Friday,

North Shore News -~ 7

The cycle: intolerance breeds intolerance

HAVE THE homophobes
taker: over the media? One
might think so, for they are
getting massive — albeit
unfavorable — coverage.
ONE IN TEN
by Robyn Brown

A couple of weeks ago, Doug
Collins devoted a whole column to
a ridiculous ranting under the
headline “Coming out in the
media." Disguised as reporting, it
was propaganda for bigotry.

Yes, Virginia, dinosaurs are
alive and well and living on the
North Shore, Whatever you do,
avoid Doug Collins — you might

- History lesson

Dear Editor: ‘

I don't happen to be a
homosexual, Neither am I of Ira-
nian descent, nor an immigrant
from the Third World, nor black.
“1 don't belong to any of the
particular groups on whom Doug
Coliins has chosen to heap hate-
filled, fear-mongering§ abuse in
recent weeks, ;

So it would be easy, all too
easy, for me to ignore his out-
bursts. They don’t apply to me;
what have | to fear?

Plenty.

Jama Jew.

-I and my people know and
remember too well the horror that
attends those who keep silent in
the face of evil.

I have taken to heart the words”

of Martin Niemoeller: :

“In Germany they came firs
for the communists, and I didn’t
speak up because I wasn’t’ a
communist.

“Then they came for the Jews,
and 1 didn’t speak up because I
wasn’t a Jew. a ;

“Then they came for the trade

‘ unionists, and I] didn’t speak up
because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

. “Then they came for the Cath-
‘olics,;; and .I didn’t speak up
“because I was a Protestant.

'. “Then they. came for me, and
-. by that time no one was left to
"speak up.”* ;

We live in a country where the
twin freedoms of speech and the
‘press remain sacred. Collins has a
societal right to spew his drivel,

- "= but it: doesn’t follow. that the

North Shore News is obliged to
publish it.

Stephen D. Aberle

West Vancouver

Get rid of him —

Dear Editor: a
I believe in free speech and
democracy, but Doug Collins’ re-
‘ cent article on homosexuality went
beyond ‘the. boundaries of free
speech.
This man is using his column to

peddle: hate and prejudice’ in -a .

woild .where we, as parents, are
trying to teach our children accep-
"tance and tolerance. Doe,
.. Have: we: all forgotten . Mr.
Keegstra, the Alberta teacher who

uséd. his position to .manipulate .

"the views of students?

- Perhaps’ we can all look. for-
-. ward to a column by Collins en-
“titled ‘‘The Legend of the

Holocaust” ... or did I miss it al-
“ready? . ;

This man is an insult to your

” integrity. Get rid of him.
‘Alison J. Bell-Irving
_ North Vancouver

bump into him and catch his ig-

norance,.

The opinions expressed by the
columnists in the North Shore
News do not always represent the
opinions of those of us who work
for this newspaper.

But that’s one of the founda-
tions of free speech — I may not

_ always agree with what Doug Col-.

lins says, but I will defend his
right to say it.

However, what 1} can’t under-
stand is why anybody bothers to
listen,

His recent column about les-
bians and gays in the media was a
perfect examp)e of how the media
not only report the news, but also

construct the news.

Editor’s note: . my

THIS ASSORTMENT of letters
constitutes only a smail sampling
of the respouse to Doug Collins’
March 24 column pondering the
influence the gay community has
in the Canadiay, media.

Since the column was publish-
ed, the North Shore News has
been bombarded with outraged

~been verbally .. abused;

Because people were so outrag-
ed at what Collins wrote, his col-
umn became the subject of con-
troversy. There were stories about
it in both the Vancouver Sun and
The Province, and it was publiciz-
ed on several radio programs.

All the added publicity has
prompted even more people to
want to get a copy of the column,
because — and this is the key part
~- in order for people to criticize
it, they first have to read it.

It’s an insidious cycle. Suddenly
Collins’ column was being
photocopied, faxed, and passed
around the entire Lower
Mainland.

Consequently, he has received
much more attention, media
coverage — and, most important-
ly, readership — by being
homophobic, than he would ever

WLLLLLLEGG

(telephone calls, incendiary faxes
and angry letters to the editor
from 2i! over the Lower

- Mainland. :

. The newspaper’s staff has
veiled
threats of physical vicience have
been made.to Collins and other
members ‘of the editorial
department. ; ae
We have keen collectively

have received if he had written
something gay-positive.

However, while the rantings of
one narrow-minded man have
upset a lot of people, one thing is
certain: he managed to get people
talking.

And people need to talk, On
this page are some of the letters
the North Shore News has receiv-
ed regarding this issue.

However, lest we forget, it is

those who are silenced, those whom

society has forced deep into the
closet, who most need to be doing
the talking, And yet they are the
ones who cacnot speak or write
for fear of having their names in
the paper.

They are invisible, but they are
your sisters, your brothers, your
children, your friends, your co-
workers ... and (hey are every-

slandered and otherwise dragged
through the public mud.

But we would have it no other
way.

The messsge of the whole ex-

_ercise is open commounicatica,

which we stand for; the message
of those screaming on the fringes
is selective. communication,
which we oppose. :

‘trol.

where.

Intolerance breeds iniolerance.
{t’s time for a different approach.

“Guerrilla goodness”’ is an un-
derground movement that started
down in San Francisco (parade
capita!!), and its motto has
become a revolution: ‘Practise
random kindness and senseless
acts of beauty,”

Kindness breeds kindness.

The world needs to embrace
Doug Collins.

Think about it ... wouldn't that ~
be a homophobe's worst
nightmare? To be embraced by
lesbigays? He wouldn't know
what hit him. : ;

Welcome to the gay '90s, Doug!
Have a nice day. =

Robyn Brown is a member of
the News’ editorial department.

oma Diver

Hate-mongering
Dear Editor:

Yesterday J called the circula-
tion department to cance! delivery
of your paper,

{have tolerated Collins’ toxic
penmanship for far too tong and F
no fonger wish. such blatant
hate-mongering to be delivered to
my home. :

If Collins used the word ‘Jew’
or “‘black"’ instead of his favorite
epithet “homo,” he would: be
charged with inciting hatred and -
fear of minorities, ,

It’s clear your newspaper relies
on his views to create controversy
and interest, but at what cost?

What ts there to be gained from.
obsessing on the sexual practices’
of a particular group (which, ‘1
might add, are simply variations
on, or identicai to, activities ex-
-Plored by pecple of all orienta-
tions -~ yes, ever heterosexuals!)?

Collins is fearful, sad, and pa-
thetic, and after his appearance on -
60 Minutes, he’s an embarrass-
ment to all of Greater Vancouver,

Let us pray that Collins’. words,
and the paper that documents
them, do not become the. kindling
for the fires in which I, my life
partner, and countless peaceful,
loving friends would be burned.

_ The ‘‘Voise of the’ North
Shore”’ is not my voice.

Robbin Jeffereys .

North Vancouver

Burning crosses
Dear Editor: . :
I regret that 1 and my family have

to stop accepting your newspaper. «|

There are two reasons. :

First: yes, Doug Collings. does
make people think — think about
burning crosses and wearing white
suits with pointed hats.

Doug’s words are dangerous.

He is as outdated as the
dinosaurs and with his access to
your paper, as powerful. :

I am disgusted that his opinion
should not only be accepted, but
honored. :

1 am afraid when I imagine this .
world with people like him in con-

Is this big abusive bully the best
you can find to write for you?

Do: you really believe you.are
simply being democratic when you

_allow him to spew his venom?

Doug is not funny; he is dan-
gerous, ' _
» Second: I don’t want flyers and | :
junk mail. There is enough gar-
bage in the world already.. ©

Print this, please, in fairness to_,
those .of us wha are not happy .:
with someone who spreads hatred
in the guise of cleverness and wit.
Shirley Kealey © Lo
North Vancouver