleasant experience.

Leaving the gym in the Hollywood area, I began to board the bus traveling east to west to my home in Santa Monica.

Traveling through West Hollywood on Santa Monica Blvd. (at 6.18 pm) the bus was approaching a crosswalk where a pedestrian was already proceeding to cross the street. I had full view as I was sitting at the front of the bus. This crosswalk is located amongst coffee shops, fast food type restaurants, and gym facility.

As the pedestrian had the right of way, he (the pedestrian) had to abruptly stop and jump back. The bus driver opened his window and yelled to the pedestrian, “FAGGOT”!

I couldn’t believe what I just heard. I replied with an angry response, “excuse me?” As I was quite appalled by his (bus driver) uncalled for remark to the pedestrian. How would he (bus driver) have felt if the pedestrian replied with a racial/derogatory “slur” to him (bus driver)?

In either case it doesn’t make it right.

After I replied to the bus driver, “excuse me?” he (the bus driver) looked back at me (through his rear view mirror) and by physically turning around…knowing that he (bus driver) was completely “in the wrong”.

As my stop approached, I proceeded to my exit with an expression of disgust on my face to the bus driver.

Being a respectable citizen and an active member in the gay community I will continue to stand up, respect, and defend who I am and what I represent!

We need to come together as a community and be counted.

Again, this incident that happened is just another reminder of the ignorance (and violence) that still spreads like cancer.

In closing, thank you for the opportunity in expressing my encounter; as I hope this letter to you (and other public channels) brings some fort of justice.

Charles M. Powers

Dear Editor:

I just want to express how wonderful it was to read your paper and not see Nicole’s bitchy column in it. I hope this will be a permanent change. Few, if anyone, I know respect his opinion. I personally find him selfserving and sad.

Jim Chambers

Dear Editor:

Homophobia and injustice remain bitter fruits of our inhumanity to one another, but through its ministry of social justice and solidarity, the Rainbow Sash Movement (RSM) brings hope to many American Catholics who have been marginalized, or alienated from the Church. The Catholic Bishops of the United States are not listening to the many voices within and outside of the Church that are calling for basic human rights for glbt people. There is much work to be done in addressing Catholic Homophobia. The Bishops need to listen carefully to all the voices in the Church, so they can see clearly and understand needs.

Our Church cannot afford a shrill and shallow debate that distorts the reality of the homosexual person and reduces the options of discussion to either silence, or name calling. Instead we need a forthright discussion that begins with an honest assessment of homosexuality and acknowledges the mistakes that have been made and seek reconciliation.

The Central moral question is not freedom of religion rather it is freedom from the oppression of religion. No religious group should be allowed to deny any group of American citizens their Constitutional Rights in the name of Freedom of Religion.

The National Catholic Bishops Conference is at a crossroads. The Rainbow Sash Movement has consistently voiced this concern. They must avoid two directions the first is intolerance, and the second is homophobia. We continue to believe the current policy of the Catholic Bishops on glbt human rights is to restrictive. Going forward the Bishops must act with a constructive and informed realism and must engage glbt people in any discussion of their human rights. More immediately, our church must engage in serious and civil dialogue in order to walk a difficult path toward a responsible position that seeks to help glbt people and not do violence to them.

Joe Murray

Rainbow Sash Movement