Out of the mainstream. (reader forum).Like Steve Gunderson Steven Craig (Steve) Gunderson (born May 10, 1951, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin), is the President and CEO of the Council on Foundations and a former Republican congressman from Wisconsin. Gunderson grew up in Whitehall, Wisconsin. , I'm a white middle-aged professional, but I can't quite relate to his "Wobegon" woes [Last Word, February 5]. And it is likely they would fall on deaf ears to the majority of American GLBTs whose "mainstream" problems include the fact that they can be legally fired for their sexual orientation sexual orientation n. The direction of one's sexual interest toward members of the same, opposite, or both sexes, especially a direction seen to be dictated by physiologic rather than sociologic forces. , can't get health insurance for their families aren't recognized under any federal civil rights, tax, or other laws--but are recognized under many states' criminal statutes as sodomizers. I know your glass is half full of milk, Steve, but wake up and smell the coffee! David Arpin, Houston, Tex. Where does Gunderson live? Certainly not in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. ! Certainly not on this planet! We felt like we were reading an editorial from a foreign country. Maybe his church has become more accepting of gay people, but many churches have become even more hostile to LGBT LGBT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender people than ever before. Maybe where Gunderson lives more gays and lesbians are in public service, but not anywhere near their numbers in the population, and again only in islands of liberalism. Maybe the gay movement he knows is more open, but in the trenches our closets are still oversize o·ver·size n. 1. A size that is larger than usual. 2. An oversize article or object. adj. o·ver·size also o·ver·sized Larger in size than usual or necessary. Adj. 1. . Our country has come nowhere near providing acceptance and equality to its gay citizens. Until that time, separateness feels good and, for some, is even survival. We hope he is right that this will be the decade for acceptance, but some of us still find ourselves swimming upstream against a fairly strong current. Elaine Henjum and Linda Leonard Lamme, Gainesville, Fla. In your February 5 issue, I read about the gay Pakistani immigrant who was gay-bashed in Piqua, Ohio Piqua is a city in Miami County, Ohio, United States. The population was 20,738 at the 2000 census. Piqua was one of the cities that experienced severe flooding during the Great Dayton Flood of 1913. , after having fled his even more oppressive Muslim home country. I also read about the three Saudi Arabian men who were beheaded be·head tr.v. be·head·ed, be·head·ing, be·heads To separate the head from; decapitate. [Middle English biheden, from Old English beh because they were gay. Gunderson urges gays to get involved in religion in this country so that we might be more readily accepted in this society. I ask you, Mr. Gunderson, how can you be so naive? The more religious a country is, the more hatefully it treats its gay citizens. Gays will not have equal treatment until the nonsense that is religion is discarded. James Shearn, via the Internet |
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