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University Daily Kansan / Friday, April 10, 1992
OPINION
Military's homophobia reflects society's attitude
Let's behonest.
Despite what the pleading members of the gay and lesbian community have done to try and alter the Department of Defense's discriminatory policy against them, it is almost certain that nothing will change, at least not yet.
The U.S. Defense Department's main purpose, besides providing jobs, is to keep the ideas stated in our Constitution powerful ideas that influence every U.S. citizen. This usually means killing people who might somehow, directly or indirectly, undermine the freedoms and rights that are theoretically guaranteed in our society. (For the record, while I agree that a military is crucial in an uncivilized world, I only agree because I know that there are many humans in positions of power who hold little respect for life and would use whatever means to achieve their goals.)
To kill and not be killed itself, the military machine must operate in the most efficient manner possible. Every individual involved must, at some point, give up its individuality in favor of becoming a component of a group effort. Each person must follow his or her orders in the most practical and sensible way possible, without interference, for this enormous machine to work.
David
CarusoII
Staff
columnist
An openly homosexual person would interfere with such a goal of 100-percent efficiency. As with putting men and women in the same boot camp, there undoubtedly would be distractions. Whether you like it or not does not matter. An openly gay person would be ridiculed, scoffed at, held in contempt and possibly beaten by certain people and certain groups who make up portions of the military. I do not like such attitudes any more than those who fall prey to them. It is testimony to the narrow-mindedness of many persons that such actions are easily predictable. It is very unfortunate and undeniably true.
This is the primary reason, I think, that the military will not allow an openly homosexual person to join its ranks. The politicians know, as I do, what would happen. Turmoil would be created. Efficiency would be undermined. Things just would not work as well as they should. And it is not their
fault. The fault lies in the lowest of the ranks, for it is there where the intolerance takes most of its shape; intolerance and diversions that politicians wish to avoid.
The fighters in the gay and lesbian community should stop trying to bring about change in the military before a fundamental change in society is accomplished. This means opening and broadening people's minds in general. It means reaching a more ideal state of civilization. It means tolerance, and it means a more harmonious existence for everyone.
Once such a change has occurred, I think, the military will soon follow suit, because this change would mean important nuances of military efficiency would no longer be lost and operations would still run just as smoothly.
my personal solution, while being more general, is also, unfortunately, more difficult to attain. Teach everyone respect for life and respect for his or her fellow human beings. With this would not only come the elimination of intolerance toward gays and lesbians but the elimination of a need for a military at all, period.
David Caruso II is a Lake Waltana sophomore majoring in English
Williams deserves AP award
Coach has success in athletics, distinguishes himself as trainer
and human being
In one of the closest votes ever, Roy Williams became the first Big Eight Conference coach to be named Coach of the Year by The Associated Press last week.
Williams took over a program on probation when he arrived at the University of Kansas just four years ago to begin his first stint as coach. He came to the University carrying the legacy of his mentor, Dean Smith, whom he coached under for 10 years at North Carolina.
His quick success at the University lead to high expectations for the team, and Williams has delivered consistently. He has come into his own at Kansas, and is no longer considered just Dean Smith's student.
This year, Williams lost three starters and added three freshmen and two transfers to
the team. In a year that many thought would be a rebuilding year for the team, Williams managed to put together a team that was not only competitive. but successful.
The Jayhawks won both the Big Eight regular season championship and the Big Eight tournament this year. Williams saw his 100th victory at the University against Colorado in the opening game of the Big Eight tournament.
But coaching talent alone isn't what makes Williams a great coach. He is also interested in his players as people and as students, and he stresses the importance of academics. He knows the importance of good sportsmanship and encourages it in his players and fans.
Williams is a class act, and the University is lucky to have him in charge of the men's basketball program.
Supreme Court backtracks
Julie Wasson for the editorial board
Ruling destroys the framework for fighting against segregation, lifte responsibility off schools
lifts responsibility off schools
The Supreme Court seems to think that things have changed far more than they have.
In an 8-0 decision, the court ruled last week that school districts may work incrementally in desegregating. Lower district courts will decide whether those districts are desegregating.
Legally, the burden will be taken off the schools, and they will be given more flexibility in how they work to desegregate. The burden also will be taken off the federal government, which no longer will have to enforce the desegregation demands.
The Supreme Court was right in seeing that the composition of schools has changed. But the high court was wrong in thinking that desegregation now is easily and willingly achieved.
since the 1954 case of Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, separate was found not to be equal, and segregated schools were outlawed. School districts across the nation
were challenged in court. And although some schools remained segregated, at least the legal framework for challenging those districts was in place.
It remains to be seen what effects the Supreme Court ruling will have. In the April 1 The New York Times, a Harvard professor of education and social policy said, "In a way, we're going back to to the very early days of school desegregation, when each local district court was on its own, and there were no standards."
Perhaps worse than the actual decision is its implication: A conservative backlash in the Supreme Court unconcerned with minority rights is firmly in place.
The Dallas and Oklahoma City school districts, among others, have been under federal court orders because of their inability to desegregate. This should have indicated to the court that some local districts are unable or unwilling to follow the guidelines that already were in place.
The Supreme Court has moved backward. And now it is left to citizens to be watchdogs of their district's desegregation practices.
Tiffany Harness for the editorial board
Gays can't forget past
Letters to the editor
I would like to elaborate and clarify some comments I made about the history of Gay and Lesbian Services of Kansas, which is one of the oldest gay and lesbian student organizations in the United States.
First, and most importantly, the founder of the Lawrence Gay Liberation Front — the predecessor of GLSOK — was David Stout, a graduate student in social welfare and a former Methodist minister.
Additionally, it would be wrong to assert that all gay people in campus bathrooms for casual sex before 1970. But some did. And bathroom graffiti was really the only way to reach gay people, given societal and campus intolerance. This may be difficult to understand in 1992, but I did not mention this fact to shock, offend, or even titillate. I said it for one simple reason: because IT WASTRUE.
Gay, lesbian and bisexual people have made considerable progress — both in society and within their communities — over the last 20 years. And much more progress will be made. Some of us are proud of these accomplishments but at the same time afraid and ashamed of the past. But we cannot and should not forget, no matter how distasteful or
unpleasant it may seem. By altering and erasing the past to make gay and lesbian people seem more "acceptable," we are buying into the same age-old myths, stereotypes and homophobia that must be destroyed.
University of Kansas Gay and Lesbian
Miami Association
Know the terminology
I am writing in response to Julie Litt's editorial in Wednesday's Kansan. Although her intentions on behalf of GALA Week are greatly appreciated, Ms. Litt used wording that is offensive to many gay, lesbian and bisexual people. The term sexual preference suggests that there is a choice in the matter of sexual orientation. True, people have a choice as to how they express their orientation, but rarely do they choose it. We have been trying for years to get the Kansan and its reporters to be sensitive to the issues behind homosexuality and bisexuality. Changing the language used is just one of the ways they can do this. Sexual orientation is the term that most people identify with, and that is what the Kansan should use.
One last comment about "wear blue jeans if you're gay day." The important message
behind this day is the realization by everyone of the daily oppression gay, lesbian and bisexual people experience just for wearing a certain T-shirt or button. Most people wear jeans, and it is that feeling of "I wonder if people will bother me today" or "will I be attacked?" just because of something superficial like what one is wearing.
Troy Alldaffer
Troy Adanther
Colby senior, co-director GLSOK
KU should fire coach
KU's coach and his staff knew sufficiently before the game that El Paso could defeat KU only through a "slow four-corner play." But they only "talked about it." They did not take any action on it.
KU's No. 1 seeded men's basketball team got itself eliminated from further contest in the NCAA tournament by a loss to regionally 9th-seeded Texas-El Paso.
If the opponent's options were many, one might not know where to concentrate to protect oneself. But here it was very specific and narrowed down to one option only. If I were the coach, I would have practiced with my team day and night on how to play against a slow four-corner game.
If a field-general knew beforehand that the only way the enemy could enter was over one particular bridge, but then only talked about it in his briefings and did not do anything to secure that one bridge, he would be guilty of a tragic and casual irresponsibility.
He must be fired. So KU's coach and his staff must be fired.
Often one reads of a coach who produces poor results because of a lack of talent on his team's part, and the university fires the coach. That is pathetic and unethical. But here it is different.
■ T.S. David
Lawrence graduate student
Deficit benefits rich
I would like to make an additional point in relation to Mark Davis' April 2 letter about the federal budget deficit as a debt for the unborn.
It is only those members of our society who have the money to lend to the government who can do so.
The poor and the middle class no longer have the money in savings to invest or lend to anyone. Those with money, reasonably enough, lend their money at the best possible interest rate.
Of course, the interest they collect is their
profit. As a result, the middle class, which pays the vast majority of the taxes our government collects, are forced (by law) to give the benefits of its labor to the wealthiest segment of our society.
rms, interest payments on the deficit are a massive transfer of wealth from the middle-class members of our society to the wealthy. As a consequence, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and representatives and those running for president promise to help the poor and middle class with new and expanded programs they can only finance with more deficit spending.
In a similar spirit, social security is a huge transfer of wealth from African Americans to whites because, on the average, whites live longer than African Americans but African Americans cannot collect social security before whites.
These are just two of the Washington-based money-making schemes for the elite. Is it any wonder that the Democrats and Republicans no longer talk about social security or a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution? Talk about a moral void.
KANSANSTAFF
Lawrence graduate student
TIFFANY HARNESS Editor
VANESSA FUHRMANS Managing editor
TOM EBLEN General manager, news adviser
Editors
Editors
News... Mike Andrews
Editorial... Bert Randall
Planning... Lara Gold
Campus... Eric Gorski/Rochelle Olson
Sports... Eric Nelson
Photo... Jia Jacobson
Features... Debbie Meyers
Graphics... Alimee Brainard/J Jeffmees
JENNIFER CLAXTON Business manager
JEANNE HINES Sales and marketing adviser
Business Staff
Campus sales mgr... Brii eliebengo
Regional sales mgr... Rich Harsbarger
National sales mgr... Scott Hanna
Co-op sales mgr... Arne Johnson
Production mgrs... Kim Wallace
Marketing director... Leanne Bryant
Creative director... Leanne Bryant
Classified mgr... Kip Chin
JAYSTEINER Retail sales manager
Business Staff
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