Dear FRONTLINE,

I was delighted to see your very well researched and well prepared program on "the assault on Gays". Even though the hatred and violence perpetrated by homophobes shocks and sickens me, I nevertheless appreciated the fact that you put a human face on Billy Jack's killers. It's just as easy for gays and lesbians to forget that "they" are people too as it is for them to disregard our humanity and our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I think we could all learn a lesson from Mel White and Jerry Falwell who despite their unresolved disagrements were willing to sit down and listen to each other.

Carl Johengen
Potsdam, NY

Dear FRONTLINE,

While I respect other's right to their religious expression, I can not respect those who hide behind their religion or use their religion as a battering ram to force their personal, spiritual views on others. There are those in our society who wear their religion much the same as the Klan wears their robes and hoods. So much of religion is based in fear, much the same as bigotry. Fear of going to hell, fear of God's wrath, fear of loosing control, fear of others harming you, fear of blacks, fear of gays and lesbians ... fear of that which we do not understand, or do not want to try to understand. Bigotry and racism generally exist because of such fear and the fact that some people's self worth is built and/or strengthened by their feelings of superiority over others.

Dennis Hamilton Jr.

Dear FRONTLINE,

I would like to remind Frontline that--as was stated in the peice, crimes against gays are on the rise in America--this may only reflect an increase in reporting of crimes against gays due, perhaps, to an increasing sense of self-confidence in the gay community to report such events. A much more revealing statistic would be to state how many homophobic motivated murders have occured; because, while incidence of reporting can go up and down depending on attitudes and predispositions to reporting, there is almost always a corps that turns up or at the very least someone around to report a disappearance/suspected murder. As the first lesson a doctor learns is to do not harm, the first lesson a journalist learns should be to pay exacting care to such "quibbling" issues so as not to inadvertently come across as provoceteur of needless fear and outrage. Without access to the statistic, I myself have only my experience to go by that, today, people are far more tolerent of gays. I would like to be able to rely on Frontline to prove my perception right or wrong.

Keith Gentile
Baltimore, MD

Dear FRONTLINE,

I view it as being wrong. It was pretty much the same thing with blacks too back in the 60's. Nowadays people come to accept that they are like any other person, but their skin color is just black. There are still minor incidents of anti-black attitudes, but it's lessoning day after day. I know eventually there won't be any anti-black attitudes. The same holds true with gays, but it will take a little longer because gay rights are something new to the society. I feel people should look at everybody equally no matter if he/she is a homosexual or not. Does a gay person choose to be gay? Think about it....Do people choose to be deaf, blind, black, white, oriental and also straight. No! There's the answer to your question.

Eric Breault
Berlin, NH

Dear FRONTLINE,

In the program there was a minster who try to make homosexually seem OK, by explaining that the romans took part in this abomination. He and every body that has every went too church knowns that romans where not part of the early chruch, but the the romans themselves where idols worshipers, believers in witchcraft and the very people who try to kill early christians as a whole.
I don't believe that homosexually is right, and I try not to judge homosexuals: that is god's job.

Octavius Wilkins
West Palm Beach, FL

Dear FRONTLINE,

Thank you for your program on Billy Jack Gaither. I found the full spectrum of responses about homosexuality--from the laypeople--the most interseting and thought provoking aspect of your program. We hold varying degrees of acceptance and hostility towards gays and lesbians. For example, it was interesting to hear Gaither's brother condone Billy Jack's sexuality because he didn't push it on other people. What if he had been more outspoken? I always find programs on this topic include some sort of 'apology' for gays and lesbians...many times between the lines. I hope programs like yours continue to expose this duplicity...love for gay friends and relatives, yet a need to apologize or place their sexuality within a context that somehow legitimizes it. Let's focus on this aspect...and realize there's no need to apologize for gays and lesbians. The fault lies in our own nation's homophobia and that's from where all apologies should spring forth.

Ignacio Lopez
Brooklyn, NY

Dear FRONTLINE,

It's a pity that your usual high standards were not met for this
deceptively important issue. You spent a great deal of time laying out
the sordid details of the crimes committed, and were rather thin on
exploring your supposed subject: what is really behind anti-gay
violence. The few interesting interviews you had with people who think
seriously about these issues were brief and cursory. Please, leave the
mood music, meaningless footage, and sensationalism to the network
productions.

At the core of this problem is this society's overall failure when it
comes to nurturing healthy and well developed self-identites. The
characters involved in the central drama, both gay and straight, have a
terrible time struggling with their sense of self. This is barely
mentioned in the piece.

A widespread social identity crises implies that anyone out of the norm
has to be far tougher than even the tough guys to survive let alone
flourish. This is true whether they keep their difference a secret or
not. It might have been worth noting not only that the "manly" attitude
is often not only a bluff for repressed homosexual feelings, but that it
is in fact a much weaker response to the issue. The acceptance and
understanding of homosexuality, whether within yourself or in the world
in general, is a tremendous act of strength and courage in a world so
afraid of itself. Those who manage to accomplish it are the real men.

Antony Widoff
Hudson, NY

Dear FRONTLINE,

I have read and listened to, the your discussion about this subject. It seemed to be well done and written. How ever, there is no way to settle this question. It will take a full understanding of all people to end homophobia. I beleive that the problem starts when people try to change the actions of others to make them act the way the speaker thinks the world should act. In plain english,"sticking their nose in other people's business." The world should allow people to be themselves as long as they do not harm or physically injure another person or force others to do acts that don't want to do...

Richard Stilwell

Dear FRONTLINE,

Religion is the basis of all homophobia. To have included Jerry Falwell in Frontline's "Assault on Gay America" was an insult to me and my community. In spite of Mel Whites cozying up to Jerry, we will never see a time when we are free of the yoke that religion has placed on our lives. How presumptuous to argue with the "Word of God".

Dave Naugle
Minneapolis, MN

Dear FRONTLINE,

it is my belief that we as a society are going to have to stop applying labels to everyone. we are all human after all. society should respect the person for who they are. no one should care or be judged on what to adults do behind closed doors, how much money they have, how they dress, or weather they like the same sex or not. humanity faces bigger challenges and should focus on those challenges instead of the small ones. no one should have to die because of their sexual preference that is like blaming a compus for point north. it is just something people are going to do from now on which is to explore that which makes them feel good, and gives them some insight into who they are. i agree gay folks should not go around hitting on hetrosexuals, however, i also believe hetrosexuals should not go around bashing on gay folk. thanks for listening.

brent mccoy

Dear FRONTLINE,

I believe that people should have an open mind to all things. When you go through life with a closed mind, you miss so much. Being of the gay community, I find it hard to believe that people can be so cruel. To look at me you would never know that I was gay, but yet if you knew my life would be in danger especially since I live in the South.

Karen Reed

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am a straight high school student, and a member of my school's gay straight alliance. Every day I see the effects of homophobia on a personal level. I see my friends afraid to be open about their sexuality. I see anti-gay graffiti scrawled on the lockers. I believe that inaction is the greatest stumbling block in the fight to end homophobia. Many people are afraid to speak up when they hear anti-gay statements, which just reinforces the homophobe's belief that what they are saying is correct. Homophobia is still socially acceptable in many places, and it is being fostered in the high school students of today. If everyone took a stand against homophobia, and spoke out when they heard inapropriate language, we could end it.

Sara Doran
Lincoln, Ne

Dear FRONTLINE,

I think that anti-gay additudes are a symptom of lack of proper education. If public schools were permitted to teach that homosexuality is no big deal and perfectly normal this wouldn't be such a big issue. If the media showed homosexuals as regular people rather then the odd ball strange showtune loving friend, maybe the fear would disapate.

Part of the fear, anger, and so on come from lack of experience. Humans fear what they don't know. If heterosexuals were exposed to more homosexuals they would learn that there is nothing to fear. That's why in cities with higher gay populations, more heterosexuals then not, tend to think of it as "no big deal."

Alexandra Kirsch
Amherst, MA