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FREEDOM ISAS FREEDOM DOES

By Rev. Shawn Farrell

human rights, the celebration of this nation's independence, and the continuing This is the time of year when a multitude of articles are published concerning struggle for cquality under the law. Our community is no exception for 1979

and is the tenth anniversary of Stonewall.

How far have we come in ten years? To some of us raised in the 30's and 40's. great strides have been made; for others it would seem we have barely scratched

the surface of our nation's bigotry and oppression.

In the past few years we've gained some ground, and we've lost some ground. New legislation has been enacted in some municipalities, and, in others, ordinances forbidding discrimination on the basis on sexual and/or affectional prefer ance have been rescinded--beaten at the voting booths by John and Jane Public Why? Why is it that we seem to take one step forward and two steps backwards? I have attended meetings where the issue has been discussed at length with lofts philosophical phrases, dissected and digested, and for me, the answer is really very simple-and can be summed up in one word, COMMITMENT! Our oppressors are committed to stripping us of every semblance of dignity and equality. They are committed to pushing us back into the "closet", nailing the door shut, and burning the building down, therby guaranteeing we will no longer offend "society's sensitivities"!!!!!

AND TO WHAT ARE WE COMMITTED? Most of us would rather spend $20 impressing a new "trick", $200 for a new lamp, $2000 for an antique clock, than make any contribution to the numerous organizations, both secular and religious, struggling to make this country safe for all of us. The men and women who give so generously of their time, talent, energy and money are a very small percentage when one looks at the size of the gay community. Most of these people belong to more than one organization, using their own resources for travel and printing costs-and doing all the leg work as well. The rest of us pay lip service to the struggle. We shake our heads in disbelief at the murder of a Harvey Milk, we are outraged that a Lesbian mother loses custody of her child because of her lifestyle. We express our horror over the comments of a Key West, Florida Baptist minister who states he'd like to "give all the policemen a baseball bat to knock faggots off the sidewalks, and go right on hoping no one will ask us to get involved-because, after all, that happens to other people-in other places.

Yes-our oppressors are committed to destroying us, and every day-we feed their fires. By refusing to support our own struggle for equality--we support our enemies. Anita Bryant continues to launch campaigns against us, and we continue to go our merry ways-committed to nothing, NOT EVEN OUR SELVES! IF SOMEONE ELSE WILL DO THE WORK-IF SOMEONE ELSE WILL TAKE THE CHANCES--BUT PLEASE DON'T ASK ME TO GET INVOLVED!

For some of us, there is the fear of exposure, and that is a very real fear However, the groups which are working for us--(National Gay Task Force, Ohio Gay Rights Coalition, Cascade Community Church, Columbus, Gay, Alliance, Metropolitan Community Church, Personal Rights Organization (PRO) Toledo and the list goes on-Dignity, The Gold Collective, The Gear Foundation, etc. etc. can receive our support, if not by our physical presence--than with our money. Postal money orders can be sent without even using our own names because they are paid for in advance are recorded by number, not by name of

purchaser.

FREEDOM ISAS FREEDOM DOES continued

Freedom is as freedom does. History records that equality was achieved by those who have been willing to fight for it. Anything which diminishes the dignity of any gay person, eventually diminishes the dignity of every gay person. There will be no freedom for any of us, without COMMITMENT, without INVOLVEMENT! Unless we do something today, the millions who come after us will find a world no better than the one into which we were born. The temple of freedom is not destroyed by woodpeckers on the outside, people are not enslaved by the tyrant, but by their own refusal to fight back, to defend What are you doing about the issue of YOUR civil rights?If you really believe you could lose your job, your kids, your home--yes, and possibly your life if anyone knew you were gay-than maybe YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING about it now!!! YOUR FREEDOM DEPENDS ON YOUR WILLINGNESS TO WORK FOR IT.

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