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Norton Laments Loss of the Blade (11/16/09)

November 17, 2009

Norton Laments Loss of the Blade

November 16, 2009

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, who was awarded a "Best of Gay DC" award last month at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Washington Blade, is still absorbing "the shock and sorrow" of the news that the Blade has closed precipitously, her office said today. Norton's full statement follows.

"Unlike many of today's publications, the Blade has been an essential resource, not simply a redundant echo among today's many media fighting for air. In fact, the Blade was apparently profitable, but went down with its parent corporation. The Blade has been a unique human rights and information source. It has always been clear what the Blade has meant to the GLBT community during many years of unusually harsh and intentional discrimination, and far worse. However, the loss of the Blade also is a loss for every person who wants to be well informed. Since I have been in Congress, the Blade has been a weekly must-read for me. I know that many will agree that we should all do whatever we can to help Blade editor Kevin Naff be successful in starting a new GLBT newspaper to serve the gay community and the national capital region.