To the Editor: Bestiality is the sexual abuse of an animal; the animal is neither consenting nor aware of its manipulation. By the same token, pederasty is sexual relations between grown men who are consenting and little boys. These minors either are not consenting or are manipulated into the behavior by an authority figure (a grown man). These latter two practices are both one-sided and harmful and for this reason are considered unacceptable. Homosexual relations hardly fit into this category. Furthermore, you contrast humans and animals by saying that we "have a thought process that allows us to be reasonable and exhibit self-control when our 'natural instincts' say otherwise." Yes, this is true and this means that we can and should control behavior that is harmful and disruptive to others. This is why norms and values were created, to put some order into society, not to judge people on how they conduct their personal lives. How could consensual sex between two adults possibly be disruptive or harmful to you? It is not as if they are going to force you to join in. You also say that humans have the "ability to keep intimate activities private, not something to be performed in the front yard or the forest." In my life I have never seen a homosexual couple performing in the front yard. In fact, I have come a lot closer to stumbling upon this behavior from heterosexuals, and have heard a great many details through the years of sexual exploits from heterosexual friends. What does this say about heterosexuals according to your logic? When you are ready to remain completely silent about your love, sexual life or girlfriend, then you can complain about homosexuals "flaunting" theirs. Until that happens, stop being such a hypocrite. Since sexual orientation is so important to you in your view of who is credible, it may surprise you to learn that I am a heterosexual -- JUST LIKE YOU!! I even have a boyfriend (imagine that!) but I am still fully supportive of the gay community. Nobody is asking YOU to be supportive or even (gasp) accepting of homosexuals, just save your attacks for those who really deserve it, such as bigoted oppressors like yourself. I guess you were absent the day that everybody else learned to "live and let live." If you don't like gays, fine, but for God's sake just leave them alone. They are not bothering you. You are probably one of those idiots who thinks that someday a gay male will hit on you. As a woman, I have had far more unwelcome advances from males than you will ever have, and it is nothing that you probably couldn't handle. So, again, just leave gays and other minorities alone. It is you that gives "white males" a bad name and they have a bad enough rap as it is. You are nothing more that a mean-spirited bully. Isn't it time to grow up? Lisa Raphaeli College '97 n To the Editor: We would like to sincerely thank Marc Teillon for his hate-filled column ("B-GLAD It's Only Two Weeks," DP 3/15/95), proving undoubtedly the need for B-GLAD's existence. It's sad to realize, however, that had this same rhetoric been spoken about people of color or women it would have most likely never made it to print in the DP. Anthony Putz College of General Studies '96 Melissa Krakowski College '97 n To the Editor: To begin with, Marc Teillon in his column ("B-GLAD It's Only Two Weeks," DP 3/15/95) says, "Non-homosexuals at Penn should be glad their own sexuality has not reached such a preoccupying state that they feel a need to parade it around Locust Walk." I don't know about anyone else, but while I was out enjoying the weather this week, I saw an enormous number of heterosexual couples holding hands, hugging, and even, (gasp) kissing, right on College Green! Too bad that they cannot "keep one activity from becoming their only defining characteristic and keep intimate activities private." It's funny that the perfectly acceptable behavior of a couple holding hands in public is said to be "flaunting" or "parading" if the couple happens to be homosexual. Maybe we would have a lot less problems if people like Mr. Teillon didn't make life so hellish for homosexuals. We wouldn't need B-GLAD if we just accepted the behavior. Of course, we have to follow societal norms, since, after all, "Norms exist to specifically sanction certain impulses that seem so natural and even normal." Societal norms that we have adhered to include slavery, racism, sexism, violence as a solution to conflicts, rape, and religious persecution. Somehow, I don't find societal norms to be any nobler or more acceptable than human instinct. Society's decree that homosexuality is wrong is as groundless as the decrees that blacks are inferior and Jews are responsible for the Black Death. These decrees have always been founded on fear, ignorance and lack of rational thought, never on the human ability to differentiate right from wrong. Arguments over the percentage of the population that is homosexual are really immaterial. The percentage of chess players in the U.S. is extremely low, but that doesn't say a whole lot about chess players. Or take the case of American Indians, a distressingly small portion of the population after societal norms massacred entire tribes and confined the rest to poverty-stricken reservations. I really don't care how many homosexuals there are; their numbers do not imply any sort of morality or immorality. Of course, the historical prevalence of homosexuality does not make it acceptable, although societal norms in the past have. But that's not really the point. The point is that sometimes, men are attracted to other men, or women to other women. Let them do what they will, and don't hold them to different standards than we hold everyone else to. Homosexuality does not harm anyone other than the people involved, and the usual reason they are harmed is because of the bigotry and hatred displayed by the shallow sheep who have blindly followed society's lead. I believe, too, that "We have a thought process that allows us to be reasonable and exhibit self-control when our 'natural instincts' say otherwise." It is too bad that Mr. Teillon, and countless others, refuse to use that human capacity for reason when facing homosexuality. Though as Thoreau said, "It is never too late to give up your prejudices." Instead of striving to be better they say, "Disgusting!" crack jokes, and go queer bashing. Is it any wonder homosexuals are "desperate to legitimize their bedroom behavior?" In the face of such irrational fear and loathing, what else can they do? James Ingraham Engineering and Wharton '96 n To the Editor: Two students of mine called my attention to a column in your March 15 edition, and so we would like to submit the following letter. We would like to write to censure Marc Teillon for his piece in your paper ("B-GLAD It's Only Two Weeks," DP 3/15/95) and to urge the editors not to print hate speech in The Daily Pennsylvanian. Certainly Mr. Teillon is entitled to have opinions and to publish them; The Daily Pennsylvanian, however, need not print them. Particularly when such columns contain the kind of language that invites open violence and hostility toward an already stigmatized part of our population. If Mr. Teillon respected facts and authority, he would know better than to claim to know what "human nature," "deviance," and "misfits" are. He also would know that sodomy is hardly limited to gay men, and that pederasty is most often practiced by "normal" heterosexual men on young women. We won't descend to Mr. Teillon's level of rhetoric, other than to question why he felt the need to write such a piece in the first place. Otherwise, we'd only like to point out to the rest of your readers that the line between violent language and violent action is blurry at best; Mr. Teillon is deploying a mode of intimidation that often functions as a prelude to physical intimidation and violence. Michael Gamer Assistant Professor, Dept. of English (2 signatures follow) A Lack of Understanding To the Editor: This is in response to the article on February 28th entitled "Sorority Event Irks Students." In the past, there has been a great deal of misrepresentation regarding groups in the BIG-C. Unfortunately, much of this is due to lack of understanding and appreciation of the traditions our fraternities and sororities celebrate. Our organizations are founded on the basis of leadership, community service and sisterhood/brotherhood. When we publically display our pride in our organizations we are not simply making noise. We are announcing to this campus the ideals and goals that we work to fulfill everyday. We would like this campus to attend our cultural and educational events so that everyone will be able to gain a greater understanding of what our organizations represent. The BIG-C will continue to celebrate the traditions that we hold dear regardless of the negative sentiment many on this campus hold. Trista Bridges BIG-C President Wharton '96 Madeleine Lopez BIG-C Vice-President College '96 An Already Learned Lesson To the Editor: This is in regard to Allison Winn's column ("Counting My Blessings," DP 2/28/95) and her recent discovery that one won't have many friends when one treats them like a stamp collection. Her articles seem more like pathetic diary entries then editorials that might evoke a deeper relevance for a readership of about 50,000 people. That she is (or used to be) a sorority tool is not a position that people really empathize with. I think that most of us have learned these lessons in grammar school, yet it seems like Allison learned them in the more recent past then she is willing to admit (who had a filofax in high school?), especially since it "stung" her to realize she might not be the most popular girl on campus. I find it insulting, and embarrassing for her, that it is a great epiphany to realize that friendship is not liking people for how they dress, or using people to get somewhere, or that how many valentines one receives is an accepted standard for measuring popularity. She also lists "what someone stands for" as a wrong reason for forming a friendship, when in fact this is a very valid reason for liking someone. Allison may need to go back over these difficult rules of choosing friends one last time, but for most of us at 22, junior high-popularity- stress-syndrome is a thing of the past, but on a positive note -- better late then never. Jenee Anzelone College '95
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.
