Dateline: 05/29/98
Over the past year that I've been doing this site, many famous people have died. While some of the deaths have touched me, they haven't had that much, if any, relationship to Gay/Lesbian Issues, and as such I haven't noted their passing.
This morning when I awoke and turned on the T.V., ready to hear the latest revelations about the sad death of Phil Hartman, instead I first heard that Barry Goldwater had died.
This saddened me.
"Wait!" you're saying, "Deborah has proven herself to be a rather radical type liberal person, why would she care about Barry Goldwater?"
Well, the answer is simple: Barry Goldwater was a true conservative.
One of those people honest to the roots of the rant and rave about how "they" (that would be us, and many of our friends) are destroying the nation, or a party that people like Ralph Reed could try and hold hostage - the type of vitriol that is truly attempting to destroy our nation.
Barry remembered those roots, and stayed true to them. I'm sure that he and I would have disagreed on many issues but we did agree on many primary truths.
And so, a few choice words and thoughts from Barry, with respect, and in memory:
On Gays in the Military: "You don't need to be 'straight' to fight and die for your country, you just need to shoot straight."
On the Religious Right's agenda in general: "Religious factions will go on imposing their will on others unless the decent people connected to them recognize that religion has no place in public policy. They must learn to make their views known without trying to make their views the only alternatives."
On what Jerry Falwell deserves for trying to impose his religious values on the Republican agenda: "a boot ... right in the ass."
On Ronald Reagan's claim that he knew nothing of Iran/Contra: "[He was] either a liar or incompetent."
In Pride,
Deborah