Date: Tue, 3 Dec 2002 14:32:43 -0800 (PST)

Is SM A Bar to Weapons Inspector Position?

Irvine -- As the United Nations proceeds in its weapons inspection program in Iraq, a media-generated controversy has emerged.

Turns out one of the weapons inspectors slated to go to Iraq has been a prominent advocate of SM (sado-masochism). The Washington Post broke the story last Thursday, and by Saturday, it was reporting that the head of the weapon's inspection team had rejected the inspector's offer to resign. The UN also supported the inspector's staying.

We chat with Susan Wright, who is the national spokesperson for the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF), an SM advocacy group, about the media coverage and whether or not SM has been mainstreamed. The inspector in question, Jack McGeorge, once also chaired the NCSF, and has also headed some other SM groups.

She appears on KUCI's Subversity program, aired on KUCI, 88.9 fm in Orange County, at 4-5 p.m. today, December 3, 2002, or Web-cast simultaneously via kuci.org.

Wright founded the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom in 1997, and she currently serves as Spokesperson. Susan is the author of 20 books including nonfiction books on art and popular culture, and science fiction novels. Her next novel to be published is Slave Trade, through Simon & Schuster in April 2003.

See her e-mail, listed below, seeking support for a protest over the media coverage, for links on the press coverage.

Dan

Dan Tsang
host, Subversity
http://go.fast.to/sv


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 1 Dec 2002 18:19:10 -0600
From: susanw@ncsfreedom.org
To: ncsf-announce@serve101.org
Subject: NCSF Call to Action

CALL TO ACTION
National Coalition for Sexual Freedom

Support UN Weapons Inspector Jack McGeorge

News agencies are targeting one of the UN Weapons Inspectors to Iraq,
Jack
McGeorge, because he is a respected SM community leader and educator.
McGeorge's professional credibility as a weapons inspector is being
questioned in part because of his background as former Chairman of the
National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, and as a former board member of
both the Leather Leadership Conference and the educational organization,
Black Rose.

Jack McGeorge stated: "I have been very upfront with people in the past
about what I do, and it has never prevented me from getting a job or
doing service. I am who I am. I am not ashamed of who I am -- not one
bit. But I cannot allow my actions, as they may be perceived by others,
to damage an organization which has done nothing to deserve that
damage." 

Please support the SM community and Jack McGeorge by dropping a note to
the various news agencies covering this story. McGeorge's sexuality is a
personal issue and should have no bearing on his qualifications for any
job. Please state your support for the UN officials who rightly refuse
to accept McGeorge's resignation on the basis of his sexuality. 

*Your note should only be 200 words long, and include your full name and
phone number for verification purposes only.*

NCSF's letter:

On behalf of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, I would like to
respond to James V. Grimaldi's article "Weapons Inspectors' Experience
Questioned: Va. Man Is Cited As Example" published on November 28. It is
irresponsible for a news organization like The Washington Post to
attempt to discredit Jack McGeorge as a weapons inspector simply because
of his sexuality. Many millions of Americans engage in SM according to a
1990 Kinsey Institute report. These people are doctors, lawyers,
teachers, and news reporters, as well as professionals like Jack
McGeorge. 

As a former Chairman of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom,
McGeorge ably assisted our national advocacy organization in fighting
this sort of discrimination and persecution. McGeorge has also
volunteered his valuable time to educate adults about safe, sane and
consensual sexual expression. 

NCSF urges you to refrain from sensationalism usually found in tabloid
journals: McGeorge's private life has nothing to do with his
professional
credibility.

Sincerely,
Susan Wright, Spokesperson
National Coalition for Sexual Freedom
5505 Connecticut Avenue NW - #184
Washington DC 20015-2601
917-848-6544

NCSF strongly urges you to take a few minutes to respond to the
following
articles:

1. "Weapons Inspectors' Experience Questioned" (Washington Post,
November
   28)
    see full text on www.washingtonpost.com and do a search for the
    author: James V. Grimaldi

Write to: Letters@WashPost.com, Abramowitz@WashPost.com,
LynchC@WashPost.com, Ombudsman@washpost.com

2. "World body not turned off by arms inspector's S&M" (NY Daily News,
    November 29)
    see full text on:
http://www.nydailynews.com/11-29-2002/news/wn_report/v-pfriendly/story/39433p-37240c.html

Write to: voicers@edit.nydailynews.com

3. "State Department Denies Involvement in U.N. Inspector Choices" (Fox
    News, November 29)
    see full text on: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,71748,00.html

Write to: politics@foxnews.com

4.  Interview with Dan Savage (CNN, November 30)
    see full text at the bottom of the page:
http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0211/30/asb.00.html

To respond, go to:
http://www.cnn.com/feedback/hottopics/4/frameset.exclude.html

5. "Sadomasochist" (New York Post, November 29)
    see full text on www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/51175.htm

Write to: Letters@NYPost.com


HOW TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Feedback letters are an effective way to convey a positive image of
alternate sexual practices such as SM, swinging, or polyamory. You can
help to correct negative social myths and misconceptions about these
types of practices. These letters help achieve the advocacy goals of the
NCSF.

Generally, for a letter to be published, it's important to include your
name (or first initial, last name), city and daytime phone (for
verification only). For more information, see:
http://www.ncsfreedom.org/mop/writelettertoeditor.htm

Please alert us to positive, negative or neutral stories about SM,
swinging and polyamory at media@ncsfreedom.org

###

National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF) is a national organization
committed to altering the political, legal, and social environment in
the U.S.
in order to guarantee equal rights for consenting adults who practice
forms of
alternative sexual expression. NCSF is primarily focused on the rights
of
consenting adults in the SM-leather-fetish, swing, and polyamory
communities,
who often face discrimination because of their sexual expression.

National Coalition for Sexual Freedom
5505 Connecticut Avenue NW - #184
Washington DC 20015-2601
410-539-4824
media@ncsfreedom.org
www.ncsfreedom.org