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Pen Points
Letters to Gay Today |
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Remembering Seattle's
BenMiriam was an activist since the late 60's. He had crisscrossed the country many times, some of those, in the early 70s, in a van painted with slogans such as "Faggots against Fascism". There is probably no state in the union where some members of the gay community don't know Faygele. He and a friend sued, in Seattle in 1971 for the right to be issued a marriage license. It was only the second such case in US history. He also brought and won a suit against the Federal Civil Service Commission, which had fired him after "discovering" that he was an openly gay employee of the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, who had hired him because he WAS gay. Faygele was a friend and confidant of such luminaries as Arthur Evans and Harry Hay. He was an early "Faerie". He helped found and played an ongoing part in Seattle's Gay Community Social Services, an umbrella organization that has been funding projects in the community for nearly thirty years. Faygele will be remembered mostly for his ability to relate to many diverse, and sometimes even opposing groups both within and outside of the gay community. He is widely acknowledged for bringing together the radical and the very conservative factions of the Seattle gay community in the early years shortly after Stonewall. Even today people who were, 30 years ago, at a meeting of the Dorian Group, then Seattle's most conservative organization talk about Faygele winning their hearts and support despite the fact that he showed up to meet with them wearing a dress. A Jewish man, Faygele had spent time recently working with Jewish community organizations, and creating a unique bond between those and gay groups. Two years ago he was the Grand Marshal of the Seattle Pride Parade, an event he saw grow from the 40 people he had helped organize as the first march to its current tens of thousands. He made one of his last public appearances this January at a concert celebrating the fact that a record album he had assisted in producing, Lavender Country, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame some three decades after its debut as the first gay country/western album in this country. Faygele benMiriam will be sorely missed, but his legacy will live on. Shalom my friend. Paul Barwick Catholic Priest Slams Tolerance
Though many men in his position would choose this as a time to reclaim their virtues and ideals, President Clinton persists in believing that being a moderate simply means making both sides unhappy and that total tolerance is the highest virtue. His statement on National Gay and Lesbian Pride Month is typical. Seeking to pander to the political pressure of radical Gay groups, he declares a holiday that should outrage families, parents, and minority groups everywhere. In an effort to avoid political difficulties, his statement focuses obsessively on the concept of 'discrimination,' avoiding the deeper implications and debate over the idea of 'gay rights.' And finally, as part of his continued quest for mainstream popularity, the statement making June National Gay and Lesbian Pride Month is released into a remarkable media vacuum, barely making news. How can American culture and government have become so morally empty? On June 2, 2000, The White House Press Office released a proclamation from the president, officially declaring June 2000 to be Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. The proclamation, which wandered between condemnations of discrimination against homosexuals, and vaguely asserted contributions that gays and lesbians have made to American society, did promote some of the Clinton Administration's gay-oriented legislation. Ignoring possible unconstitutionality, Clinton continued his press for a national hate crimes bill, while touting his Administration's support of gay rights legislation. The Clinton Gay Pride Proclamation stole broadly from the language of the civil rights movement, and concluded by encouraging ``all Americans to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.'' This is Values Fascism practiced on a breathtaking scale. The president can hardly be unaware that the majority of Americans disapprove of homosexual behavior and do not wish to see it promoted or propagandized. The Church teaches us that homosexuality is a sin and an affront to God and that we must strive to help the homosexual to overcome the temptation toward sexual immorality. And yet, our children are being taught to equate the great civil rights struggles of minorities to gay activists' requests for special treatment. Are the contributions of Martin Luther King Jr. then to be made equivalent to Ellen DeGeneres'?' Conservatives, parents, minorities, and all those who are concerned with faith, family, and virtue should be outraged by this comparison, by this presumption, and by the manner in which it was carried out. We should not have to put up with such arrogance. We are tired of having our morals degraded and values dictated to us by politicians who don't listen to the unmistakable voice of the people. During this election year-and during all those to come-I encourage men and women of faith to let their leaders know that we will not let morality be overrun by renegade legislatures and presidential edicts. There is still a place in this country for virtue and family-and we shall let them know that.. Father Richard Welch, CSSR, JCD, President of Human Life International Are Drugs the Cause of AIDS?
Moreover, the top actuaries for the leading insurance companies have never thought it necessary to adjust for possible liability relative to the "AIDS epidemic." The so-called epidemic has not happened. I know that Cantwell and others see a pathogen there, but if you read the scientific literature carefully you will find that "HIV" has never been isolated. When Gallo refers to "isolation" it is NOT the isolation required for retroviruses established by the Institut Pasteur in 1973 but the inferring of the presence of a virus from certain proteins found floating around in the supernatant. In addition, they do research on "HIV" which is supposed to be contained in "immortal T-4 cells" kept going in vitro. Their "immortality" is the result of their being cancerous. These cancer cells were derived from Gallo when it was referred to by him as HTLV-III. The "L" refers to leukemia. This retrovirus was first thought to create cancer, thus the name--Human T-4 cell Leukemia Virus. In order to create a pathogen that would KILL T-4 cells they had to change this embarassing name, which they did. They then named it Human T-4 cell Lymphotropic Virus and later changed it to just HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). There is NO evidence that "HIV" kills T-4 cells. On the contrary, they reproduce uncontrollably (as cancer cells should) and that is how they stay alive in vitro in order to provide "HIV" for research. "HIV" has NEVER been isolated in the traditional sense from an "AIDS" victim. These are no secrets. Anyone can go to the scientific papers and read about this. We know what does NOT cause "AIDS" but the question remains why so many in the gay community became ill and later died. Having lived through it all, I must agree with Peter Duesberg, when he says that "AIDS" is principally caused by drugs--both recreational and prescribed. This is not a 100% correlation because "AIDS" is, at bottom, a construct. This is where I disagree with Dr. Duesberg, who happens to be a good friend of mine, having worked in his office. In addition, Peter does not take into account the voodoo effect of being diagnosed with a supposedly 100% fatal disease. John Lauritsen has put forth the risk/AIDS hypothesis which is more to the point than Peter's narrow view of JUST drugs. The "risk" takes into account the nocebo effect (opposite of the placebo effect). Thanks for your wonderful website; I feel that now we, as gays, can get it together again and become a viable community after having been devastated so much by those who would destroy us. Yes, I believe that consciously or unconsciously, this whole thing was put upon us by the media and well-intentioned but ignorant medical practioners. Medicine is based, today, on biological science which has gone frightenly astray. Best, Fred Cline, San Francisco |
Faygele benMiriam 
As he walks through the wasteland of the remainder of his presidency, Bill Clinton seems incapable of any action that would lift his legacy out of the mire of pandering and politicking that has distinguished his career.
© 1997-2000 BEI