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feedback » FREE 16oz CLASSIC COKE® FOUNTAIN GLASS AT | 150,000 march on Washington I when you buy a medium or large coke 9 and any large sandwich-Blg Mac, Quarter Pounder Quarter Pounder with cheese or Filet-O-Floh To the Editor: As members of the U/B Gay Community, we are appalled that The Spectrum would choose to run such an Ill- informed article on gays as the commentary by Jack Pearson carried on Wednesday, October 17th, 1979. The October 14th march, one of the largest political demonstrations of the decade, was not covered by The Spectrum despite massive student involvement and extensive local publicity. Either of these events is disturbing, but taken together they form a pattern of censorship and distortion which does not belong in any newspaper, college or otherwise. Nobody can do It like McDonalds can University Plaza Main St & Kenmore Ave Bailey & Hewitt St Famished Fred Found A Fabulous Freebie offer good while supplies last through Nov 4, 1979 A lot of people may feel that gay issues are merely of interest to the gay community. People these days are enjoying an unprecendeted degree of personal freedom; these freedoms are increasingly coming under attack, and may be lost at any moment. The current battle lines are being drawn around gay rights and abortion rights; the Anita Bryant mentality threatens us all. Whatever our sexual or affectional preference, we must have the freedom to live our lives as we choose. During a period when the struggle for gay rights was a central issue in both national and local news, The Spectrum chose to publish an article taken from a national news service without making any effort to contact local sources or to field their own reporters. The article they chose insulted older gays, lesbians, and the many gays who are in stable relationships. By limiting his analysis to stereotypical cliches of gay life (and indeed of non-gay life). Mr. Pearson misleads both non-gays and gays still exploring their own sexuality. His views do not reflect the diversity of gays across the courtry - men and women, rural and city, handicapped, third world, young and old. By dismissing the gay liberation movement out of hand, Mr. Pearson isolated himself from the very process of change that he claims is necessary. On October 14th, 1979 over 150,000 people (C.B.C. and D.C. police estimates) marched in Washington in support of gay rights. This was the culmination of a decade of growing awareness of the need for political activism in the gay community. The Buffalo Lesbian/Gay March Coalition, which covered broad spectrum of gay and supportive non-gay sent 250 people to the March by bus, car, and planp. In large part, the March was ignored and/or misreported by the mainstrfam media (which, in this case, seems to include The Spectrum). Contrary to published reports, the rally (which outdrew the Pope) was equally divided between men and women, and included large numbers of deaf, physically challenged, American Indians, Blacks, Chicanos, and other Third World peoples. Anyone who listened to the live National Public Radio coverage of, the rally would have been aware of the solidarity and diversity of the nationwide gay community. Organizing towards the March on Washington has brought together the Buffalo gay activist community. Planned future activities include a pick of Towne Red Hots (long patronized by the gay community) due to censorship of Gay March publicity material and anti-gay statements by the owner; organizing against the blatantly anti-gay movie “Cruising”; and numerous social activities. We are everywhere! WBUF • SA •Commute Affairs & UUAB Musk are throwing a Women’s Studies College Tolstoy College Gay Liberation Front Gay Youth Stonewall Nation Radio Collective (WBFO) Demand better coverage To the Editor: As students supporting the Gay Rights march in Washington we were angered that The Spectrum used a progressive event simply as an excuse to print anti-gay statements. In face Jack Pearson's commentary (Re: Wednesday 17th Issue of The Spectrum) was one of the most reactionary commentaries on Gay lifestyles we’ve read recently. Pearson reinforced anti-gay stereotypes totally Ignoring the variety of life-styles in both male and female gay communities. He denied Gay oppression as an objective social force instead ascribing it to be a result of subjective characteristics of Gay People’s mind. Mainly their unexplained desire for separateness from the straight community. FEATURING: CocfoTfatyh We question why The Spectrum chose to cover an issue of such national and local significance in a Back Page commentary that was only marginally related to the march. Knowing the number of participants and supporters from U.B. and the surrounding community we feel it was your responsibility to feature the event. and special guests, Columbia Recording Artists The Sinceros Not only was the march poorly commented upon but the few Editorial notes on it were misrepresentative. The march, for instance, was not composed of 50,000 Gays pressing their own demands but approximately 250,000 Gay and straight people supporting Gay Rights. As straight students concerned with the ongoing struggle for Gay Rights we demand responsible coverage of Gay issues in the future. October 26th. 8:00 p.m. Fillmore Room, Squire Hall, MSC Students: $1.93 Non-students: $2.93 Terri Siegel Russell Woodruff Alison Hicks Tickets available at Squire Box Office & at the door.
