By Don Kilhefner, Ph.D.

Ford Motor Company's decision this week to no longer prepare advertising specifically designed for the gay and lesbian market is bad news for us. It's bad news because Ford caved into a boycott threat by the American Family Association, an extremely right-wing lobbying group. It can be expected that other major businesses that have gay-friendly policies will pull back their support due to the pressure from the well-funded and well-organized anti-gay political and social action groups.

Since the Stonewall Rebellion of 1969, those of us over the age of 40 have experienced an ever expanding list of successes regarding our fight against gay oppression and the creation of a gay community that assumed responsibility for its people. We collectively created a myriad of vibrant social service, religious, political, cultural, and entertainment organizations that were envied by gay communities around the world.

Now the pendulum has swung the other way. With a few exceptions, we now find a shrinking community reality and ethos -- the gay community is largely in retreat and in crisis. Political leadership is largely invisible and our enemies are paying attention to that. The Log Cabin Clubs are not allowed in the GOP front door. The Democratic Party leaders (e.g., Sen. Diane Feinstein) are asking gay and lesbian people to become invisible again so they can win elections with our money but not our visibility. Funding for gay social service agencies is drying up. There is a crisis of will and imagination -- for the past 10 years we have had a major crystal meth problem in our community and our social service organizations have not risen to the occasion. Community groups are accepting bribe money from the Coors Brewing Co., the cash cow of the Coors families' leadership bent on destroying everything gay and lesbian people have created. Other minorities don't fund their oppressors.

Why are we as a community not fighting back? I call to the young warriors of our community who are under 35 -- your community desperately needs your political acumen and activism right now. We call you to step up to the plate as the generations before you have done. To those over 35 -- you know how to do things and get things done -- your help is also desperately needed.

If the gay liberation revolution and the creation of a gay community have taught us anything, it is to never, ever validate your own oppression. Edmund Burke was right: "All that is necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men [and women] to do nothing."

Do something. E-mail Ford Motor's Ron Iori, director, Office of President, at riori@ford.com. Let them know how you feel about their cave in to the radical right.

Don Kilhefner, a West Hollywood-based Jungian psychologist, co-founded the Gay Liberation Front/LA, the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center, the Van Ness Recovery House, the Radical Faeries, and he leads the Gay Men's Medicine Circle.