VOICES

LGBTQ Gulfport Veterans Tell Their Stories

It felt good to see our neighbor and friend Phyllis Plotnick on the front cover of the Gabber for Veterans week. We honor Phyllis, a woman who works for peace in her home, her community, as well as for world peace. How sad to see that you highlighting her service has caused such controversy. In 1919, after the “Great War to end All Wars” over 100 years ago, Armistice Day was set aside to remember that peace is achievable. Let us not forget Armistice Day (aka Veterans Day) wherever we are. Let us remember the horrors of that war and the women and men who served in the wars that followed and rededicate ourselves to fostering peace with justice for all peoples of our planet. –Edie Daly & Jackie Mirkin, Gulfport

Two readers complained about The Gabber’s inclusion of LGBTQ military in their Veterans Day story. I want to congratulate you. There are one million LGBTQ veterans, and more than 60,000 LGBTQ service members currently serving our nation. We should celebrate all patriots who have been willing to sacrifice for our freedom. –C. Dixon Osburn, Washington, D.C.

I was very sad to see The Gabber publish letters criticizing the coverage of gay veterans in Gulfport. Surely, this kind of discrimination and lack of respect for our gay veterans is not language The Gabber would consider consistent with its editorial policy. –Judy Lightwater, Gulfport

When does written opinion become hate speech? In response to the letters to the editor of LAO and KG regarding The Gabber’s Veterans’ Day article, their comments about the gays and queer persons certainly sounds like hate. What makes these two retired veterans in the article any less than other veterans? Both featured individuals served our country honorably while living through a time when their way of life was socially unacceptable. Yes, wake up! Times have changed. We honor all our veterans and the commitments they have made and are making for all of us and our nation. We thank all veterans for their service. It appears that The Gabber’s policy of not printing letters that include hate speech seems to have gone by the wayside with these letters. While hate speech is constitutionally protected, that doesn’t mean the community wants to see it in their news. Substitute an ethnic group or a color and these responses would have been equally as unacceptable. Shame! Shame! –Sally Otto, Dunedin

Publisher’s Note: While our longstanding policy on letters did read that we didn’t allow “hate speech”, the lack of a legal definition of such has prompted us to replace that prohibition with “attacks on private individuals.”

BCYC Lawsuit Has Tentative Settlement

Thank you for reporting on the Boca Ciega Yacht Club, page 12 of the 11/25 issue. There is some misinformation about the Club that we dearly would like to address, but this must wait until the final resolution of the legal matter...It should be soon. Meanwhile, I’m a Gulfport resident and member of BCYC since 1993. In all these years, BCYC has been an amazing resource for our community. From the national award winning Sea Scouts program, the children and adult sailing classes, the women’s racing program (The Rhumb Runners), The Family Fun Day to the annual holiday lighted boat parade to raise funds for Operation Santa. This annual gift drive, coordinated by the Gulfport Police Department, collects toys for the children of Gulfport whose holidays would not be as cheerful without the generosity of the community. BCYC is proud to have been part of Operation Santa for over 20 years! Right now, I’m getting ready for the 36th annual BCYC Lighted Christmas Boat Parade on December 11 and hope everyone in Gulfport comes out to watch or participate in this free and fun family event. To enter your boat or learn more visit us at sailbcyc.org/ChristmasParade. I also head the BCYC membership committee. Did I mention, we are an active and fun social club, too? If you are interested in sailing or would like to hear more about the club, I’d love to hear from you at memberships@BCYC. org. –Gerri Angel, Gulfport

Gender Queer: A Memoir

The recent removal of “Gender Queer: A Memoir” from the Lakewood and Dunedin high school libraries is a painful reminder that censorship is alive and well in our public schools. It also highlights how fortunate Gulfport is to have a public library and city that supports underrepresented voices. In 2014, the library’s Circle of Friends embraced a donation of 200+ lesbian-themed books, using them to establish the LGBTQ Resource Center collection. The collection now includes more than 10,000 items and has been recognized for its community service by the American Library Association, the Institute for Museum and Library Services and – just last week – the Tampa Bay Association of Fundraising Professionals (Gulfport LGBTQ Resource Center Final - YouTube). Thank you to the Gulfport Public Library staff, the City of Gulfport and all of our members, friends and volunteers who support “drawing the circle bigger” to include under-represented voices – and to The Gabber for recognizing the contributions of LGBTQ service members in your November 11-17 issue. –Susan Gore, President, for the LGBTQ Resource Center Board

Correction – Tree Lighting

In our Nov. 25 Things to Do, we promised you kids would sing at Gulfport’s traditional tree lighting on Dec. 6, but the city tells us that’s not happening this year. The New Horizons Band will provide music instead. We regret the error.

Correction – BCYC

Also in the Nov. 25 Gabber, we wrote that Boca Ciega Yacht Club leases the building and land from the City of Gulfport for $1/year. Since the summer, BCYC has paid $2,000 per month in rent. We apologize.

The Gabber welcomes and encourages letters and commentary. One letter per person, per month. All letters must be signed with your real name, and should be as brief as possible. Letters may be lightly edited for content, clarity and length. We will not print letters that incite violence, include personal attacks on private citizens or that are intentionally misleading or inaccurate. Letters sent to the Gabber for print will also appear online and on the Gabber’s social media pages. Commentary posted to the Gabber’s website and social media pages may also be used in print. Opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent the views of the Gabber owners, advertisers or staff. Send letters to news@ thegabber.com or mail them to 2908-B Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport, FL, 33707.