Joseph Hansen
Joseph Hansen
labor movement
If we do not drastically change, there will be no labor movement in this country,
active although became birthday draw editor few knew met
He did not draw me into the movement, but he was in it from the start. He and I had met at my twenty-second birthday party, in 1945. So we knew each other for a long, long time. And although Martin, a few years later, became very active and became the first editor of ONE Magazine, he didn't draw me in.
bet eccentric harry impossible people rest willing
Because Don Slater was here, and the rest of these guys, Harry Hay, and other, let us say eccentric people were here and were willing to bet their all on an impossible long shot.
awareness bringing others shared
Probably a sense of awareness, bringing to homosexuals of those far-off times a sense that they were not alone, that there were others who shared their predicament.
awful behind coming days everybody results thrilling
I think it just showed homosexuals that being bold, being brave, coming out, you know, was not going to have the awful results that everybody always feared. That those days were passed, they were behind us. And that was a thrilling day; that was a thrilling day.
achievement biggest coup far federal government grace principle removal states
The removal of the sodomy laws. That really was the biggest achievement. Because while many states had already done that, there were many that had not. And once the Federal Government said NO to such laws, that was the coup de grace - that was the principle thing so far as I'm concerned.
bookstore came imagine loud marvelous parade saw standing
When the parade began, Lloyd came out of the bookstore and was standing on the sidewalk. And when he saw me he called out in a very loud voice: "JOE! Isn't this wonderful! Isn't this a marvelous day! Can you imagine this ever happening?