morality why homosexual American citizens should sit idly by and permit their elected officials, judges, congressmen or others to ventilate their twisted prejudices upon the public while hiding behind the cloak of official privilege. Recent quotations from two newspapers are given here, not because of being unusual, but because they are so typical. Referring to a park in one large city, a morning newspaper said that it served "as a magnet for a criminal element, mostly homosexuals." Its afternoon counterpart said that parks are "not for itinerant felons, homosexuals, mashers, drunks and other undesireables" and went on to speak of "the criminal element and sex perverts."

The simple legal fact is that homosexuals are neither criminals, undesireables or perverts by reason of their being homosexual. No court ever has or can prove such a charge. The legislature of Illinois is the first in the United States to recognize this simple constitutional principle and to acknowledge the moral standards placed upon the states by the prestigious American Law Institute which recommended the placing of homosexual acts between consenting adults on precisely the same legal footing as applicable to heterosexual acts between consenting adults.

By so doing Illinois has forced the legislatures and the courts of all other states into the unenviable position of supporting law which is both unconstitutional and immoral. Upon this sound legal platform notice is served upon public figures and especially the press, to mind its language or to risk action for slander or libel. Citizens and taxpayers have no obligation to endure silently the smears upon their characters and status which have for so long been considered the perfect right of every blatant attention-seeker, confident that no homosexual would ever dare strike back.

It is unfortunate that human nature is such that rights must not only be demanded but taken forcefully, in so many instances. This is exactly what homosexuals are prepared to do these days and will continue to do with increasing severity in all cases of published falsehood or other irresponsible behavior directed against themselves.

Richard Conger

Associate Editor

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