I write this in response to Bart Gatrell’s editorial about the Gay Pride flags around campus.
Bart: “Sexual preference” is a misnomer. You would probably argue that you cannot readily change your “preference” for females or your rather obvious homophobic lack of attraction for males. Homosexual people have no more control over to whom they are attracted. You may have noticed that it sometimes takes people until mid-life to “come out of the closet”. Did it ever occur to you that the reason for this is that they were actually trying to suppress this very biological and innate attraction for most of their lives? And that the reason for that suppression and denial is directly attributed to people such as yourself who absolutely refuse to accept a homosexual person as real and viable member of society?
Bart, if you had the same rights as gays and lesbians, when you fell in love and decided to spend the rest of your life with someone, you would not receive any of the benefits pertaining to the usual life-long commitment between a heterosexual couple. If you had the same rights as gays and lesbians, you would likely be ridiculed and harassed most places you went and discriminated against on the job and elsewhere. You would be viewed by much of the population as unfit to work with, be with, or to have children, and many people would be hesitant to allow their own child to be in the same room with you. You would likely be turned away from your church and encouraged to deny the feelings you have always had. If you had the same “rights” as gays and lesbians and knew what it was like to live in constant fear of being persecuted or even physically harmed by someone like yourself, you just might change your unbelievably bigoted attitude and be a little more respectful.
It is most certainly not disrespectful for a population to declare its presence, especially on a college campus. Those flags represent decades of hard work by dedicated people to make the homosexual presence in this country,and indeed the world, known. I, for one, am proud to be a part of a college campus which is obviously taking a step in the right direction.
Oh, and go ahead and hang all the Jesus posters you want. Lots of gays are Christian too! And although I am not Christian, I’m fairly sure that Christians believe that Jesus taught tolerance and patience. So, go for it. A little tolerance and patience around here might be nice.
Dana RobisonJunior, Mechanical Engineering