From: rcw@scicom.AlphaCDC.COM (Robert White)
Newsgroups: soc.motss
Subject: Outrageous Letter from the Police [Article]
Date: 30 Aug 92 18:27:53 GMT
Organization: The WhiteStar Corporation

Pinched from Kevin Simpson's column in today's (08/30/92) Sunday Denver
Post.  The columnist appears to be somewhat GLBO supportive. 

		WELCOME TO THE PARK, DIRTBAG

Mike Wood had just gotten home after a long day at work and
settled in front of the television set.  He flipped on coverage of the
Republican national convention in time to see Pat Buchanan blame assorted
infidels for dragging down this great nation.  While Wood's blood did
a slow boil, he opened the day's mail.

His mood didn't improve much when he hopened the envelope from the Denver
Police Department.

"Dear Mr. Wood," began a letter signed by a police seargent but under the
letterhead of the Inspiration Point Neighborhood Association. "On 5/16/92
a vehicle  displaying the above listed license plate number was seen
in Inspiration Point Park."

The above listed license plate was Wood's, of course.  The letter went on 
to "welcome" him to the northwest Denver park and describe the local
effort to eliminate illegal and indecent activities.

A second page detailed a plan hatched by cops and neighborhood residents to 
videotape suspicious or illegal activity in the park.  It also pointed out
that "the registered owner of vehicles involved in suspicious activities
in the park" would receive letters.

The cops, under the auspices of the neighborhood group, were telling Wood -
in the nicest way possible, of course - that he'd been pegged as a shady
character and should be advised that his actions were being watched.  He
scanned the material again to determine what offensive and illegal act
he supposedlyl performed, but the notice gave no details.  "It just makes
you feel like a criminal," says the 47-year-old corporate personnel department
employee.

Wood is no criminal, unless you count against him the fact that he's gay.  And
since you've brought it up, you might even say he *looks* gay - especially
if you're peeking out from behind trees trying to pinpoint the subversive
element wreaking havoc on your park.  In that case, you'd probably run a
check on his license and send off a letter welcoming him to the neighborhood.

"Hey, I like public places to be some place for everyone to enjoy," Wood
says, "I don't like promiscuous activity, drugs - any of that.  And on a 
stack of Bibles, I wasn't doing anything.  I don't remember why I was in
the park on that particular day three months ago, but I must have been
walking my dogs or just sitting there."

When Wood called the cops to ask for specifics on his "suspicious activites,"
the officer on duty said he'd been instructed to tell callers that they had
not been singled out, that all cars seen in the park have been sent the same
notice.  That's a curious explanation, considering anyone venturing in the
park, particularly in a car, couldn't help but notice several large signs
trumpeting the crackdown.

So why the harassing mail?

"Basically, it's a scare tactic," figures Wood.  "I think it boils down to gay
people, and I don't want that as an issue.  No matter what I am, I shouldn't
have to worry about being videotaped or being watched, when there's nothing
going on."

The irony here is that Wood relaxes and walks his dogs at Inspiration Point
and, more often, adjacent Berkeley Park because they're the second most
convenient parks to his west Denver home.  His first choice would be Barnum,
but he finds gang members' persistent presence intimidating.

Maybe the cops should send them a polite welcoming letter.


-- 
  [   Robert Carleton White, Jr.                      rcw@scicom.alphacdc.com]