Leonard Matlovich: Time Magazine (9/8/75)

[Duncan Grant]

4. History is old news, isn't it?

This small, forgettable thread should include a mention of Randy Shilts and his book, “Conduct Unbecoming”.

One of the stories included tells how the Navy tried to scapegoat the turret explosion on the USS Iowa (4/19/89) on a “homosexual affair” gone wrong. This was the Navy’s first explanation of the disaster killing 47 sailors. The Navy investigators even coerced a sailor into lying about inappropriate gay sexual advances (and more) to bolster their own homophobic deceptions. And - it was a media frenzy. It played into every right-wing republican gay hate narrative out there - from Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Focus on the Family type groups, and on and on. The news cycle was a lot longer in those days.

Anyway, it was Veteran’s Day. Matlovich definitely deserves a mention here from time to time (as do many others).