Responses to “Schools overplay gay tolerance” by Lazarus Austin (April 1)Lawrence King self-identified as “gay,” which I suppose makes him as “openly gay” as any of the other students who did not identify as gay were “openly straight.” He did not, as you stated “often flirt with his fellow male students.” That is your attempt to once again prejudice the reader against the victim. Lawrence, in response to bullying and teasing from larger and more aggressive boys, responded with the only ‘weapon’ he had – his sense of humor and knowledge that he could make these macho boys nervous simply by acting interested in them.
In point of fact, long before the murder of King, school districts that are committed to a safe and supportive education for all students encouraged GSAs (Gay/Straight Alliances) and tolerance education for students, faculty and staff. Encouraging people to “understand” each other’s differences is not the same as “teaching homosexuality at an early age.” If it were possible to “teach” sexual orientation, then wouldn’t it stand to reason that, in a predominantly heterosexual world/culture, all of the children would be “taught” heterosexuality at an early age?
Jenn Burleton
Portland, Or.
Mr. Austin states that King imposed his homosexuality on McInerney. There is no such thing as “imposing homosexuality.” Mr. Austin is making up this lie of “imposing” or “forcing” homosexuality from whole cloth. King may have tempted or annoyed McInerney, but let me repeat, no such behavior is worthy of murder. Mr. Austin fails to see the point of tolerance: tolerating behavior in other people that you do not necessarily approve of yourself. Mutual tolerance of differing views is a cornerstone of democracy and the modern world. Get with it, Austin!
Mr. Austin pretends that gay rights advocates would “permeate society.” Well, yes and no, Mr. Austin. Society will never be 100 percent gay. Yes, there are gay characters in TV shows and films, gay teachers and gay bishops. Gay people are in every walk of life. Equal rights means they have an equal right to be there as anyone else. Tolerance needs to be taught from the earliest years. It’s only really advocates of prejudice and intolerance who would argue otherwise.
Robert Steven van Keuren
San Diego, Calif.
Teaching tolerance can encourage kids to “be gay”? That is patently absurd. Sexual orientation is not something that one can switch on or off or change because of one teacher or one book or someone else’s view of the world. And it is not a preference. Your sexual orientation is what it is, not something that you capriciously choose or prefer, but something which is natural to you.
Gay people do not permeate society, but they are very much a part of all aspects of society, in the U.S. and elsewhere. What’s more, there have always been gay people, and [there] always will be. It would seem that you would prefer that gay people revert to some 1950s-style existence and lead secretive lives in shame. Well, there is no shame in being gay. Sexual orientation has nothing to do with religion. It has to do with nature – your nature. You write “forcefully stick them in everybody’s faces and in the limelight.” Well, are you opposed to public demonstrations of heterosexual affection or public assertions of heterosexuality? I’m certain there are far many more instances in the media and in public forums of people asserting that they are not gay than people coming out as gay. If [they] have the same rights as everyone else, as you assert, including the right to self-expression and free speech, then what is it about gay behavior “from TV shows and films to teachers and bishops” you find so offensive?
Stephen Driscoll
Pembroke, Mass.
I read your article with great interest. You made some very valid points regarding the issue of tolerance. However, your article is flawed in a few respects. First you state, “Gay people should and do have just as many rights as the rest of us, but no more. Minorities shouldn’t get special privileges, only equal privileges.” Unfortunately, gay people in the U.S. do not have equal rights and privileges. A majority of states have passed constitutional amendments to prohibit gay and lesbian people from marrying. Because we cannot marry, we do not have access to over 1,000 benefits, protections and responsibilities that our heterosexual counterparts do.
“The focus should be on targeting harassment, not tolerance per se.” I agree that targeting aggressive behaviors, no matter the target, is the ideal we should strive for. But I would argue that if you cannot tolerate something, then it becomes a flashpoint by virtue of being pointed out as different, and by extension, unacceptable. Values are internalized early on. By the time one is a high school-aged adolescent, the value system is already set. How do you justify intolerance as an acceptable value?
Erich Glasbrenner
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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