LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
The Way I See It |
by Steve Elkins, Editor |
There is something about getting through Labor Day that makes me want to stretch out in a hammock, pick up a good book, and forget about work. Unfortunately, deadlines respect no one, so here we go againthough after this issue we settle back into our off season, once a month publishing schedule. While we are speaking of the labor day weekend, SUNDANCE 99 was a huge success, setting some new records along the way. On page 6, Murray offers a recap of this year's festivities and a reminder of all the people who worked to make it such a success. "I am dazzled," he says, "by the incredible amount of work people give to help make the entire thing take place." So am I! As the summer comes to a close, several recent articlesespecially the one in The Washington Post Magazinehave made me think how lucky we are to have a community like Rehoboth. The article painted a portrait of a community that seems to be coming to terms with its own diversity; a town that is learning that it is precisely that diversity that makes it a special place, and a town that is expanding the meaning of family to include everyone. In last week's issue of The Washington Blade, Lou Chibbaro wrote about a gay bar called Casa Nova in rural Forwardstown, Pennsylvania that has been subjected to an ongoing, "two-year-old effort to force the bar to shut down." The article reported that an anti-gay preacher continues to attack the bar which has also faced hostilities from the Ku Klux Klan. Reading The Blade story, I couldn't help but think of the progress we have made in Rehoboth. But it also made me think about the struggle that goes on in rural areas around the country. Though Rehoboth is a small town, its very nature as a resort town fed by major east coast cities makes it somewhat of an extension of those cities and their more liberal attitudes. A gay bar or club opening in rural Sussex County, or any other rural area, could face a similar situation to the Casa Nova. I have no doubt, however, that all over the country there are out, visible gays and lesbians and their families and friends working to create more positive communities. Perhaps it is time for a little cross country CAMPing trip. Not long after this past summer's elections, Susan Early of Rehoboth's Dream Cafe on Baltimore Avenue reminded me of the importance of talking about elections all year long and not just right before they take place. She reminded me that sometimes there is confusion about who can and cannot vote, and the need for people to register now and not wait until the next election rolls around. I know that years ago when Murray and I moved from New York, we were surprised to discover that even though we were registered for county, state and national elections, we were required to register separately to vote in city elections in Rehoboth Beach. You are eligible to vote in Rehoboth if you are a full-time resident, or if you own property within the city limits. Don't put it offregister to vote! For those of you who didn't quite get enough at the SUNDANCE Auction, you have another chance. On Saturday, September 25, The Beach House Restaurant and CAMP Rehoboth will present the Second Annual Breast Cancer Fundraiser to benefit the Beebe Medical Foundation's Breast Cancer Prevention Programs, The Mautner Project for Lesbians with Cancer, and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The evening will feature a silent auction beginning at 7 p.m., and a live auction at 10 p.m. A wide variety of items and services will be featuredproving once again the generosity of the Rehoboth area businesses. Finally, just because summer's over, it doesn't mean there's nothing to do in Rehoboth. The Sidewalk Sale, Autumn Jazz, Sea Witch, and the Rehoboth Beach Film Festival are coming this fall, and so should you. Don't miss the fun! |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 9, No. 13, Sept. 17, 1999 |