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Dear Pflag New Orleans:
My name is Henrietta Colburn. My husband, Roy, and I now live in Jamestown, CA due to his health. I have a gay son who lives in New Orleans. His name is Les Paul Lobreque and he also uses the name John Michael Mitchell.Paul used to call several times a year before my move. It has been many years since I have spoken to him and I miss him terribly. Letters have been returned to me with no forwarding address.
I have even tried to locate him through an investigator without success. His social security number has not been used for five years. There is no death record of that social security number or finger prints from his service records.
Paul's birthday is 2/22/58. He is about 5'6" with dark hair and worked in the French Quarter as a waiter in the nicer hotels. If you know him, please tell him his mother loves and misses him. Ask him to call me collect at 209.984.2466 or write me at 18725 Hwy 108, Space 11, Jamestown, CA 95327. His brother, Michael, also lives in CA now and would like to send his love as does his Aunt Marie.
We await your reply with hope and faith.
--A Pflag mother
Note: Ambush received this letter for publication from Pflag. If you know Paul or John, please contact Mrs. Colburn. Thank you.Dear Editor:
Re: Louisiana HRC 1998 Black Tie VI Dinner Committee former members' letters I am responding to copies of a letters [sic] addressed to me recently sent to and published by you by two members of our previous Louisiana HRC Dinner Committee. We truly regret that these individuals have decided not work on Black VI scheduled for May 15 & 16 1998 and sincerely appreciate their past contributions. Each year as the HRC Black Tie Dinner has grown, it has been because of the hard work by members of all segments of our diverse community. That so many diverse aspects of the gay community can come together in support of our one, national, highly effective, political organization, is a fitting tribute to HRC's impressive record of accomplishment.We recognize it is not possible for our supporters to work on the Black Tie Dinner Committee every year, for what ever personal reason. The Black Tie Dinner Committee from its' beginning six years ago always has been and always will be completely open to whomever wishes to pitch in a [sic] do the hard work to make the event a growing success. Specifically, members of the transgendered [sic] community have been personally solicited to join our efforts by me, publically, [sic] and on repeated occasions.
The Black Tie Dinner Committee's policy of total inclusion is our effort to support HRC work on behalf of the transgendered [sic] community, more real work than any other national political organization. To deny HRC's work in education, training and networking for the transgendered [sic] community is to deny the reality of several years of commitment and dialogue. This reality of work for the transgendered [sic] community was recently detailed to the New Orleans gay community last month in a series of meetings by HRC National Field Director, Donna Redwing [sic] with virtually every gay and gay-friendly organization in the city.
Can more be done? Yes, of course. Committed organizational activists know the most effective way to change an organization is by working positively from within the organization and resisting the easy choice of negative divisive publicity. Look what the religious political extremists did to the Republican Party. Few of us can agree with any organization all the time, but to marginalize and trivialize one's convictions by opting out of the process, is to turn your back on real progress. Sincerely,
--Robert S. Ripley, Black Tie VI Dinner Co-chairLETTER TO THE EDITOR
Your March 6 issue's "Sappho Psalm" column concerning support for the Human Rights Campaign was very thought-provoking, and should help people focus on the importance of our community's political organizations.However, I would like to clarify my personal convictions regarding both HRC and its annual local dinner. I strongly support HRC, and do not support efforts to boycott the HRC Dinner! At the same time, I do support the inclusion of bisexual and transgender persons in the HRC mission statement, and have conveyed that position in the strongest terms to the national leadership of HRC.
HRC, LEGAL, and LAGPAC each perform critical services on behalf of our community, and we would be far worse off if any of these organizations were not there for us. The most responsible and knowledgeable members of our community actively support all of these organizations, but every self-respecting gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered person should set aside whatever funds they can, and whatever time they can, to support at least one of them!
It is not necessary, or even desirable, that we all agree on every issue or candidate. But we win when we work together. While it is true that I will not continue as a member of the HRC Federal Club, that decision was based entirely on my limited resources and the desperate need for funding for LEGAL and LAGPAC. I will certainly continue my membership in and support of HRC.
Furthermore, it should be made clear that the leadership of the local Federal Club and the local HRC Dinner Committee do an incredible job and deserve nothing but accolades. (And to the community's credit, I've heard no criticism of these friends.) The dispute regarding the mission statement is with the national leadership of HRC, and should not reflect on these local men and women who give of their time, money and energy.
Any local dispute should be with the hundreds of glbt persons who do nothing to help these and other organizations fight our battles. Sincerely,
--Randal M. BeachDearest Ambush,
Concerning the HRC, the SBC and all that wish to say, "hey, lets legally discriminate against the G/L/B/T community," and wish to tell these hard core bunch of snide, bigots, and wish they'd get into the same century the rest of the county is in.To everyone , we're under attack from all levels, all across this country of ours. Our Brothers and Sisters up in the New England states are having a hard time. USA Today wrote about it, that the SBC is going to put out pamphlets to businesses, etc. Or, at least, that's the tactic they used up there to sway everyone. That, and their religious standing. But its an organized attack on us, everywhere.
I performed a little experiment here a while back. I went out, just asking at random, their opinions. Guess what I found out! 1) seems people feel no one should be discriminated against; 2) everyone ought to be protected 3) although they don't agree with our life style, we should be protected and have our legislation passed. I was like, "DUH!" What's their problem then? The government is supposed to be of elected politicians, whom are supposed to protect our rights, right? Well, that's what I thought. Where exactly is the problem then? Someone, please tell us!
I am a transgender. I am a transsexual. 90% of my friends are gay and lesbian. To me, I was always a member of their family, our family. Yes, I'm by birth a male but I've always been extremely attracted to other men. I was born with my wires crossed. I'm a female between my ears, so the body has to be lined up-so I can function properly. I'm 99% correct now except for my operation. I will always be in the G/L/B/T community, even after my operation. I will always be known as the sex change.
I love my brothers and sisters. We are all human beings! We do not deserve to be discriminated against. My "bi-friends"-they're in the same boat as us. What exactly is the problem here? To me, it seems everyone knows the Bible soooooo well that they're assigned themselves our God, stepped out of the church, to force us to live their choice for us! What do you see wrong with this picture? The HRC! Seems they're afraid. Because they don't want to do right. They're view is if we get ENDA passed, then we'll include the tg and bi communities. It does not take a rocket scientist to see what's going on here. How is ENDA to pass without their support.
It seems they are not as worried about cloning and abortion clinics as they are of us having rights. The Basic Rights everyone else deserves as human beings. The biological weapons everywhere, air pollution, go jump on all this stuff for a while and leave us alone.
I have seen my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters harassed and discriminated against. It make me mad. I'll march right along with them and voice my opinion to anyone. I've seen hate crimes committed against them. I'm a victim of a very terrible hate crime that has taken me years to get over. To the HRC, how much do we have to tolerate before you get up the bravery to do something?
I've seen my sisters harassed at work. I've seen my brothers harassed at work. I've seen them harassed in public, in stores, everywhere. I've been harassed right along with them. Yes, my boyfriend and I were together, yet, we would not be protected should a legal incident ever pop-up. DUH! He is bi but he's settled down with me, a male to female pre-op transsexual. The legal system sucks when some are protected and some aren't within the same group. We pay taxes, we vote, we're citizens, yet, we are substandard.
I'm sick and tired of seeing my community take the back seat to everyone. Myself, I made it thru being raped many years ago. If it weren't for my G/L friends and Bi boyfriend, I probably wouldn't have made it. It took me a long, long time to get over it and I'm still fighting with it from time to time. I'll always live with this nightmare. And all I want is to be happy, to live in society and not be harassed or discriminated against. We are Human Beings. Is there such a thing as a peaceful coexistence? With the HRC, the SBC and the legal system against my community, the G/L/B/T community, I don't think there is such a thing. Looks like we might have to have a few more Stonewalls, eh? Or maybe, let's all join the SBC......but isn't that the most sickening thought of all? After all, shouldn't we look up to these people? Ha! The Severely Bigoted Christians! Oops! Sorry!
--Jossi L., Gulf Gender Alliance member, LAGPAC supporter & member, LGCCNO memberDear Editor:
Ambush Magazine recently printed an article regarding a "town hall meeting" sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest lesbian and gay political organization, and the Louisiana Lesbian and Gay Political Action Caucus. The report mentioned the controversy regarding exclusion of transgendered people in the mission statement of the Human Rights Campaign. Additionally, it mentioned that the Human Rights Campaign has opposed including language in the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to protect transgendered people from employment discrimination.Simultaneously, the national media, on the 25th anniversary of the Rowe vs. Wade decision, was reviewing this landmark court case and the continuing public controversy regarding women's' right to make reproductive choices. To a casual observer it would appear that these two controversies have no relationship to one another. Further review, however, reveals commonalties.
Central to the Rowe vs. Wade decision are the issues of human dignity, of one's right to define their own existence, and to define the mystery of human life. It is these larger, more encompassing issues which provide the constitutional foundation and basis for Rowe vs. Wade. These are the same issues which are brought to the forefront in the Human Rights Campaign's controversy regarding transgendered people. It is amazing that the national leaders of an organization which is nominally devoted to human rights find themselves "challenged" by an issue which at its core is an issue related to human dignity.
The Supreme Court's opinion says, " In matters involving the most intimate and personal choices a person may make in a lifetime, choices central to personal dignity and autonomy are central to the liberty protected by the Fourteenth Amendment. At the heart of liberty is the right to define one's concept of one's own existence, of meaning, of the universe, and the mystery of human life."
This is remarkably clear, simple, and powerful language. Unfortunately, some who celebrate Rowe v. Wade because it recognizes "their" dignity and protects "their" right to define their existence may be among those who oppose recognizing the dignity of transgendered people and their right to define their own existence authentically. Hopefully, the Human Rights Campaign will eventually embrace a mission which recognizes the dignity of all people. Organizations which can not embrace the human dignity of ALL humans are not truly "human rights" organizations and may wish to change their name so that their members, their financial contributors, and the public will not be misled by a name which is inconsistent with their mission. Sincerely,
--Nancy SharpLetter To The Editor
On behalf of the local Human Rights Campaign Steering Committee, I am writing in support of the local HRC Dinner and in support of the hard work that HRC does alongside LAGPAC and LEGAL in our community to ensure that ALL are included and recognized in our fight toward equality.First of all, I would like to remind readers that HRC works diligently in the community along with organizations like LAGPAC and LEGAL, and that each organization should be supported for their individual contributions to the fight for our equality as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered [sic] persons. To suggest that HRC "bleeds" money from the local community and that the annual dinner should not be supported is erroneous.
HRC has done many things on the local level and has returned funds to Louisiana to support our struggle for equality. Just as a reminder, HRC contributed the maximum allowed by law to Senator Mary Landrieu's campaign so that Jenkins could be successfully defeated in that race. HRC was also the leader in procuring the millions of dollars in AIDS funding that Louisiana currently received. [sic]
As for the issue of HRC not including the transgendered [sic] community in the mission statement of HRC, I would like to reiterate that the local HRC Steering Committee is in favor of including transgendered [sic] persons who identify as lesbian and gay. We have informed national that we support this inclusion and we must look to their leadership to make is happen.
As further evidence of the local leadership's inclusion of the transgendered [sic] lesbian and gay community, local activists attending last year's HRC dinner were accommodated when they desired to circulate a petition advocating the inclusion of the transgendered [sic] community. Buttons were also distributed at that dinner reading, "Transgenders are Human Too!"
In the meantime, not supporting the major fundraising activity of HRC in our local community not only is very divisive, but it tends once again to show that we are naive in our fight and our willingness to try to work together in order to achieve our goals. Our stance favoring inclusion is clear and has been voiced in Washington. Sometimes, it just takes time and education to make change. We, perhaps more than most groups, should realize this truth! Sincerely,
--Deyette Danford, HRC Board of Governors; HRC Louisiana Steering CommitteeDear Editors:
Please let your readers know that there is and has been a church that welcomes Gay people in New Orleans. The First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans is part of the first denomination in America to include gays and lesbians in all aspects of church life.We invite all gay people in New Orleans to visit us Sunday mornings at 10:30am. We are located at the corner of Jefferson and Claiborne Ave. On April 5, 1998, the Task Force for Gay and Lesbian Concerns will host the service. The theme will be "Our Family Album" and will feature several of our prominant [sic] members including Liz Simon, Regina Matthews and Dee Martin.
If you have any questions, please do no hesitate to call. If you can put any or all of this information in your paper, I would appreciate it. Sincerely,
--Rebecca Austen[Letters and Comments should be sent to Ambush Letters, 828-A Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116-3137; or, E-mail to webmaster@ambushmag.com]
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