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Show Ill The Rocky Mountain Open Door, November, 1977 Letters Cont. from page 3 tax-payi- how about a couple of back issues? But my God, what an ordeal before you in this land of bigotry and ignorance. Signed W. D. (Ogden) Dear W.D. Thanks for your subscription and donation to our meager coffers. We rarely have back issues of the paper, other than file copies but we are forwarding what we can comfortably spare. We dont believe we have a land of bigotry nor ignorance, rather we like to think of Zion as a land of and lacking in compassion and understanding and some lack of not consideration for life-styltheir own. With patience and education we hope progress can be made in which each succeeding generation will be more tolerant and objective. Each of us is charged with this educational program, to teach one person at a time to look on the gay pefson as a person, not a? some freak of nature. We need to teach the straight community how the gay life-stycomes about, that it is not something chosen like peach pie instead of cherry pie. Somehow it is a quirk of nature which makes the gay person that way. The average gay person goes through all sorts of hell and is adjusting to his life-stysufficiently hurt by not meeting the expectations of peer group, family and the larger community without being on the receiving end of more stings and barbs hurled at him and being made to feel he is an abomination and a sinner. We accomplish nothing by being militant or defiant. We realize we can never force ourselves into their good graces. We are tryhing (sometimes we think successfully) to impress the straight community that gays are , mis-inform- ed in es i VJ WE CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE! le v The Plant Plan Wholesale Warehouse Is Open To The Public le 50. to Save from 33 Choose from the largest selection of tropical house-plant- ubiquitous, already amongst the straights, invisible perhaps, but anytime you have IQ per cent and more of the population who are gay, it is difficult to believe gays are not already in every segment of the community, with absolutely no exceptions. As weve said before, if every gay in Zion were suddenly to sprout green hair, all of us would be amazed at the grassy hue hereabouts. Thanks, s. These savings are available only at the Editor. - Dear Editor: Im here from San Francisco, and 1 am surprised to see such a large and gay community here. How can a dominant religion such as LDS tolerate so much homosexuality in their very midst? I am excommunicated from the church and while I still cling to some of the basic tenents of Mormonism, Ive learned not to let it bother me well-organiz- PLANT PLANT I Wholesale Warehouse. ed that I am considered a sinner-itheir eyes. Ive really no question nor comment, for you, but I do enjoy the paper and just wondered how gays and LDSers It really amazes me. Thanks. n uu sJ Open co-exi-st. Monday-Saturda- y 9 a.m. - 6 p.m, TBC Wholesale Division 2320 South Redwood Rd. 2 SLC 972-596- i wnw ' .' i - ,:ri .jfiM :i.f r.i 1 tn ri h .! ' iK v t n ;; ii n'-r- j -- j o.ji u 2 u: iji.j Mrifi. n jvhoHuw'j! J f ivr'jbi -i- i'Si.-iKj aMl rj'ibs t:? '"M-.mj- ,: ) in; DEAR TBC: You didnt I but assume you are exactly say, else would not have been gay, you excommunicated and interested in things gay. Thanks for your kind words about our paper. We are trying very hard to make open doora publication which can be read by straight or gay and not be offended.il We' Want to present a! positive image! of t. the )feay;;com-- j 1 munity and do what we can, in our feeble way to show that the average gay person is sensitive and intelligent and a normal law abiding and respectable citizen. As for well I dont thfnk that is quite the right word. There are variances of attitudes, and we feel that the vast majority of straight people do not quite approach the attitudes the dominant church would We grow have them take. impatient that we gays are not as accepted as we might like, but we do believe there is an increased tolerance and air of Casualness. We would like to hope that each succeeding generation will be less set in their ways, and be less judgmental. It is a pipe dream to expect legislation which will force the straight community to accept gays. Im sure the average gay person would never want to shout from the house-top- s they are gay, as the average straight person does not wish to proclaim they are straight. All the gays ask is that they be allowed to live their own lives and have whatever affectional preferences they may like, without disdain from the population who do not feel as the gay person does. Those few gay people who loudly proclaim they are gay, speak for themselves, and I say bless them for doing so. However I strongly feel that a persons sexuality is a very private matter, straight or gay, and it is no business of another what goes on behind those closed doors. I think the majority of all people feel the same and I think' g the LDS church is when they excommunicate someone from their church for not e accordconducting their, ing to their concept of good or ng over-reactin- sex-lif- evil. I feel strongly too that anyhone who confesses top h is bishop, deliberately asks for recrimination and censure. By now surely it is generally known what a bishop will do with priveleged information, and the gay who confesses might as well take out an ad in the ward paper. At least in the Catholic Church, confessions are kept secret and known only by the one confessing and I have the priest listening. no nor absolutely pity sympathy for a Mormon who confesses to their bishop since this violation of confidentiual matter is well, known and passed on. You asked for it brother or sister, now live with it. Does this answer your This question about is living? The answer is pretty obvious. Do you wonder why Utah is high in suicide and mental hospital membership? Ed. co-existi- DEAR EDITOR: I enjoy yhour paper and think it meets the needs of many in the gay community. But as I read it, I detect an air of somberness and and anything but a happy aspect to gay.life. My friends say they get the same impression. Cant you brighten up the paper a bit and present a more poisitive approach? Thanks though, for your paper. Sincerely BBD. DEAR BBD: Guess Id never thought of it as you mention, but I suppose there is a certain lack of frivolity in being gay, contrary to the dictionary meaning of the word. For sure(l we take our sexuality seriously and I doubt if .' 'J.'K'li ' , irVAfj! cont. page 9 . . put-dow- n, I ; 1 |