Displeased & Disappointed
I would like to take some time to respond to some misconceptions in your article on Knoxville's gay community ["Ins & Outs" by Mike Gibson, Vol. 9, No. 6].
First, Metropolitan Community Church of Knoxville is NOT the only gay church in Knoxville. There's Unity and Integrity, which I might add didn't get even so much as a footnote. Also there are other groups and organizations in town that didn't get any recognition. Such as the Lesbian Social Group and the Appalachian Bear Club. This article I feel gave a one sided view of gay Knoxville in a newspaper that tries to present an alternative perspective.
As a former co-chair of Knoxville Pride I took great offense at the fact that the current Board didn't even use their last names. Knoxville Pride is an organization that is supposed to encourage people to come out of the closet and be open about who and what they are and KPI's leadership can't even follow that example. And in response to Ed's remark about there being "no permanency" between his Board and past ones, I would like to know what all those boxes and files from my three years of being involved in the organization are?
It seems like our community can't do any article without being negative and downing everybody else. Such as the HIV/AIDS article in June where everyone downed ARK, and during PRIDE Week no less. As one who has worked for many years to try and bring a sense of unity to our community, I find all of this a little disappointing and I might add that I was not the only person who was displeased at what the article said.
I think I've finally figured out why straights don't like us, because we don't even like each other! And unlike Knoxville Pride's Board of Directors I will sign my last name.
Joseph Camber
Knoxville
Dare to Dream
Nobody asked, but what the hey—that never stopped me before. Here's my list of the top ten things Knoxville needs for the new millennium:
- 10. Real parks (as opposed to more soccer and baseball fields).
- 9. Two words: Professional hockey!
- 8. More "mom and pop" stores and restaurants.
- 7. A destination attraction that will make people actually want to have their conventions here.
- 6. Billboard and historic preservation laws with teeth.
- 5. More business and industry downtown (quit bulldozing West Knoxville).
- 4. An annual downtown music festival.
- 3. Fewer subdivisions, more neighborhoods.
- 2. Less crowded schools.
- 1. Mayor Danny Mayfield. (I have a dream!)
Jeff Callahan
Knoxville
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