A long-belated . for Oliver Sipple

January 7, 2008 2:12 AM

Most of the news stories about the release of failed assassin Sara Jane Moore mention that her attempt at President Ford was foiled by Oliver Sipple (wikipedia), who is generally described as "a disabled Vietnam Veteran/Marine". The current news stories don't mention that he was gay, but neither did most of the press accounts at the time, except for San Francisco's legendary columnist Herb Caen. An infamous, and ultimately tragic, 'outing'.
posted by wendell (29 comments total)

So sad. Thanks, wendell, I had only vaguely heard of this before.
posted by grouse at 2:53 AM on January 7, 2008

Embittered by the apparent brushoff, Ludwig told a newspaper reporter, "To hell with Ford." After the article was published, the FBI came calling. Ludwig, an escapee from Nazi Germany as well as from the Japanese occupation in Shanghai, found himself facing American interrogation for his comment.

Did the FBI assume that Ludwig had the capability to determine Ford's ultimate destination? That's the only explanation that makes sense. Shades of the Good Soldier Svejk.
posted by dhartung at 3:23 AM on January 7, 2008 [1 favorite]

Thanks for the post wendell. I didn't know about this. The release of Moore held zero interest for me so I've avoided the news articles.

The current news stories don't mention that he was gay, but neither did most of the press accounts at the time

Back then, when Harvey Milk was the first (or one of the first) openly gay politicians anywhere, the gay was a big deal. But being gay had nothing to do with the story of a private citizen saving the life of the President - even one so uninspiring as Ford. Why should the press have reported it? It seems an understatement to say that Caen did a great disservice to Mr. Sipple by not respecting his right to privacy.

That current news stories don't mention Sipple's homosexuality seems correct and proper - and perhaps even respectful. Sipple apparently didn't want to go down in history as "the gay man who saved Ford." He would have probably preferred being simply "the man who saved Ford."

At least for me, it's too late for that now.
posted by three blind mice at 5:11 AM on January 7, 2008 [3 favorites]

A native San Franciscan, I was 30 in 1975 and a lesbian. Finding out that Oliver Sipple was gay thrilled me. Gay men and lesbians didn't make the headlines back then for anything positive.
posted by Carol Anne at 5:42 AM on January 7, 2008 [1 favorite]

Do you think he died of AIDS? A period of "declining health" and a death by "pneumonia" in 1989 certainly make that seem like it might be the case. In fact, if that's NOT the case, I'm surprised the article didn't specify.
posted by hermitosis at 6:14 AM on January 7, 2008 [1 favorite]

Is the Caen column online, or does anybody happen to know in what spirit he wrote it? Because it seems awfully assholish to out a guy back when it could ruin his life, and I'm wondering if he showed any sign of realizing that.

Interesting post—thanks, wendell.
posted by languagehat at 6:22 AM on January 7, 2008

That current news stories don't mention Sipple's homosexuality seems correct and proper - and perhaps even respectful. Sipple apparently didn't want to go down in history as "the gay man who saved Ford." He would have probably preferred being simply "the man who saved Ford."

Disagree (and most ARE mentioning it) -- his lawsuit against Caen was a major legal precedent and was a significant milestone in the culture's (still incomplete) acceptance of the gay.

What's really sad is that Sipple was betrayed from "within" -- the leak to Caen came from activists in the gay community, apparently spurred on by Milk, who believed that publicity around a gay hero would help tear down the stereotypes. Unfortunately, as a wounded Vietnam vet, that would be the second time in his life Sipple would be traumatized by the willingness of others to sacrifice the individual in service of a larger cause.

While the WaPo article notes a rapprochement with his family, it's worth mentioning that he never spoke to his mother again after Caen's outing, to which his her response was "No wonder the president didn’t send him a note!" (The note eventually came; she died in 1979.)

Sad story all around. I think we've come a ways since then, although unfortunately not a long ways.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 6:24 AM on January 7, 2008 [2 favorites]

hermitosis, he had been wounded in Vietnam, had PTSD (he called "shell shock"), was obese, was fitted for a pacemaker and was a heavy drinker. I wouldn't rush to the AIDS assumption given all the other risk factors.
posted by tommasz at 6:26 AM on January 7, 2008

lh, without looking it up, apparently the initial column was just a gossip item noting the bar where Sipple and his friends celebrated the heroic act. That was enough to get the ball rolling.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 6:26 AM on January 7, 2008

LH:
Here' a book page with the relevant quote out of the Caen column.
posted by beagle at 6:31 AM on January 7, 2008

and, by the way, a lot of other interesting detail on the book link.
posted by beagle at 6:34 AM on January 7, 2008

Great link beagle. I know Caen is idolized as a columnist but this quote of his is pretty damning, from fourteen years later: "It was a good item. Members of the gay community wanted it published to show they weren't all a bunch of wimps."

Ugly stuff.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 6:39 AM on January 7, 2008

But being gay had nothing to do with the story of a private citizen saving the life of the President - even one so uninspiring as Ford. Why should the press have reported it?

Once again the Onion has an apropos article.
posted by CaseyB at 6:51 AM on January 7, 2008

Thanks for the link, beagle. So it was Harvey Milk who outed him without even asking him; Caen was just the vehicle for passing on the information to the public. I know Milk is revered, but man, fuck politicians.
posted by languagehat at 8:02 AM on January 7, 2008 [1 favorite]

Different time and place. Some of the gay activists at the time thought that outing was OK, and necessary to the cause, even if the outee was a regular guy rather than hypocritical gay politician masquerading as straight. If being straight is not private, why should being gay be, was the logic. These days that trend is at least moderated by a greater awareness of, and respect for individual privacy.
posted by beagle at 8:30 AM on January 7, 2008

I have a hard time laying all the blame on Caen -- kind of selfish on his part (and Milk's), but they weren't really the ones who ruined Sipple's life.

The day can't come soon enough, imo, when this stops being called "moral values" and is rightly labeled "bigotry."
posted by bjrubble at 8:37 AM on January 7, 2008

And, just for good measure, The Gun Song from the musical Assassins, prominently featuring Sara Jane Moore.
posted by bookwo3107 at 8:53 AM on January 7, 2008

What a sad and conflicted story. As strongly as I feel we should live in a society where being gay isn't that remarkable, I really hate to see how Milk's tip caused Sipple trouble with his family. What a shame.

Also, fuck Herb Caen, that catty bitch. He's revered (rightly) as an amazing newspaper columnist, but everytime I've talked to old locals about him mixed into their love for him is a loathing at how much of a jerk he could be. Caen's quote: "Sipple.. was the center of midnight attention at the Red Lantern, a Golden Gate Ave. bar he favors". Meowr.
posted by Nelson at 9:05 AM on January 7, 2008 [1 favorite]

Wow, that is a sad turn of events. The gnarled hand of destiny really gave Sipple the finger.
posted by Mister_A at 9:14 AM on January 7, 2008

Sipple is well-remembered among journalism educators, at least: he is a case study in almost every media law or media ethics class you take in journalism school.
posted by Rangeboy at 9:16 AM on January 7, 2008

He was a Vietnam Vet. That's one.

He acted against a violent perpetrator threatening the life of a POTUS, putting his own life on the line in the process. That's two.

Then, through no fault of his own, his rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness were compromised so that gay Americans could feel more accepted. He should be remembered as the man who risked his life three times for the country he loved. The third time was when he was outed against his will.

Oliver Sipple was is an American hero.
posted by ZachsMind at 10:10 AM on January 7, 2008 [1 favorite]

My point is, I'm still a stupid little pathetic homophobe, and even I can accept this fact.
posted by ZachsMind at 10:24 AM on January 7, 2008

United 93, Mark Bingham, and Why It Matters That He Was Gay
posted by kirkaracha at 11:39 AM on January 7, 2008

The ones who ruined Sipple's life were the rustbelt homophobic scum back in Detroit who destroyed his relationship with his family, fandango_matt. I grew up around this sort of human garbage and they're the reason my partner wasn't listed in my dad's obit even though my sister's imprisoned husband (life, bank robbery) was. The neighbors (all steelworkers and auto workers) couldn't know I had a male partner, no, they'd burn a cross on my mom's lawn. And this was in 2003. I cannot even remotely fathom the hell that his family went through when word got back "home" about the UAW brother having sired a faggot. There is nothing worse.

So, yeah, could we blame the homophobes please? A little bit?
posted by ethnomethodologist at 12:54 PM on January 7, 2008 [1 favorite]

Ethnomethodologist, thanks for putting this in context. As a British reader, I was wondering about the vehemence of the Seventies bigotry and whether it would have been consigned to the past. Apparently not.
posted by MinPin at 1:03 PM on January 7, 2008

Gosh, if only there was someone, perhaps a powerful man who owed him a favor or something, that could have helped him.

“...after his parents back in Detroit were hounded and teased about their gay son -- only then would he realize the personal price to be paid.”

He’s a marine, saved the presidents life, people teased his parents. And! They disowned him.

“People really liked the guy and not only because he spent a lot of money on drinks. But after the incident, and after his family disowned him, there were people . . . who would always make sure he had a place to go on a holiday."”

Amazing how, but for some people the world would be great, and but for others it would suck.
posted by Smedleyman at 2:22 PM on January 7, 2008

Thanks for the extra link, beagle. It filled in parts of the story I wasn't well-informed of. (I might have worded the post differently with the additional info)
posted by wendell at 5:54 PM on January 7, 2008

Tragic. As is ethnomethodologist's heartbreaking story. I cannot fathom how people could be like this. I've seen it all my life, and it's never made any sense to me why some people hate "the gay".

And it is hate. There is no other word for it. It's hate.

It was tragic in the 70's, it's tragic now, it will always be tragic until everyone realizes that other people making the beast with two backs is nobody's business but the backs involved.
posted by dejah420 at 7:18 PM on January 7, 2008

Dejah, I think you got it a little wrong, all good intent and all. It isn't about whose business it is. It's about nobody cares, because, you know, everyone does that at some point or another. It's just another way to have fun with another human bean, and "beats hell out of card games". So some prefer it, no big deal. Some are experts, some are just dabbling.

I don't recall having heard he had family troubles as a result. That doesn't surprise me. I'm from the same neck o' the woods, and damn, I sure had family troubles when I got outed! Please, people, don't be so disgustingly classist as to mention such irrelevancies as the UAW. Homophobia in Michigan is not restricted to blue collar auto workers, mores the pity.
posted by Goofyy at 6:17 AM on January 8, 2008