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Thursday, Aug 21, 2008
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Letters |
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| Goodbye Friend Dear SGN, When the telephone rang, it was my former neighbor's mother telling me her son had been killed in Iraq. At that point, words didn't matter very much. I learned his funeral service would be held at Fort Lewis mid-week. It was a difficult situation for all, families, friends, and military. As I drove to Seattle, I cried like a baby. Iraq has been nothing but a bad dream come true with well over three thousand military deaths. Hopefully our endeavors will include leaving the war zone and providing positive medical care for those with mental and physical illnesses. Goodbye Friend. Buzz Flowers Callaway OLD GAY MAN I'LL BE Dear SGN, Thanks for the interesting article on your perception about "old" and "aging". I appreciated your thoughts and perceptions. I'd also like to share some thoughts and perceptions from someone who just turned 60. "Old" is a definition that helps perpetuate the "Gay is about youth" myth. We're all in varying degrees of life. Yes, I'm sixty. How is that different from your life? I work, I love, I think about the future, I may stare out in to space, rarely with my hands behind my back, and usually to think about what's next, not what's past. My dental heath is good by the way& I enjoy the fact that I have the tapestry of my life which gives me insight as I move forward. It's not a movement of nostalgia or inactivity, it's a movement about where do I want to go and what do I want to do next. Are my priorities different than yours, maybe, but I still want meaning, parties, (they may be more about conversation, but I love music and a pulled together club) sex, love, good food, friends, my pets, enjoying where I live, and all of the emotions that make us who we are. None of that goes away with age. It may take on different forms, but that's progress and not stagnation or constant reflection. Sitting on a porch swing in the country has it's moments, but I'm city-grounded and that will be the case until I die. Please hear this in the true meaning of discussion and not negative reaction. I respect your perceptions, but another voice needs to be heard& those of us who are moving through life at a different stage than you are. Les Gruner BASHING Dear SGN, I am writing in defense of the two accused in the September 22 incident reported in the "Bashing" article. The court trial is tomorrow morning, so this letter will not be published until the verdict has been read, but I feel strongly convicted to speak to the Gay community about those accused of such a horrible crime. Bryan Krieger is a bartender at the Chapel Bar, which as you may know, has a prominent Gay clientèle. Many of his coworkers are also Gay, as are some of his closest friends. Anyone who knows him was shocked to hear the accusations made in regards to the incident in question. I have known Oly to be a kind, loyal friend, as well. Bryan and Oly have the support of their friends, Gay and straight, on Capitol Hill. There has been some confusion as to what really happened that night. I have been in close communication with Marcus Wilson, (as we knew each other already) and he has been helpful in trying to find the truth in the situation. Wilson stated that he could not positively identify the person who threatened him. He did say that it was a Caucasian male wearing a hoodie. When both suspects were released from jail after their arrest, their clothing items were returned to them. Neither had been wearing hoodies. Bryan was, however, wearing the same outfit he had worn the day before the incident. He remembers this because he had been enjoying a beer with the manager of the Chapel at Pony, the Gay bar Marcus manages. Why Marcus did not remember Bryan the next night is a mystery. Bryan and Oly have stated that the other "witness", Christopher Lynch, had been following them before they ran into Marcus. He was carrying a 40oz of beer, was wearing a hoodie, and had been asking them to "party with him", offering his beer to them. When they refused and told him to leave them alone, Lynch called them "faggots" and yelled other profanities at them. Later, he pointed Bryan and Oly out to the police as those who threatened Marcus and Victoria. I have the utmost sympathy for anyone, Gay or straight, who has been scared to walk home because they are vulnerable. As a woman who gets out of work at night, I have been harassed on countless occasions. I hope those who have been victimized in the recent Gay bashings find healing and get the justice they deserve. Bryan and Oly are not hateful bigots, but would have helped someone in that kind of situation. Sincerely, Marielle Stobie |
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