The Militant(logo) 
    Vol.61/No.16           April 21, 1997 
 
 
Letters  
Gay rights fight in Texas
Over 3,000 Texans marched to the Capitol in Austin on March 23 to demand passage of the hate crimes bill introduced in the Texas legislature.

Rainbow flags, chants and honks of approval from spectators driving by dominated the "March of Justice," a demonstration calling for an end to hate crime against gays and lesbians.

A group of about 30 anti-gay protesters greeted marchers at the gates of the capitol building, holding up signs that said, "God hates fags" and "All fags will go to Hell."

As gay-rights advocates gathered on front of the capitol building, politicians, organization representatives and a minister addressed the crowd, encouraging marchers to support proposed state legislation that would enhance penalties for crimes motivated by the victim's sexuality, race, ethnicity or religion.

The church minister said religion-based homophobia is a perversion of faith. "Those of the radical right who use religion to justify their violence are society's perverts," he said.

The Ku Klux Klan has been involved in dozens of documented gay and lesbian-bashing incidents in Georgia and Texas, he added.

Jeanne Sommerfeld, president of Texas NOW, said a lesbian night club in Atlanta was bombed recently by a group called the "Army of God," who vowed, "We will target sodomites."

Equality for women cannot be achieved, Sommerfeld said, until gays and lesbians achieve equality. "When [the laws] prevent gays from getting rights and women from having abortions, they are attacking our entire community," she said. North Carolina, South Carolina and Atlanta have passed laws banning same-sex marriage. California, among other states, has anti-gay legislation pending.

Hordes of people came to the march from Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Marcos, Waco, and San Antonio. Dozens of groups, including the Texas Civil Rights Project, Mexican American Legal Defense, Family Planning Association, NOW, churches, community organizations and student groups from University of Texas at Austin, Southwestern University and University of Houston, arrived to show their support for gay rights.

Alejandra Rincón

Houston, Texas

Don't use `Jim Crow'
The editorial in issue #12, "Oppose racism, sexism in army" contains a minor factual error. The last sentence in paragraph 3 says, "Military units were subject to official Jim Crow segregation until 1954, and de facto segregation for much longer." Official Jim Crow segregation was ended by executive order of President Harry S. Truman on July 16, 1948. (Source: Young Reader's Companion to American History, p. 221) The de facto segregation was, of course, around much longer. As an aside, it is my opinion that a majority of readers of the Militant today, especially new readers, do not know the term "Jim Crow." It should be retired from all but historical articles.

Michael Pennock

Minneapolis, Minnesota

`Militant' is unsurpassed
The Militant represents a standard of excellence that remains unsurpassed in both the independent and mainstream media.

W.C.

Freehold, New Jersey

The letters column is an open forum for all viewpoints on subjects of general interest to our readers. Please keep your letters brief. Where necessary they will be abridged. Please indicate if you prefer that your initials be used rather than your full name.  
 
 
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