Anti-Gay Bigotry May 'Wreak Havoc'

Alan Shepard

Cavalier Daily

Cavalier Daily

1984-04-17

Anti-Gay Bigotry May 'Wreak Havoc'
In light of Terrell Bowers’ venomous attack yesterday on Nell Harry’s April 10 letter (“Gays have a long way to go”), I feel compelled to express the opposite opinion. I am grateful to Harry for her courage to write such an articulate letter in support of human rights for gay people.
Her letter was directed, it seems to me, toward those like Bowers who engage in misguided suppression, misinformed prejudice and outright hatred. It was an appeal to our senses of justice and compassion.
Bowers strikes me as anything but compassionate, but does seem rather happily perched atop a hill of moral righteousness. A word of caution, Mr. bowers: it is highly likely that you have either friends or family members who are gay, and the pain that your rand of bigotry causes them is probably excruciating.
A week ago, my 21-year-old cousin shot himself to death; he was gay, and the pressures of hostility and prejudice were apparently too much for him to cope with. How sad that people of your thinking wreak havoc on so many lives.
Alan Shepard
GSAS