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Editor's Note: The January 1975
Plain
Trutb
carried a report by Jean-Pierre
Hal/et on the endangered condition ofthe
Ituri pygmies. The comment be/ow is an
update on their development.
A Message of Thanks
1 am sure tbat you will be extremeiy
pleased to know that thanks to your
support and the support of many others
the population of our Pygmy friends of
the Eastern lturi Forest in Zaire is now
definitely stabilized. After an in-depth
visit to most of the major extended fam–
ilies of the Efé Pygmies during August
1977, I am convinced that the self-help
program of our foundation is really suc–
ceeding in its major objective: to pre–
serve the cultural identity and, above
all , the dignity and life of the Pygmies.
Because of the success of our work, the
· Efé Pygmies will now be the only truly
"primitive" culture living from hunting–
gathering which is not any more on a
path to extinction.
The most realistic way to preven! the
loss of the Pygmies' cultural identity,
and to enable them to survive the nega–
tive impact of encroaching civilization–
especially the systematic destruction of
their forest home-is to provide them
with a more agrarian way of life. This
past summer
1
was able to implement
this program by giving
every
family the
necessary seeds, and two or three of the
major tools (axes, bill-hooks, machetes,
and hoes) to help them with the practice
of simple agriculture. The needed lands
were acquired by complex negotia–
tions-the success of which depended on
my good relationship with the tradi–
tional authorities and government offi–
cials in the area. This is not a simple
matter, due to the fact that in most of
black Africa it is not possible to buy or
even rent a piece of land.
lt
is mainly
through the ancient tradition of mutual
respect for land that when an African
cultivates a plot, it becomes his by vir–
tue of its food-producing status.
This summer
1
was so successful with
the program-even contacting many
The
PLAIN TRUTH
March 1978
T
T
S
groups
1
had not previously been able to
help- that 1 exceeded the 1977 budget
considerably. I'm sure you will agree that
it would have been a true human tragedy
to let people starve for just a question of
lack of money. Numbers of you have
already proved that you care by support–
ing the work of the Pygmy Fund in 'the
past, and your contributions have made
our present, and most encouraging,
achievements possible. Be assured that
you are not making a long-term com–
mitment-the program will be phased out
as the Pygmies become more successful in
compensating for the loss ofmost of their
forest.
1
expect to visit and help the
Pygmies again next summer, and
l
will be
happy to report to you any new mean–
ingful developments.
Jean-Pierre Hallet, Founder
The Pygmy Fund
P.O. Box
1067
Malibu. California
90265
Panama Canal Question
J
was frankly upset over your treatment
of the Panaroa Canal question. As long
ago as the autumn of
1926
(my senior
year as a student), the late Major Gen–
eral David P. Barrows discussed in de–
tail the Canal question, the background
on Panama, the ultimate need for an–
other route , and nearly everything
which is now in the headl ines. He was
well acquainted with Central America
and the Central American republics,
and
1
sti ll recall his treatment of the
subject.
1
am pleased to see that Mr.
Carter has taken the initiative, which
Presidents Johnson, Nixon, and Ford
were unable to do, and hope indeed
that after all these years it will produce
results!
Eric
C.
Bellquist,
Professor Emeritus,
University of California,
Berkeley, California
Down On Gay Christians?
l
am
a
sincere Christian and a firm be–
liever in the great work you are doing.
However, after much anguish and soul-
E
R
S
searching,
l
must comment on your col–
umn on homosexuality in the Au–
gust/September 1977
Plain Truth.
There are sorne homosexuals who do
worship God. Many prayers have been
answered for them, which is surely sub–
stantial proof that God has not forsaken
them at all . These specific homosexuals
cannot and will not espouse the "Gay
Lib" movement nor be a part of it for
obvious reasons; neither are they mate
prostitutes nOI: do they belong to any
such "cult." Indeed, rather than being
promiscuous, they fight to control and
ward off their temptations, and lead a
rather exemplary life with high standing
in their communities. You who are defi–
nitely heterosexual cannot know the
sutferings these individuals to whom
1
refer have endured since chi ldhood.
You as a heterosexual cannot stop your
longing for the opposite sex, even if
convinced that
it
is a grave sin under
certain circumstances.
The homosexual's strong, compelling
urge toward the same sex was in most
cases developed before he had a choice
in the matter. And most authorities con–
cur that there is really no hope of suc–
cessfully and completely changing from
homosexuality to heterosexuality in
later years. Homosexuality is positively
not a "gift of God"; rather, it is a curse.
However, are we not al! God's crea–
tures? ls it an atfront to God for the
homosexual to acknowledge, to believe
in, to worship and pray to Him? Speak–
ing of prostitution, how about the fallen
woman who was about to be stoned to
death, and of whom Christ said, "Let
him who is without sin cast the fi rst
stone"? Homosexuality should not and
must not be ftaunted in such a sickening
movement as "Gay Liberation." A ho–
mosexual should be ashamed to admit
his or her condition. On the other hand,
please Jet us not send a ll homosexuals
to hell because of such a movement and
because of your own strong feelings
about them.
Anonymous,
Rochester, New York
45