When First Interstate Bank (now part of Wells Fargo) removed sexual orientation from their non-discrimination policy, I wrote the letter below. They did rescind the change.
[My best letter (so far) on gay rights]
Bruce Willison, President and CEO
First Interstate Bank
707 Wilshire Blvd., M.S. W25-1
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Dear Mr. Willison,
I am a long-time, generally satisfied First Interstate customer. In fact, as my checks tell the world, you consider me a "time-honored" customer. Hence, it deeply saddens me to hear about the recent changes to your employment non-discrimination policy.
I have read Ken Preston's January 25 letter to George Kronenberger, and I find it completely unacceptable. With regard to sexual orientation discrimination, all you are now saying is, "We obey the law." Well, I should hope so, but you should be ashamed to proclaim this as your only corporate policy on the question. It provides no protection at all for your gay and lesbian employees or applicants in jurisdictions without external governmental protection.
Unless you quickly re-instate protection against sexual orientation discrimination for employees of all units of First Interstate world-wide, I will begin transferring my business elsewhere, I will close my account, and I will encourage others to do the same.
It should not take these kinds of threats to make you act. All you need to do is ask yourself what is the right thing to do for your employees, and make your corporate policies reflect that. It's an easy question with an easy answer. I hope to hear that you have figured it out.
Sincerely yours,
Rodney Hoffman
cc: Edward Carson, First Interstate Bancorp
George Kronenberger, NGLTF
Showing posts with label best letters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label best letters. Show all posts
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Why are gay pride celebrations still needed? ('88)
[OK, so I'm cheating a bit with the "best letters" tag below. This isn't exactly a letter, but it's my best article (so far) on the need for being out and speaking out.]
This appeared in The Occidental April 22, 1988:
FROM THE DESK OF
Rodney Hoffman
Maybe you're saying, "Lesbian and Gay Awareness Week? Why? What more do I need to be aware of?"
Let me tell you a story. This is a story from the bad old days, say 20 years ago.
You're in high school. Dating and sex are even more confusing than they were supposed to be. Something isn't right. Your hormones are raging, but not always "correctly." Your eye is caught by the "wrong" people and pictures. Your daydreams veer in unintended directions, no matter how you try to keep them on course.
You try to talk to friends, family, clergy, but they don't want to hear about it, or they don't believe it, or they just condemn it, or they say, "Ignore it. It will go away."
But nothing seems to work -- not prayer, not counseling, not cold showers. You try dating much more often, but it's clear your date's feelings and expectations don't match yours. You fear you're just using people, and you worry about hurting them.
You know what "homosexual" means -- queer, cursed, sick, sinful, criminal. You live in a society that hates you. You begin to hate yourself.
Well, I won't stay with the story; you get the idea. Pretty depressing. It was a pretty common true story. Those of us who lived through something like that don't enjoy remembering it. After I fought my way past all that confusion and hatred, I was still bitterly angry, and I asked myself, "What can I do to make life easier for others? What in the world can help a sexually confused 15-year-old?"
"But," you say, "that was 20 years ago. Things are different now." Yes, a little bit, but not enough.
Thankfully, one difference is that many colleges now have gay and lesbian student groups like Oxy's GALA. GALA offers a safe support group, a source of friends and social activities, a resource for learning about the outside lesbian and gay community, and a place to work for further needed changes.
Another difference is political. We've successfully changed some of the worst laws, educated some politicians, even elected some of our own. We have non-discrimination laws in some cities like Los Angeles. But the opportunistic hate-mongers are still with us. Look at Proposition 69 we'll be voting on in a few weeks. The state defeated it less than two years ago by more than 70%, but it's back on the ballot again, a little worse. State Assemblymember LaFollette wants to blackmail the Los Angeles School District into stopping its groundbreaking gay counseling program, Project 10 at Fairfax High. There's lots of work still to do in politics.
What about other institutions? Religion, psychiatry, media, schools, the arts, employers, .... In every field, there have been some positive changes, and there is plenty of work still to do.
Still, all of this desperately-needed work with institutions and organizations is only a small part of the answer. As one gay writer has put it, "We demand only the freedom to be who we are. The fact that this demand, which takes away nothing from anyone else, is met with such obstinate resistance is a noteworthy indication of how deep-seated is the hostility against us."
People feel such hostility because they were brought up that way. To really help that anguished 15-year-old, I have to reach his or her parents and family and friends and clergy and .... you. The hurt can only stop if the world around that 15-year-old changes. THAT'S why we have a Lesbian and Gay Awareness Week. THAT'S "what more" there is to be aware of.
When I was younger and more idealistic I wanted to change the world. I still do. Join me.
This appeared in The Occidental April 22, 1988:
FROM THE DESK OF
Rodney Hoffman
Maybe you're saying, "Lesbian and Gay Awareness Week? Why? What more do I need to be aware of?"
Let me tell you a story. This is a story from the bad old days, say 20 years ago.
You're in high school. Dating and sex are even more confusing than they were supposed to be. Something isn't right. Your hormones are raging, but not always "correctly." Your eye is caught by the "wrong" people and pictures. Your daydreams veer in unintended directions, no matter how you try to keep them on course.
You try to talk to friends, family, clergy, but they don't want to hear about it, or they don't believe it, or they just condemn it, or they say, "Ignore it. It will go away."
But nothing seems to work -- not prayer, not counseling, not cold showers. You try dating much more often, but it's clear your date's feelings and expectations don't match yours. You fear you're just using people, and you worry about hurting them.
You know what "homosexual" means -- queer, cursed, sick, sinful, criminal. You live in a society that hates you. You begin to hate yourself.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Well, I won't stay with the story; you get the idea. Pretty depressing. It was a pretty common true story. Those of us who lived through something like that don't enjoy remembering it. After I fought my way past all that confusion and hatred, I was still bitterly angry, and I asked myself, "What can I do to make life easier for others? What in the world can help a sexually confused 15-year-old?"
"But," you say, "that was 20 years ago. Things are different now." Yes, a little bit, but not enough.
Thankfully, one difference is that many colleges now have gay and lesbian student groups like Oxy's GALA. GALA offers a safe support group, a source of friends and social activities, a resource for learning about the outside lesbian and gay community, and a place to work for further needed changes.
Another difference is political. We've successfully changed some of the worst laws, educated some politicians, even elected some of our own. We have non-discrimination laws in some cities like Los Angeles. But the opportunistic hate-mongers are still with us. Look at Proposition 69 we'll be voting on in a few weeks. The state defeated it less than two years ago by more than 70%, but it's back on the ballot again, a little worse. State Assemblymember LaFollette wants to blackmail the Los Angeles School District into stopping its groundbreaking gay counseling program, Project 10 at Fairfax High. There's lots of work still to do in politics.
What about other institutions? Religion, psychiatry, media, schools, the arts, employers, .... In every field, there have been some positive changes, and there is plenty of work still to do.
Still, all of this desperately-needed work with institutions and organizations is only a small part of the answer. As one gay writer has put it, "We demand only the freedom to be who we are. The fact that this demand, which takes away nothing from anyone else, is met with such obstinate resistance is a noteworthy indication of how deep-seated is the hostility against us."
People feel such hostility because they were brought up that way. To really help that anguished 15-year-old, I have to reach his or her parents and family and friends and clergy and .... you. The hurt can only stop if the world around that 15-year-old changes. THAT'S why we have a Lesbian and Gay Awareness Week. THAT'S "what more" there is to be aware of.
When I was younger and more idealistic I wanted to change the world. I still do. Join me.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Who deserves peace-lovers trust? ('03)
This letter of mine was published in the Los Angeles Times in Jan. 2003:
[My best letter (so far) on militarism]
In his State of the Union address, President Bush said we cannot trust in Saddam Hussein's restraint. Why not? He has demonstrated far more restraint than Bush has.
In the nearly 12 long years since the end of the Gulf War, Hussein has not threatened to attack, nor positioned troops to attack, the U.S. Bush, on the other hand, in two short years in the White House, is obsessed with Iraq, unrelenting in his warmongering, and well along in preparation for attack.
Who has shown more restraint? Who is more deserving of peace-loving peoples' trust?
- - - - - -
The Times added "President" before "Bush." I refused to address Dubya by that undeserved title between 2000 and 2004.
[My best letter (so far) on militarism]
In his State of the Union address, President Bush said we cannot trust in Saddam Hussein's restraint. Why not? He has demonstrated far more restraint than Bush has.
In the nearly 12 long years since the end of the Gulf War, Hussein has not threatened to attack, nor positioned troops to attack, the U.S. Bush, on the other hand, in two short years in the White House, is obsessed with Iraq, unrelenting in his warmongering, and well along in preparation for attack.
Who has shown more restraint? Who is more deserving of peace-loving peoples' trust?
- - - - - -
The Times added "President" before "Bush." I refused to address Dubya by that undeserved title between 2000 and 2004.
It's the courts, stupid! ('02)
This letter of mine was published in the Los Angeles Times Sept. 2002:
[My best letter (so far) on the courts]
Almost everything governors or presidents do can be undone by their successors. The crucial exception is judicial appointments. Many Republican judicial nominees frighten me so deeply that I will never help elect a Republican to an executive position. Some have suggested that we vote Libertarian or Green or "none of the above" for governor. I'm a registered Green, and I will happily vote for Green candidates for lower offices, but to keep right-wing ideologues off the judicial benches I must vote Democratic for governor and president. For me, it's the courts, stupid!
- - - - - -
I received phone calls from two complete strangers complimenting me on this letter.
[My best letter (so far) on the courts]
Almost everything governors or presidents do can be undone by their successors. The crucial exception is judicial appointments. Many Republican judicial nominees frighten me so deeply that I will never help elect a Republican to an executive position. Some have suggested that we vote Libertarian or Green or "none of the above" for governor. I'm a registered Green, and I will happily vote for Green candidates for lower offices, but to keep right-wing ideologues off the judicial benches I must vote Democratic for governor and president. For me, it's the courts, stupid!
- - - - - -
I received phone calls from two complete strangers complimenting me on this letter.
AIDS Education ('88)
This letter of mine was published in the LATimes Oct. 1988:
[My best letter (so far) on AIDS]
Thank you for your editorial "AIDS: No on 96." I wholeheartedly agree.
You are, however, much too kind to Sheriff Sherman Block, the prime sponsor of Proposition 96, and to state Sens. Gary Hart and Robert Presley, who sponsored similar bills -- SB 2643 and SB 1913. All three measures represent a hysterical response to AIDS almost as bad as Proposition 102.
Unless police, emergency, and prison staff routinely share intravenous needles or have unprotected sex with prisoners and arrestees, they have little rational reason to fear HIV infection in the line of duty. Saliva, tears, sweat, and even blood on unbroken skin do not spread AIDS. Besides, as your editorial pointed out, a negative HIV-antibody test cannot be very reassuring unless a repeat test months later is still negative.
The officers in the field can be forgiven for their ignorance, since their superiors and many of our politicians are clearly ignorant themselves. Sadly, our county, state, and federal adminstrations have done little to help. Their fear-mongering is as vicious an opportunistic disease an any brought on by AIDS.
Instead of all these testing measures, we urgently need AIDS education measures.
[My best letter (so far) on AIDS]
Thank you for your editorial "AIDS: No on 96." I wholeheartedly agree.
You are, however, much too kind to Sheriff Sherman Block, the prime sponsor of Proposition 96, and to state Sens. Gary Hart and Robert Presley, who sponsored similar bills -- SB 2643 and SB 1913. All three measures represent a hysterical response to AIDS almost as bad as Proposition 102.
Unless police, emergency, and prison staff routinely share intravenous needles or have unprotected sex with prisoners and arrestees, they have little rational reason to fear HIV infection in the line of duty. Saliva, tears, sweat, and even blood on unbroken skin do not spread AIDS. Besides, as your editorial pointed out, a negative HIV-antibody test cannot be very reassuring unless a repeat test months later is still negative.
The officers in the field can be forgiven for their ignorance, since their superiors and many of our politicians are clearly ignorant themselves. Sadly, our county, state, and federal adminstrations have done little to help. Their fear-mongering is as vicious an opportunistic disease an any brought on by AIDS.
Instead of all these testing measures, we urgently need AIDS education measures.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Why I'm an angry atheist ('09)
I sent this letter to the Los Angeles Times in May 2009, in response to an op-ed by Charlotte Allen in which she complained about angry whiny atheists. My letter was not published in the Times, but it did appear in the UGLA Bulletin:
[My best letter (so far) on religion]
Let me tell you why I'm an angry atheist.
I'm a scientist, an environmentalist, a feminist, a free speech advocate, and I'm gay.
I support birth control and family planning and abortion rights. I believe that religion doesn't belong in the science classroom. I support even "blasphemous" speech. Of course, I support gay rights, including same-sex marriage. I live apart from my Mexican partner of 16+ years and can't sponsor him for immigration as my spouse.
In every case, the overwhelming majority of my opponents base their opposition on their religious beliefs.
I do indeed consider myself a victim of fundamentalist religion and the undeserved deference most people give to religious beliefs.
Furthermore, I don't believe I should be forced to subsidize my political opponents with tax exemptions just because they declare themselves churches.
Damn right I'm angry.
Why I'm not married ('08)
This letter of mine was published in the LATimes in Feb. 2008:
[My best letter (so far) on marriage]
I've been in a very long-distance monogamous relationship with a Mexican citizen for almost 15 years. In the 90s, we applied three times for a tourist visa for my partner to just visit me here in Los Angeles. The application was refused each time.
We gave up. I visit Mexico, and together, we've gone to Costa Rica and to Canada.
"Why not just get married?" you ask. That would be nice, but we're gay.
[My best letter (so far) on marriage]
I've been in a very long-distance monogamous relationship with a Mexican citizen for almost 15 years. In the 90s, we applied three times for a tourist visa for my partner to just visit me here in Los Angeles. The application was refused each time.
We gave up. I visit Mexico, and together, we've gone to Costa Rica and to Canada.
"Why not just get married?" you ask. That would be nice, but we're gay.
Do-Not-Call Lists ('01)
This letter of mine was published in the LATimes in August 2001:
[My best letter (so far) on marketing]
Before a telemarketer completes two sentences I say, "I'm not
interested; please put me on your do-not-call list," and I hang up.
If they used a state-wide "do-not-call" list, they wouldn't have to
waste their time calling me, and I wouldn't be annoyed by their calls.
It's a win-win situation.
I can only guess that the "influential business interests" opposing
SB771 arrogantly believe that they're the exception: If they could
call me, they're such good salespeople that I'd not only listen to
their pitch, but I'd buy and buy.
I have news for them: It ain't gonna happen.
I emphatically support SB771.
[My best letter (so far) on marketing]
Before a telemarketer completes two sentences I say, "I'm not
interested; please put me on your do-not-call list," and I hang up.
If they used a state-wide "do-not-call" list, they wouldn't have to
waste their time calling me, and I wouldn't be annoyed by their calls.
It's a win-win situation.
I can only guess that the "influential business interests" opposing
SB771 arrogantly believe that they're the exception: If they could
call me, they're such good salespeople that I'd not only listen to
their pitch, but I'd buy and buy.
I have news for them: It ain't gonna happen.
I emphatically support SB771.
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