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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 26, 1993                   TAG: 9303260558
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-14   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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YOUNGSTERS NEED CLINTON'S FRANK TALK

PRESIDENT Clinton should be commended for responding earnestly to questions from children about equal rights for homosexuals.

Robert M. Felton (March 10 letter, "Manipulation of kids appalling") and anyone else who is uncomfortable with the president's frank talk about sexuality should read the 1989 report that was prepared by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Task Force on Youth Suicide. Based on the results of a nationwide study, the task force concluded that most teen-agers who attempt suicide do so because they believe that they have a homosexual orientation.

The insistence of our president (and others) on recognizing the basic humanity of people who are homosexual may dissuade someone who is wrestling with his/her sexuality from attempting suicide out of self-hate. Anyone who purports to care about the development of adolescents should recognize this as a good thing. MICHAEL McLEOD ROANOKE

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