Letter to the Editor, j. Weekly, 2/9/07

I'm very proud of this letter which appears in this week's issue of j. Weekly, the Jewish news weekly for the Bay Area.

Diluted message?

The Jan. 19 j. article “Time is on homosexual advocates’ side” concluded with Rabbi Eliot Dorff joking that he really does “talk about other things.”

I always find it interesting when straight people feel they need to clarify their stand on the gay issue by offering this or similar disclaimers. To me, as a gay man, every time I hear something remotely similar to this, it sounds like a cross between an apology and a reassurance that the speaker himself is not gay.

This issue just happens to be in the forefront these days, both in religious and civil matters. May I offer to Dorff and others, with all due respect, if it is important enough for you to advocate for it, don’t offer apologies or reassurances for voicing your opinion; from my perspective, it dilutes your message.

For what it’s worth, I was only 10 when the Civil Rights Act was signed into law, but I really don’t remember white people who supported the signing of the act having to reassure people that they “talked about other things.” But, interestingly, it seems to be that way whenever someone talks about the gay issue. Can we please get past that?

Kenny Altman | San Francisco