Charles Mitchell's perspective ("One Year Later," March 16, 1999) was
disheartening. Except for that day when he was whacked in the face with a
2-by-4 in what was likely a hate crime, he and his traditional-but-gay
family had a pretty good year, and he surmises that most gay people will
also. Most will lead lives free of anti-gay discrimination.

But the opposite of "most" is "few." The message Mitchell broadcasts
doesn't acknowledge the universal human right not to be hit in the head,
even if you are an outrageous drag queen or a leather dyke working
minimum-wage jobs. Social justice does not only apply to particular tax
brackets.

Mitchell does devote a paragraph to a laundry list of worthy activist
goals, and he does seem to advocate action, but mostly, he details for us
his comfortable life and advises us to smile while expecting "realistic"
goals. He does not say much about what he is doing in his home state to
reverse the repeal of the civil rights law that once protected gays and
lesbians.

Was his attacker ever caught? Is Maine closer to regaining its civil
rights law today than it was a year ago when he was attacked? Would
Mitchell still advise us to smile and be happy if his lover or any of his
three children were seriously injured or God forbid killed in a bias
crime?

Realistically, I don't expect shrill outrage, but I do expect a more
passionate appeal for justice from someone who, by his own admission, has
so much for which to be thankful. "Ignore it and it will go away" was bad
advice when I heard it at age five from Mom, and it doesn't work now
either.