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1993 Editorial on the murder of Allen Schindler...
1993 Editorial on the murder of Allen Schindler...
Item # 718806
June 01, 1993
THE VILLAGE VOICE (weekly), Greenwich Village, New York City, June 1, 1993
* Murder of Allen Schindler - hate crime
* United States Navy sailor - openly gay
* LGBTQ in the military editorial w/ photos
* Led to the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy
The front page has photo with heading: "Sailor Allen Schindler's Shipmates Knew He Was Gay. So He Was Murdered" And starting on page 21 is a lengthy editorial by Guy Trebay headed: "GOOD ORDER AND DISCIPLINE" and continues on multiple inside pages with a few more related photos..
AI notes: Allen R. Schindler Jr., a 22-year-old U.S. Navy radioman, was brutally murdered on October 27, 1992, in Sasebo, Japan, by fellow sailor Terry M. Helvey in a vicious hate crime fueled by homophobia. Schindler, who was openly gay to some shipmates and had faced ongoing harassment aboard the USS Belleau Wood, had repeatedly reported abuse to his superiors, who failed to act meaningfully. On the night of his death, Helvey stomped and beat Schindler so savagely in a public restroom that his body was nearly unrecognizable, with injuries compared to those sustained in a high-speed car crash. Helvey pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty and received a life sentence, while the Navy’s initial attempts to cover up the circumstances of the murder sparked national outrage. The case drew widespread attention to the systemic discrimination and dangers faced by LGBTQ+ service members, directly influencing public discourse and policy debates that led to the implementation of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in 1993—a policy that itself would later be condemned as inadequate and discriminatory. Schindler's death became a catalyst for LGBTQ+ military advocacy and is remembered as a tragic symbol of institutional neglect and the human cost of intolerance.
I suspect this to be an extremely rare item because there was really no reason to save it at the time.
The Village Voice was an American counterculture newspaper known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. It introduced free-form, high-spirited, and passionate journalism into the public discourse - a tradition it maintained throughout its 60+ year history. It is quite common to find great political cartoons, satirical cartoons and articles, thought-provoking editorials, and ads and reviews for both concerts and theater productions - both on and off Broadway. Many iconic writers and musicians credit their appearance in The Village Voice for at least a portion of their success.
Complete in 152 pages, one fold across the center, nice condition.
Provenance: This issue comes from The Village Voice's own archives, part of their in-house collection used to create their digital archive.
Alert: Many issues of The Village Voice contain articles and/or photos which some consider offensive, and are certainly inappropriate for children. If purchasing, please do so with discretion.
Category: The 20th Century
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