The Battalion
Monday,
Many other countries
accept homosexuality
4
JL -Bull, trends. Those little
indicators of change can oft
describe a bigger picture of the world in
which we live. Today, trends are used
by a multitude of organizations and
professionals as forecasting tools.
While trends may predict the future,
they are, in many instances, ignored or
even suppressed by society.
Case in point: homosexuality. In
many other countries, the adaptation
of a gay or lesbian by individuals has
long been an accepted practice. That is
not the case here in America, where
our strong religious culture, at one
time, didn't even acknowledge such a
sinful notion. In fact, the field of
psychology classified homosexuality as
a mental illness until the early 1980s.
Today, however, the winds of change
are beginning to blow, and there is a
new trend in the air.
Once ostracized, homosexuals are
becoming more visable, vocal and
influential. Across the nation, they are
beginning to make their presence
known. For example, in San Francisco
and New York City this past fall,
hundreds of thousands of members of
the "Queer Nation" (I'm not making
this name up, it's their chosen name)
marched and shouted for gay and
lesbian rights. Even in our capitols,
homosexuality is present.
Massachusetts Congressman Barney
Frank, who is admittedly gay, was
recently given a reprimand by the
House Ethics Committee for his
relationship with a gay prostitute.
As for the Texas legislature, it just
swore in its first-known gay
representative, Glen Maxley, a
Democrat from Austin.
Homosexuality is also crisscrossing
the naton in the form of "art." It
doesn't matter whether you attended
the exhibits because you got to see
them anyway in newspapers and
magazines recounting the conflicts
between conservatives and museums.
And if you didn't catch enough of the
photography of Robert Maplethorpe in
print. I'm sure you were able to catch
his various 'homo-erotic' works on the
network news.
Furthermore, we only have to flip
the channel a little bit to see gays
portrayed in TV shows such as
"Three's Company," "Soap,"
"Saturday Night Live" and "Cheers".
The topic is also covered extensively on
daytime shows such as "Geraldo,"
"Oprah" and "Donahue." Plus, even if
we could avoid TV, we would still be
inundated with accounts of
homosexuality in the movies, in sports
and even at work.
Wait! That's not all. Hold on to your
pews folks, because our churches, the
last bastions of conservativeness, are
beginning to change as well. The most
recent example: Last month's
ordination in New Jersey of the first
gay Episcopalian priest. And over the
last three months the Presbyterian
Church USA has gotten into the act
too. It seems that the church not only
accepts homosexual members, but also
ordains them as officers, works with
them to eliminate sodomy laws and
reject homophobia. Most shocking of
all, however, is that "special worship
material" is proposed for Presbyterian
gays and lesbians, presumably for
weddings.
Even here in Aggieland, the issue of
homosexuality has had center stage
ever since the debate over faculty
sexual preference became the
Trey Jacobson
Columnist
Battalion's topic of the month.
However, not only do we have gay and
lesbian professors here, but there are
also a significant number of
homosexual students as well. They
even have their own student
organization. And while homosexual
men and women are not very visible at
A&M, on other campuses around the
state they play active and prominent
roles.
Take, for example, the University of
North Texas, where the gay-lesbian
group is one of the largest and most
actively recognized student
organizations. Not to mention that last
year's t.u. student body president was
an acknowledged and outspoken
lesbian! And, as difficult and
disturbing as it may be for some, this is
only part of a national trend that
portends an increased prevalence of
the homosexual subculture.
Knowing that homosexuality is alive
and well, it is therefore foolhardy for us
to suppress the fact that homosexuality
flourishes in our society. While I am
disgusted by the concept of members
of the same sex sharing intimate
relations, I do believe that we will be
forced to recognize that a large number
66 However, not only do we have
gay and lesbian professors here,
but there are also a significant number
of homosexual students as well.
of homosexuals help make up the
populace. Rather than beat
homosexuals into submission or
hiding, we should begin to
comprehend the reality of their
orientation.
To some degree, academia has
provided this understanding.
Forgotten in all of the hoopla over gay
and lesbian acceptance is the fact that
many courses at A&M in the social
sciences frequently discuss
homosexuality as a way of life. But
beyond that, we seem to have run into
a roadblock of the mind. For some
reason, many A&M students
seemingly believe that by not
recognizing the existence of gays and
lesbians, they will simply disappear.
However, as noted above, indications
are such that not only will it not go
away, but that homosexuality will
become increasingly visible.
Discrimination can't help either. As
much as Bible-thumpers might
entertain the notion, to isolate this
group of individuals will not advance
any cause. Instead, any further
discrimination against gays and
lesbians will only prevent them from
reaching their fullest potential as
members of the work force and society.
So, regardless of your feelings about
homosexuality, it should be evident
that we need to lift blinders from our
minds and recognize that the Queer
Nation thrives in pockets of our
communities. Shouldn't we accept
these individuals as what else they are:
Good and productive citizens? Perhaps
a better question is, can we afford not
to?
Trey Jacobson is a graduate student in
public administration.
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Library needs to check own staff
EDITOR:
So Sterling C. Evans Library lost $43,000 last year be
cause students at Texas A&M have a habit of stealing
books. Of the 420 books declared missing so far this year, I
can tell you at least four are due to the incompetence of the
library staff. Before Irene Hoadley accuses the students of
this University of stealing her precious books, she should
search for books lost by her own staff.
Kirk Bruce '91
Lecture receives poor attendance
EDITOR:
On Apr. 12, I attended the Wiley Lecture Series titled
"A North American Community Within Reach." The topic
provided valuable information on the future of the state's
and nation's trade policy.
That night, 1 became very disappointed. Rudder Audi
torium was one-third full, the great majority of whom were
not students.
This is just one example of how poorly motivated we
students are. Texas A&M not only offers us classroom edu
cation; it has a lot more to offer.
Being a foreign student probably gives me a different
perspective of how valuable these opportunities are.
Let's not waste these privileges we have to accumulate
knowledge and become better people.
Andre La Faye '88
Former student breaks honor code
EDITOR:
I am writing this letter in response to Mr. Ken Orton's
letter of April 3. In his letter, Mr. Orton states his son was
unable to gain admission to Texas A&M (or should I say
Mr. Orton was unable to pull enough strings togethisson
in). If either one of them had read a catalog, they would
have been aware of the requirements for transfer students.
Speaking as a graduate of Texas A&M and a maroon-
blooded Aggie, I would like to assure Mr. Orton that we
still have a fish pond, the 12th Man and Midnight Yell. Ag
gies do care about one another and the Aggie family. Asa
former student, Mr. Orton should know the pride most
Aggies have in their school and they would not want the
integrity of this fine University compromised by lowering
the standards of admission.
The requirements are established so that students who
are accepted have a reasonable chance of graduating. In
my opinion, someone who can only make a 2.5 atajunioi
college is not ready for Texas A&M yet!
Attacking Mr. Orton's son is not my objective here and
I apologize if it sounds like I am. I would merely like to
suggest he take a little more time and put forth a little more
effort to raise his grades. Maybe by attending thatcommu
nity college in Lubbock, Mr. Orton's son will be able to ac
complish this.
What is so surprising is the way Mr. Orton responded
to the denial of his son's application. There exists at Texas
A&M a code of honor which states, "Aggies do not lie,
cheat or steal, nor do they tolerate those who do." Mr. Or
ton violated this code by attempting to circumvent the sys
tem and expecting his status as a former student to get his
son accepted.
Then, when this did not work, he turned and lashed
out at the Aggie memorabilia. And may I suggest to the
student body here at Texas A&M that we establish a fund
to buy back Mr. Orton's ring, since he obviously wishes to
have nothing else to do with Texas A&M.
James Kaaz'90
accompanied by 12 signatures
Mobley's rewording seems inadequate;
statement should truly protect everyone
D ^^
given just cause for changing the
University Statement on Harassment
and Discrimination. Otherwise, I doubt
he would have spent the time to
consider it. Why fix something if it
"ain't broke?" Thus, one must assume
that in his opinion the old statement
was inadequate and that his good
intentions are reflected in the new
statement.
Indeed, something should be done.
In the past two years I have been here,
I have seen many incidences of
harassment and discrimination. I have
seen faculty treated unfairly when it
comes to tenure and repremanded
without due process.
But perhaps I have not paid close
attention to the specifics of the case I
have seen. If I had, perhaps I would be
able to understand why Dr. Mobley
believes that the way to prevent similar
injustices in the future is to remove the
specific language of the old statement.
In addition, I personally cannot
understand why our president believes
that by removing the specific language
from the Statement on Academic
Joseph Varrientos
Reader’s Opinion
Freedom, Responsibility and Tenure,
he has helped the individuals whom
those words were designed to protect:
the people we work with who are not
exactly status quo.
If Dr. Mobley were to give us some
examples of how the new statement
would help in cases where the old
statement could not, more of us would
be convinced of its ability to more
adequately protect us all. It would
appear that in the opinions of those
involved in the legal profession, the
new wording will not help and might
possibly provide less legal protection
than the old statement.
Dr. Mobley himself has denied
tenure to a faculty member, even after
the review by the proper committees
recommended that tenure be granted.
That, of course, was an individual case.
But now. Dr. Mobley's recent decision
on the wording of the statement affects
every single person affiliated,
employed and educated by this
institution.
That ought to give him a great deal:
think about. Lots of opinions have
been voiced and understandably so:
Dr. Mobley's decisions affect people's
lives.
The majority of those speakingoul
against the new wording of the
statement know what it's like to be
harassed and denied equality. The; :
understand this better than anyoftl*
rest of us who are happy being paitd
the status quo.
fc fbBy changing this statement f
Mobley will allow bigotryani
prejudice to grow and festeratthis
University. 99
By changing this statement, Dr
Mobley will allow bigotry and
prejudice to grow and fester at this
University — a University located:' 1 |
region of our country where these
biases can be prevalent. It is bigotr>
and prejudice that are the real thres-
to the integrity and stature of this
University.
Joseph E. Varrientos is agradutli
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