Faced with constant discrimination, the fear of ignorance-fuelled attacks and the new Bush plan to protect that last vestige of morality, marriage, it is no wonder that some members of the gay community have decided to lash out in whatever small way that they can.
However, care must be taken that the battening down of the hatches and the ra-ra'ing of war chants doesn't alienate those who bear no ill-will in their hearts - that is, those merely searching for a place to sit and an eight-dollar latte to drink.
Reference is specifically made to the way a non-couple was treated this very Valentines Day at a local café. It seems that their patronage was refused because the girl didn't like girls and the boy didn't like boys - well, at least, not in that way.
They were told that the café was closed despite an overwhelming amount of evidence to the contrary.
Of course, given that the café did feature an unusually large number of men milling about, it would also seem to place the onus on our non-couple to seek out a less specialised establishment - at least one which sold double malt frappuccinos.
Written on Saturday, 14 February 2004