The following article was written by Sergeant Marc Goodman of GSPOA
to inform gay and lesbian police personnel of the advantages of
being on-line.  Please feel free to use this text in your group's
newsletter - the author simply requests if you use it, that you include 
it in its entirety, and that you credit him appropriately.  Thank you. 



Gays and Lesbians and Technology
=================================

Computers and telecommunications (the electronic transfer of
information) are, without a doubt, the way of the future.  They
hold great promise for the gay and lesbian community.  Indeed,
technology is intensely affecting and changing all of society.
For example, during the past decade, fax machines have made bike
messengers an endangered species, and in many offices and
departments electronic mail (e-mail) has replaced the old-
fashioned paper memo.  Over the next decade, we are even likely to
see the electronic transmission of television and movies over
phone lines.

For those who are already "on-line," telecommunications is also
the way of the present.  To be "on-line" means having a computer
and a modem, (a modem is a device which permits computers to
telephone and communicate with other computers).  To be connected
by e-mail means having access to millions of people and billions
of pieces of data all over the world.  It also affords you instant
access to encyclopedias, reports, and news releases.  If you know
where to look, you can find anything from a comprehensive guide to
all the episodes of The Simpsons cartoon sitcom, to a listing of
all organizations which include sexual orientation in their equal
employment opportunity statements.

Yet despite all the information procurable, the most important
resource available to those people who are on-line is other
people.  Currently, private e-mail conversations take place every
day between persons in different states, different countries, and
on different continents.  Daily, public conversations occur in
which thousands of people contribute information and their point
of view.  You can tell Roger Ebert personally what you think of
his last review, or send your opinion to everyone participating on
one of the many newsgroups available.  Of course, the on-line
world is also a tool that can be used for more serious purposes.
It is a way to collect and disseminate enormous amounts of
information.


So what does this mean to me?
==============================

Want to know what's happening with Amendment Two in Colorado?  Why
not find out from those people on the America On-Line service who
are in the middle of the fight.  Want to see the text of Lou
Sheldon's latest anti-gay fundraising letter?  Get it from Usenet.
Need to know specifics about domestic partner insurance plans so
that you can educate your employer?  Send an e-mail to the
domestic partners mailing list and talk to those who have already
been through the process.

Virtually anything you need to know is available on-line from
someone, somewhere.  But the on-line world is more than a
worldwide treasury of information and conversation.  It is a way
to bring people together.

In the corporate world, gay & lesbian employee groups have been
using telecommunications for years as an organizational tool to
keep their members informed.  Within minutes of an important
event, the news is spread throughout the country over Usenet and
through e-mail, from which it is distributed to everyone in the
group.  "Closeted" members are able to participate in ways they
never could before, since e-mail is (more or less) a private
medium.  It has now become time for lesbian & gay police officer
organizations to avail themselves of this incredibly valuable
tool.


Okay, sounds good - but how do I do it?
========================================

You don't need much to get on-line.  If you have a computer
sitting at home, you're already half-way there. The only
requirements are a computer and a modem.  The most basic computer
will do, and fax/modems are available for under forty dollars,
(fax/modems are modems which permit computers to also work as
facsimile machines).  Just make sure you get a modem that has at
least 9600 baud transmission speed.  Many of the people whom you
already know may be computer literate.  Don't be afraid to ask
them questions.  Get their advice and suggestions.  Everybody was
a beginner at one point in their "computer life."


Gay Cops: Why do we need this?
===============================

I am convinced that although gays and lesbians in law enforcement
have made significant gains over the years, we are in the infancy
of our movement.  Technology can be the catalyst that moves us
forward into the 21st century.  With lesbian and gay police
officers separated not only by distance, but also by different
work schedules, court appearances, and off-duty jobs, it is almost
impossible for us to keep in touch in any meaningful way.
Unfortunately, we cannot all come together easily at the same
table and chat face-to-face.  Nevertheless, with computers and e-
mail, we can not only keep in touch, but we can instantly share
vital information with one another.

Imagine the possibilities.  By signing onto a commercial service
like America On Line, we have the ability to share volumes of
information about lesbians and gays in law enforcement.  Do you
want to know what the Chicago Police Department's policy is on
discrimination based upon sexual orientation?  How is the Los
Angeles Police department's training program on the lesbian and
gay culture organized?  What is the status of the latest lawsuit
against the Dallas Police Department?  What is the San Francisco
Police Department's policy of regarding domestic partnerships?
All this information and more will be available once you get on-
line.


The Bottom Line:
=================

You can easily purchase a new computer system for around $1,000 or
a used system for about $500.  I invite you to join the many
members of our community who are already on-line.  At this time in
our history, we must all pull together as the challenges facing
our community are numerous.  We are under constant vitriolic
attacks from right wing religious supremacists, the courts
throughout this nation are taking the children of gay and lesbian
parents away from them, too many in our community are dying from
both disease and from indifference, hate crimes such as the murder
of U.S. Navy Sailor Alan Schindler are forever increasing, and
sadly, each day 11 lesbian/ gay teens are committing suicide.
Given the current hostile environment throughout our society, we
must become even more involved and even more organized.   By using
the technology available we can work smarter and more efficiently
to meet our goals and to change our world for the better.

Computers and telecommunications can provide us with the tools we
need to assure a more promising and secure future, not just for
ourselves, but also for the next generation of lesbian and gay
people who will benefit from our hard work.   Don't miss the
opportunity to join our global community.  We need your help.

* Should you require any assistance purchasing or setting-up a
computer system, please do not hesitate to contact the author via 
GSPOA at (213) 739-4121 or e-mail gspoa@aol.com