In reference to your cover story “What’s After Article 12?” (issue of June 8-14), I was happy to read Gary Wright of Citizens to Restore Fairness mention the deep, dark secret in the Cincinnati gay community that no one ever talks about: racism.
As an African-American gay man born, raised and living in Cincinnati, I have experienced more racism in the gay community than I have in the community at large. With race relations between blacks and whites in Cincinnati not where they should be, suffice it to say this irony isn’t lost on me.
When I see those silly, ubiquitous rainbow flags and stickers, the word “hypocrisy” immediately screams in my ears because, though each color in this rainbow image represents a different aspect of our gay being, at its core it symbolizes unity — that is, different colors united whatever our capabilities or limitations. It saddens and angers me that many in the gay community are so given to tearing down rather than building up our much-needed wall of solidarity as we fight to secure our civil rights.
Call me a frustrated idealist. I just like to think we, the gay community, can do better. Lest we continue speaking out of both sides of our mouths.
— Carl D. Jackson, Clifton
How About a Solution?
Regarding James Byrnes’ letter to the editor, “Not Worth Boot Dust” (issue of June 8-14), about the military’s overstated importance in this county — thank you for being just another whining, ignorant asshole.
All you’ve managed to accomplish is repeating what the entirety of the American population has been hearing ever since the first bombs were dropped on Iraq, and frankly I (and everyone I have spoken to) am sick of it. How much longer are we going to listen to people who just sit on their couches and watch the news whine about the problems they point out without proposing a solution?
I don’t care if someone supports the war or opposes it. But don’t preach to the choir about the growing threat of the military/industrial complex or the lying president or the oil wars without actually recommending a way to fix it. Don’t complain about problems without a solution.
— Lindsay Slocum, Mount Adams
This article appears in Jun 15-21, 2005.