May 25, 2012
To the Editor:
To see just how unprofessional and even criminal the NYPD and the FBI (Fumbling, Bumbling Idiots) were back in 1982 when they accused NAMBLA of having murdered Etan Patz by pointing to a photo that didn't even look like him and which his parents said was not their son, I recommend the book I compiled, “A Witchhunt Foiled: The FBI vs. NAMBLA” (“The Smear that Won’t Die,” by Duncan Osborne, May 9-22).
At the time, very few gay activists or even left-wing organizations defended NAMBLA in the face of the preposterous claims by the authorities and the banner headlines smearing the group in the Daily News and New York Post. One feminist from NOW did defend the group, and the New York Times ran a serious and accurate story based on interviews with me and other gay activists by Dudley Clendenin.
But few dared to speak out against the police and FBI and media juggernaut witchhunt at the time. This should all be a lesson to be learned. Do not look upon the police as your friend, and do not believe everything in the media.
David Thorstad
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