Letter to a columnist of the San Francisco Examiner

The following was sent by NAMBLA activist Mike Van Houten to Rob Morse, a columnist with the San Francisco Examiner. See story on NAMBLA's participation in the San Francisco gay pride march, page 3.

Sir:
I am happy to read in your June 21 column that you feel the gay community is a real community. But then you go on to question why NAMBLA, which you describe as "a group advocating child molestation," should be included in that community. I have to assume you have not done much research on either NAMBLA, child sexuality, nor the gay community.

I would guess that you would interpret any sexual activity between an adult and a minor as molestation. That definition is not accurate, and many people in the gay community - such as myself - have had childhood experiences that contradict your supposition. If one uses Webster's definition of molestation, as opposed to your own, you might have discovered that NAMBLA has a stance toward molestation much stronger than your own. NAMBLA has repeatedly come out against infant circumcision. NAMBLA has exposed 3examples of teens being blackmailed and physically threatened by police to testify against their older lovers. NAMBLA has come out against corporal punishment. Mr. Morse, have you used your position to expose any of these forms of child molestation?

It is true that the members of NAMBLA are typically men who have a sexual attraction to minor males. But minor males can be gay, Mr. Morse, they can thus be part of the gay community, and should have the rights - as California's adults do - to associate and to have sex freely with whomever they please. NAMBLA advocates legalization of sex for consenting people of all ages. Only oppressors advocate taking away a group's rights for their own protection. Liberators advocate education, and incorporation into the community.

What Citizens Against Perversion are against is anyone who would "steal" their children from their physically and psychologically enforced indoctrination into bigotry and hatred in the name of Christianity. And they recognize that men who would actually show some love and respect to their boys are a threat to that indoctrination far beyond their ability to brainwash away.

source: 'Carbon copy' by Mike Van Houten; Nambla Bulletin, vol. 12, no. 6, July/August 1991