Gay Today: Letters to the Editor

Pen Points

Remembering John Paul Hudson

So sorry to hear of John Paul's passing. Shortly after he published Superstar Murder (which I reviewed under my pen name Sam Edwards in GPU News-

I almost always used pen name when doing articles so readers could feel free to criticize) I passed his table at a Gay Academic Union Conference in New York City. There on his table was a large stack of photocopies of my review and he was passing them out saying, "I don't know who this Edwards guy is, but his review is the best one. He really understood what I was trying to say." I introduced myself and then said I am the editor of GPU News. "Well, tell this Edwards that his review is great!!."

Activist John Paul Hudson

Then I explained that I was also Sam Edwards and why I used the pen name. He jumped up, came around the table and hugged me. Throughout the conference, every time I saw him, he kept introducing me to people as the only reviewer who really understood the underlying serious message in his novel.

I just thought you would like to share this fond memory of him.

Eldon Murray

Keeping Church and State Separated

Americans United is pleased to announce a new and exciting service for our activists. Now you can send e-mail letters right to your elected officials on important legislative issues - free of charge - with a few simple clicks. Our new site also features an easy to use interface that allows activists to review key church-state legislation pending in the state legislatures and in Congress. This is a great opportunity to get involved and help affect legislative issues in Congress and your state from the grassroots level.

Please visit http://capwiz.com/au/home/ or click on "Legislative Update" on the left side of the AU home page - http://www.au.org to send letters today!

American United for Separation of Church & State

Second Class Victims

Mark Bingham was one of the heroes of hijacked United Flight 93

I think the recent statements by Kenneth Feinberg, the head of the September 11 victims fund highlight the legislated larceny identified by Second Class Action! http://gaytoday.badpuppy.com/ garchive/penpoints/022502pp.htm

Survivors of LGBT citizens who worked and died in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Pennsylvania and who paid the same taxes as their heterosexual counterparts who also died, will be denied payment from the national fund for which we have ALL paid taxes and donations, simply because they are homosexuals. Our pink tax dollars will, once again, be used to subsidize the majority.

This is an outrage! Mr. Feinberg hid behind the "states rights" thing that Republicans like to toddle out when it's convenient. "? If your state law makes you eligible, I will honor state law. If it doesn't, I go with the state." State governments which already deny rights and benefits to LGBT people and still take their taxes at the highest rates!

Let's stop this now! Visit http://www.petitiononline.com/LGTaxes/petition.html and http://www.secondclassaction.com and make your voice heard!

Donald Cavanaugh

Bear Cub Rejects Transgenders

The members of NYAGRA (and other transgender advocacy organizations) have been riding the coattails of lesbigay-rights organizations for so long, that they appear to have forgotten how to stand on their own feet (and their own issues).

The issues of transgendered persons have absolutely no connection with the issues of lesbian or gay persons. Ours is a battle of long standing, stretching back to Biblical times. Transgender is a brand new phenomenon with vastly different problems and goals.

To be brutally frank, it's about time that the transgender community stopped trying to hitch itself to our wagon. For one thing, their issues are not our issues. For another, they are a social and political liability. Presumably we in the lesbigay community have, at last, finally learned how to play politics successfully. Why on earth would we cheerfully accept an uninvited guest who contributes little to the struggle, and permit that guest to sabotage our potential victories?

Related Stories from the GayToday Archive:
John Paul Hudson Remembered

Americans United Critiques Bush's Faith Based Initiative

Include Transgenders! Activists Urge New York State

Related Sites:
Second Class Action

September 11: Gay Victims & Heroes

Americans United for the Seperation of Church & State
GayToday does not endorse related sites.

No, NYAGRA. You have your own battles to fight, and they are not our battles. Ask for help, and you will likely be given help. But don't come along and archly inform the lesbigay rights community that you ARE a part of us, and we MUST support your fight. Fight your own battles. We have enough on our plate without adding another odd side-dish.

BuckCuB

La Escuela

Archipiélago, a Spanish language school for foreigners, with a decidedly gay-friendly slant, starts its new School Term 2002 with new language programs in the picturesque city of La Orotava, in the Canary Islands.

The school is located in an 18th century Manor House, where student lodging is provided and is situated in the Historic Center of this small city, characterized by its colonial architecture and proximity to the beaches, at the foot of the Teide Volcano (3,718 meters, the highest mountain elevation in Spain) in the center of a valley with luxurious vegetation.

Archipiélago brings visitors much closer than they could have ever imagined to the beauty of the Canary Islands and its people, to the island's nudist beaches, to the fun-filled gay nightlife of the nearby Puerto de la Cruz and enchanting hamlets.

Those who wish to combine their vacations with Spanish lessons should contact us at: www.archipielagotenerife.org
E-mail: archipielagotf@yahoo.es
Mail: Archipiélago / Tomás Zerolo, 18 / 38300 La Orotava (Spain)