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History of the GSA
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To the Editor:
The subject of a GALA chapter on this campus has been the topic of much debate over the past few weeks. I would like to point out several of the many issues contained in this debate as well as express some of my own opinions on these issues as they relate to the Ursinus campus. The issues include: the issue of the appropriateness of the letter written by John Ronning printed in the October 12 issue of The Grizzly; the issue of the rights of a special interest group versus the rights of the campus; the issue of whether the recognition of GALA by the college is in the college's best interest; and finally the issue of whether the system of decision making within the institution of Ursinus College has allowed a democratic decision regarding GALA's charter.
The initiation of the heated debates was the letter by Mr. Ronning. Many of the objections to the letter did not concern his message but his vulgarity. Other concerns was its appropriateness for the newspaper and the question of whether a faculty member should become so vocally involved in such issues. I am sure that most would agree that vulgarity has been and still is acceptable in The Grizzly. One example of this is the horoscope column that most upper-classmen will remember as "Lucinda's column." I am also sure that the majority of the campus understand that freedom of the press allows anyone, including professors, to honestly express their feelings. Nobody has, to my knowledge, condemned Dr. Oboler for becoming involved.
Another issue involved is the larger scale interest of gay rights. I personally believe that homsoexuals have all the rights of heterosexuals. Many of the editorials in The Grizzly indicate that Mr. Ronning's statements have been interpreted as hate for homosexuals. I believe they are correct in detecting hate in his tone; however, I interpret this hate as a hate for the practices not for the people invovled. Furthermore, there is an equal or greater amount of hate found in the letter representing GALA. This letter calls Mr. Ronning a lunatic and states that anyone who fails to condemn him is using the "meager excuse" that he has a right to such an opinion. In this way GALA is denying people the right to be intolerant of certain special interest groups. Mr. Ronning was not attacking the rights of homosexuals. He was protecting the right of the people who would potentially be counseled by GALA to hear both sides giving them the ability to make an informed decision.
Another issue is that of whether GALA should have been recognized as a campus organization. This recognition involved the passing of their constitution by SAC, now called AFAC. This approval was given on Octboer 18, 1991, by a vote of six to two with one member abstaining and four members absent from the group. In my opinion, there are some legitimate objections to recognizing such a group. There is no doubt that this group has a right to go off campus to conduct their activities. However, Ursinus is a private school which has declared itself "related to the United Church of Christ" in the school catalog. The school does not have any obligation to sponsor a group that would contradict the morals on which the school was founded.
The last issue invovled is one that particularly stirkes me as important. This is the atmosphere of intimidation I have recently detected on this campus. As Margot Kelley stated, faculty and staff have a certain "undeserved credibility." The opinion section of The Grizzly is an appropriate form of expression for faculty and staff to express opinions. However, I believe that the classroom and other formal group meetings are not appropriate places for faculty to make statements of their beliefs unless the purpose is to stimulate thought or discussion. I have heard negative comments about Mr. Ronning in both of these situations. I have also heard more than one case of residents assistants who are afraid to voice their opinion on this issue as well as other issues because of what they think their supervisors might think or say. The environment is an intellectual one leading to independent decisions. I feel that the recent atmosphere on campus has not been promoting such individual decision making.
I am confident that in the future, issues such as these will be handled more civilly so that biases on campus will not prevent communiton of valuable opinions.
Donna Lorenzo
Class of 1992
Dear Editor:
At the conclusion of their recent letter, the GALA executive committee urged readers to 'send a message to closed-minded, bigoted, extremist, fanatical, narrow, prejudiced, intolerant zealots on this campus and beyond." This fervent appeal was part of their retaliation for a letter from John Ronning in which he expressed disgust for certain filthy homosexual activities and questioned the value of GALA as an instrument for helping students resolve sexual identity problems. Moved by their appeal, I am offering the following as a message to them and the other "closed-minded etcetera" critics of John Ronning who directed their "vile diatribe" cf., anti-Ronning letter from Ron Hess) at him in the November 19 issue of the Grizzly.
1. I have known John Ronning for several years and I admire his honesty, courage, and professional competence. If "homophobe" is intended to denote somone who fears homosexuality or homosexuals, that term certainly cannot accurately be applied to him. On the other hand, the storm of hate filled epithets that fill the letters of his critics, cause me to wonder whether he has cared up a horde of "Ronnophobes."
2. Of course, John offered no "scientific reasoning" (cf. Ronnophobic letter from Dr. Margot Kelley) to prove that the activities described in his letter are disgusting. Science is an effort to understand the physical universe by constructing a logical analog that appeals to the human intellect. Moral principles transcned science and can't be derived from it. Of course, none of the Ronnophobic letters offered either scientific evidence that active homosexuality is a wholesome lifestyle nor a sequence of logical steps that lead from some aspect of the physical universe to the conclusion that those with homsoexual inclinations shouldn't seek help in overcoming them.
For thousands of years, we have had a written moral code to reinforce the code (natural law) built into us by our Creator. Those who accept that code as a reliable guide to moral behavior are, in my opinion, on the right rack.
3. Robert Dawley's letter implies that John's expression of revulsion for the disgusting activities of some homosexuals was an act of "cruelty" motivated by "hatred." John Ronning is honest, and sometimes blunt, but never hateful or cruel.
In their use of epithets such as "fundamentalist right-wink kooks." the authors of the Ronnophobic letters show a shameful acceptance of left-wing stereotyping of supporters of traditional Juedo-Christian morality. They seems to regard their own outrage as unassailibly righteous and their target as self-righteous. When they employ the term "diversity" in the context of an effort to intellectually intimidate somone with a different viewpoint, I am left with the distinct impression that the word is a euphemism for liberal academic and moral orthodoxy.
Sincerely
Douglas Nagy
_____
Dear Editor
If Toni Castells-Talens' letter to The Grizzly (November 19) results in the creaton of a new student organizaiton HPH (Homophobic-Phobic Hetersexuals), I hereby offer my services as Faculty Advisor.
Cordially,
Juan Espadas
Chairperson
Department of Modern Languages
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"GALA Responses: The Controversy Continues," December 10, 1991
Subject
The topic of the resource
Ronning's letter and GALA
Description
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Studnets and faculty offer their support for Mr. Ronning and one rebuke.
Creator
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Donna Lorenzo, Douglas Nagy, Juan Espadas
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The Grizzly
Publisher
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Ursinus College
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December 10, 1991
Espadas
GALA
Lorenzo
Nagy
Ronning
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History of the GSA
Text
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Dear Editor,
To those who expressed appreciation for my November 12th letter, particularly those gutsy enough to do so in print: thank you for your support.
To those who told me to mind my own business: I point out (again) that I was solicited by GALA in a letter to faculty which stated, among other things, their intention to combat "homophobia" (GALA has their own private definition for the word, but those who invented the term knew that phobia is used in compound words to indicate irrational fear; thus "homophobia" would have the ring of "mental disorder"--precisely the message they wanted to convey). My letter was a response to their announced intention to attack my value system. If GALA is going to peddle their perversion in public then they shouldn't whine about persecution when someone who doesn't go along with it point out what's really being sold.
To those who said I should offer "proof" that homosexuals really do the things that I listed: I refer you to GALA's November 19th letter, under point 4): "Not all gay people engage in the activies he listed." They denied something I didn't say (that all gays do all the things I listed) because they can't deny what I did say (that such things are characteristic of gay culture). The Encyclopedia of Homosexuality (to which Joyce Lionarons so helpfully referred me in her letter) describes the gay lifestyle as a "markedly hedonistic lifestyle, which includes drug usage, frequent change of sexual partners, and a restless search for new diversions and gratifications." I simply detailed some typical "gratifications" gays pursure, and asked if that's what Michael Cyr meant when he said he wanted some recruits to whom he could show (by demonstration, I presume) the wonderful and exciting features of gay culture (he has yet to answer). I left out anal intercourse and oral-genital sex because I'm sure that's not news to anybody. To those interested in further documentation I'll gladly provide it.
To those who accused me of hatred, rage, and venom: there is a difference between disgust of certain acts, and hatred of people who do them. If that were not the case, then I can charge you who expressed disgust at my views with hatred towards me. What justifies your hatred but not that of others?
To those who expressed the opinion that our society is now more tolerant than in the past, and that this represents progress: I point to the personal attacks agaisnt me expressed in the last two issues of this paper, with all their vilification and hysteria, as proof that our society has merely changed the thing of which it is intolerant. In another age the words "vile" and "criminal" would be used without controversy to describe homosexual acts (which were in fact, and still are in half the states, criminal felonies or misdemeanors for which homosexuals could be locked up for the rest of their unnatural lives). In the present, Dr. Hess uses the word "vile" to describe my exposure of those acts, and Lionarons says my opinions are ignorance, which is nearly "criminal." Is that progress, or the evidence of a sick society?
To those who quoted Scripture or otherwise referred to the teachings of Jesus in order to advise me about how I should behave or think: I suggest you read the whole book. You'll find that the same One who said "Judge not, that you be not judged" (aren't you judging me, Dr. Hess?) also said "Stop judging by mere appreances, and make a righteous judgment." Context indicates that the standard of righteousness he was referring to was the Law of Moses, which repeatedly describes homosexual acts with the word "abomination." (Moses' first Book also has the record of Sodom and Gomorrah, in which the men of Sodom used the "judge not" line against Lot when he objected to their demand to hand over this guests so that they could practice their deviant homosexual gratifications on them.) Those who want a hero for tolerance won't find one in Jesus. And who did Paul have in mind when he siad "it is disgusting even to mention the things they do in secret?"
To Dr. Kelley, who insisted that gay culture is exciting, I suppose driving down the street at 140 mph or robbing a bank would be exciting too. The question is whether such behavior should be encouraged as a particular "orientation" or wanred against as a moral perversion that harms the individual and society. Your detection of a "troubling, logical lapse" in my letter seems to be due to an assumption on your part that by "normal, healthy" I mean those who are merely not homosexual. That is not what I meant. In my opinion, heterosexuals who do not find homosexual acts disgusting have a real problem, just as you no doubt think people who don't find my opinions disgusting have a problem. Our disagreement is not over logic, but values. You also misrepresented me by saying that I said it was cruel "to allow peers to help one another." I said it was cruel to hand a student over to a group that was going to hurt, not help him or her. Again you disagree; but if you have to twist my words then you are confessing that your argument is weak.
To Kathy Gretzenburg: thank you for showing by your use of analogy that the charge of "hatred and bigotry" against me is as silly as charging George Bush with bigotry for pointing out in his campaign that Michael Dukakis regularly let convicted 1st degree murderers out of prison for unsupervised weekend furloughs--like Willie Horton who decided to go to Maryland and rape and sodomize a young woman and torture her fiance. Thank you also for agreeing that gay acts are "lewd and disgusting."
To the GALA Executive Committee: I nominate you for "hypocrites of the year" award for preaching "tolerance" in your diatribe against "fundamentalist right wing kooks," "closed minded bigots," "ludicrous self delusion," "old fashioned ignorance," "these fundamentalist right wingers," "misinformed bigots," "this lunatic," and "closed minded, bigoted, extremist, fanatical, narrow, prejudiced, intolerant zealots." This should also get you the ad hominem and name calling awards and these others:
The "pseudo-science award" for classifying as "kooks" the tens of millions who disagree with your claim that "sexual preference is not a matter of choice." Is that the politically correct way to prove a point? It's interesting that in 1970, only 9% of homosexuals believed they were "born that way." I guess that means 91% of homosexuals at that time were "right wing fundamentalist kooks?" From your long list of cures that don't work you omit that one that has been working for 2,000 years. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth, "That is what some of you were [i.e. homosexuals, adulterers, crooks, and tohers whom he said would not inherit the kingdom of God.] But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." That it is difficult to get out of the gay lifestyle is granted (the same is true of crack cocaine addiction). All the more reason not to get into it.
The "straw man award" for attacking positions I never took. I didn't say all gays do the things I listed--but what I did say is true and much more could be added. Neither did I saw [sic] that perversions are confined strictly to homosexuals--but it is a fact that they are far more characteristic of the gay community (which has cute names for them like "fisting" and "golden showers," I left out "rimming" in my first letter; placing the tongue in the anus), and heterosexuals who engage in them did not form a campus group and solicit my support (or they would have heard from me too). Nor did I say that STD's and unhealthy practices are confined to gays--but again, such things are rampant int he gay community to a much greater extent (as is well known in the medical community). If it is "ludicrous self delusion" to suggest that men should stay away from gay culture like the plague, then why is it that the Red Cross will take my blood but not yours? Even before AIDS, some health officials advocated exclusion of homosexual men as blood donors because of the prevlance of Hepatitis A and B (and now C) in gays. Way back in 1980, the homosexual newspaper The Sentinel said that the "risk of contracting disease among gay persons is approimately ten times that of persons in the general populaiton."
The "change in the subject award" for asking my position on other issues. Adoption of this strategy is an admission that you can't win the debate. But since you asked; on divorce: it's one of the greatest tragedies that can befall a family, as those who have been affected by it can tell you. On birth control; I'll give you a hint--in three years of marriage I've had two children, and we hope God gives us ten more (and we'll raise them to think just like us!). On pre-marital sex; I agree wholeheartedly with Daniel Flickinger's letter printed November 19th. On inter-racial marriage; my opinion is the same as my opinion of non-inter-racial marriage. On working women--what's the question?
To Joyce Lionarons: you make a list of charges agianst me almost as long as GALA's (I'll give you 1st runner up in name calling), which altogether only amount to a mere assertion that what I said was not true. Not one fact, reference, etc, to back up any of your assertions, not one reference to my letter to illustrate what in the world you are ranting about (eg, what are my "tacit assumptions" that you mentioned; and why does the listing of typical gay behavior constitute "pornographic fantasy?"). You do provide some condescending advice where I can go to get educated out of my "little less than criminal" "ignorance" (i.e., indoctrinated in political correctness). It turns out the source you mentioned confirms much of what I said in my letter (I cited only one example above), even though it comes from the perspective of GALA and can hardly be considered an objective work (for example; readers may be surprised to find out that, according to this Encyclopedia, the only reason most of us don't practice anal intercourse is not because it is repulsive, unnatural, or extremely unhealthy, but because we have happened to have found more pleasurable things to do). You shield yourself against the extensive evidence contradictory to your beliefs by saying that virtually all "reputable" research in all relevant fields agrees with you; evidently the criterion by which research is judged "reputable" is whether it agrees with you! That would be arrogant even for experts in those fields; you are an expert in none of them (I never claimed to be but I can read and think independently). I'll let you share the "pseudo-science award" with the GALA executive committee.
I knew that my letter would be about as popular in some circles as sunshine in a bats' cave. I would prefer to carry on discussion in the more moderate tone of Andrew Economopoulos' excellent letter (which will likely be ignored or dismissed with a contemptuous sniff by the P.C. crowd). I tried to craft a letter that would not only state my position but also put GALA and their allies into their unthinking, cliche spouting mode in which they would condemn themselves far better (and more believably) than I could do by myself, thereby letting everyone see what GALA is really all about. Mike Evans' letter of November 26 describes how my strategy succeeded, and I must say, far beyond what I expected.
Moses described two world views as "the way of life, and the way of death." I hope that readers of The Grizzly can now tell more easily which is which.
Sincerely,
John Ronning
_____________
Correction:
The second sentence in the fourth paragraph of Mike Evans' letter to the editor in the November 19 issue was printed incorretly. It should have read: "In their zeal to discredit Ronning's perceived message, his detractors stumble through their efforts without understanding or improving upon the devices of his letter." We apologize for the error.
Dublin Core
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Title
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"The Last Word from Ronning," December 10, 1991
Subject
The topic of the resource
Ronning's final word on the GALA controversy.
Description
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Ronning thanks his supporters and rebukes his detractors--in detail.
Creator
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John Ronning
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The Grizzly
Publisher
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Ursinus College
Date
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December 10, 1991
AIDS
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GALA
gay
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homosexual
Lionarons
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History of the GSA
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Dear Editors:
Now that I no longer have to hide behind the solemn neutral mask of Grizzly Editor, I would like to address Mr. Ronning's attirude towards those who do not share his beliefs; an attitude that during my years at Ursinus, I longed to address but was unable to do so.
How unfortunate that GALA, like a babe on uncertain feet, should come toddling forward, risking a fall, seeking the warm arms of trust and understanding--only to be smacked in the face by the cruel hands of bigotry and hostility. How dare GALA seek acceptance? How dare they seek support? How dare they seek the same humane treatment that to which the rest of us hetersexuals are accustomed?
I am going to pray for you, Mr. Ronning. I will pray that God's message of love will sweep the dusty corners of your narrowminded soul and that he will open your eyes weighted down with the erroneous beliefs, and that God's hand will guide you into a world where a human being is a human being, no matter what his or her sexual persuasion may be.
Sincerely,
Lora Hart
Class of '89
__________________
Dear Editor and fellow students,
Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa la la la la la la la la!
Stop trying to show your folly, Fa la la la la la la la la!
Let's stop these battles for a few moments, Fa la la la la la la la la!
And think about our hurtful comments, Fa la la la la la la la la!
Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Ursinus. And while you're sipping on your eggnog and roasting yoru chestnuts on an open fire, take a minute to reflect upon all the spiteful commentaries that have been made over the past semester. I'd be willing to bet they're much harder to swallow than that last piece of fruitcake.
Sincerely yours,
Ellie Stutzman
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"GALA Responses," December 10, 1991
Subject
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GALA's formation
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Two students offer their perspectives on the GALA controversy.
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Lora Hart, Ellie Stutzman
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The Grizzly
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Ursinus College
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December 10, 1991
GALA
God
Hart
Ronning
Stutzman
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History of the GSA
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Editor's Note: This letter is the second part of a letter from Mr. Glancy printed on page 8. This part was submitted to us late in publication and therefore could not be run together with the other part. We apologize for the split.
Addendum to Letter to the Editor:
My letter is not in anyway an attempt to pass judgement on anyone on either side of the GALA issue. I strongly disagree with what GALA believes, but I don't think that by giving them money we are condoning their beliefs. There is a distinct possibility that all of us--especially those of us in the heteorsexual population--might actually learn something (what a concept, on a college campus!?!) from the speakers and events GALA sponsors. As a future servant of the U.C.C. Church, I believe personally that it is my God-given responsibility to be as willing to listen to GALA as much as I would want them to hear me if I had an issue of concern--and speakers or events are the best way to do this (this does cost money). I don't know how God works through organizations like GALA--but I'm not so closed minded to think He can't. I pray for all of us to have tolerance and be rational here--I hope we can all come out of this as more informed human beings! For me, even though I believe homosexuality is wrong, I can't in good conscience see the good in denying GALA money--it might only serve to build bridges of suspicion or resentment, and this is not a Christian way to handle anything! God help us all!
Thanks again,
Shawn Glancy
Class of 1992
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"A Christian Response," November 26, 1991
Subject
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GALA and God
Description
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Shawn Glancy continues his letter from a previous page, arguing that we must presume that God may be working through GALA and that we must be as open to listening to them as we would want them to be of listening to us.
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Shawn Glancy
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The Grizzly
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Ursinus College
Date
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November 26, 1991
Christianity
GALA
Glancy
God
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History of the GSA
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To the Editor:
Last week, the size of the Grizzly's opinions section was quite impressive. Regrettably, its lack of quality articles was equally so.
The previous Grizzly saw the appearanceof Mr. Ronning's highly controversial and exquisitely written piece on helping students who have, as yet, no well-defined sexual identity. The most recent issue brought the expected outpouring of student and faculty response. What offends me is not any opnion expressed, but that a wonderfully crafted letter could be answered with such embarrassing prattle.
Mr. Ronning's argument is carefully delineated: an opening, three supporting points and a closing; and parentheses surround a genuinely parenthetical thought. He also withholds truth; makes generalizations; surrounds opinion with fact, fostering confusion of the two; and makes some quite unpleasant implications. All of these are admirable, perfectly legal techniques designed to strengthen his letter's impact.
Virtually all of the responses, however, fail to live up to Ronning's standard. In their zeal to discredit Ronning's perceived understanding or improving upon the devices of his letter, Ms. Jones misses both the motivation for Ronning's harsh language and the multiple meanings of the word "liberal." Ms. Slyvester writes of his "explicit suggestion" (which I assume is akin to an "obvious subtlety") and then fails to recognize his generlizations as anything but a factual blanket statement. Mr. Yacoubian begins his article well enough, then proceeds to ruin it by calling Ronning sexually frustrated, a cliche as tired as the skipping, lisping gay. The self-incirminating little enigmas from Dr. Hess and Mr. Castells-Talens exhibit the same traits they suppose to condemn. The GALA Committee's letter was at times an entertaining read, but its smears, direct and indirect, were repetitive and simple. Dr. Dawley knows Ronning's purpose was to hurt. I'm sure he obtained this knowledge from Ronning himself. Even Ronning's supporters were dissapointing, condensing a potent five-line quesiton into a two-paragraph rehash of his original.
Finally, lest you think our campus writers beyond hope, I offer profuse hat-tippings to Dr. Margot Kelley. Her letter was shockingly out of place in its surroundings. It was perceptive and illuminating, employing and exposing some of those same devices I found so enjoyable in Ronning's work. I only wish she would offer a clinic in literary analysis. It's obvious that our campus could use the help. If we're going to dwell on a subject for weeks at a time, the least we could do is read our opponents' letters with care and take the time to create sound, colorful responses.
Humbly yours,
Mike Evans
Class of 1992
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"Ronning Responses Critiqued," November 26, 1991
Subject
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The response letter's to John Ronning's initial letter on GALA.
Description
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Mike Evans gives critiques on the logical argumentation of several of the letters in response to John Ronning's letter.
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Mike Evans
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The Grizzly
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Ursinus College
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November 26, 1991
Dawley
Evans
GALA
Hess
Jones
Kelley
Ronning
Sylvester
Talens
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Dublin Core
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Title
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History of the GSA
Text
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Editor's note: This letter was submitted last week, but was lost in the mail. We apologize for the delay in printing.
To the Editor:
Having read John Ronning's letter to the Grizzly this week, I am not certain which appalls me more: the twisted tissue of misinformation, logical fallacy, and pornographic fantasy that constitutes his letter, or the fact that it was written by an Ursinus instructor, a man who, one would hope, should be dedicated to educating our students in a responsible and intellectually rigorous fashion. Unfortuantely, there is nothing responsible about Mr. Ronning's letter.
Certainly Mr. Ronning is entitled to hold and even publish his opinions on GALA, homosexuality, and whatever else he wishes to comment on. To deny him that right would be a breach of our hard-won and much-abused academic freedom. But when individual opinion is misrepresented as fact, more than academic freedom is at stake; instead questions of academic accountability and intellectual rigor come to the fore. And in fact, both Mr. Ronning's tacit assumptions and his stated conclusions about gayness and gay sexual practices fly in the face of virtually all the reputable, scholarly research concerning homosexuality that has been done in biology, psychology, scoiology, and yes, even religious studies in the past few decades. The ignorance his letter reveals would be shocking in a student; in an educator it is little less than criminal.
While I generally refrain from advising my colleagues on reading for personal and academic development, perhaps Mr. Ronning would be interested in doing the elementary research on homosexuality that I know my students in GALA have already done. Our library has a dozen or so titles; he could start in the reference section with Garland Press' new compendium, The Encyclopedia of Homosexuality.
In conclusion, I submit that Mr. Ronning's letter is the best possible argument for the existence of GALA on the Ursinus campus, for it displays both the ignorance GALA wishes to remedy and the homophobia GALA must combat.
Joyce T. Lionarons
English Department
______________________
Dear Editor,
The recent letters to the editor concerning GALA has presented two opposing views. One was a graphic discussion of homosexual behavior, the other celebrated the homosexual lifestyle. While the graphic detail appeared to be highlighting the Mapplethorpe "artistic" photos, the other reflected a heart-felt family experience. These two views approach the homosexual lifestyle from opposite positions; one celebrating it; one condemning it.
After reading both articles I noticed a difference in the presuppositions of the writers. It appeared to me that one assumes that homosexuality is abnormal while the other assumes that it is normal. Is the homosexual lifestyle normal? One writer cites a statistic that indicates that 10% of the population is gay, a statistic appearing to support the normality of the lifestyle. However, a recent study in the Science Magazine showed that only 3.6% of men had "frequent" or "occasional" sexual contact with another man. Obviously, there are conflicting statistics on the prevalnce of the lifestyle. Even if we could reach a concensus on the statistic, should numbers be the basis of our support for a lifestyle?
Another basis for evaluating the normality of a lifestyle could be questioning whether it is a result of a biological or innate characteristic. If it is, then homosexuality can be grouped with race, gender, or ethnic origin. If not, it would be inappropriate to compare the discrimination against a lifestyle with the discrimination against an innate characteristic. Would you compare the discrimination against polygamy with that of racial discrimination? I am unaware of any scientific study demonstrating a hormonal or chemical difference between homosexuals and hetersexuals, and there are clearly no anatomical differences.
If the behavior is not the result of biological differneces, than the issue of normality becomes more complex. What makes the issues of normality complex is that if the homosexual lifestyle is not biological, but environmental, my decision would have to be based on my own judgement of what is normal or abnormal behavior. There are studies indicating that the homosexual lifestyle is laregly a result of environmental factors. If it is a learned behavior, should we automatically support and endorse the lifestyle? There are many outcomes from environemental causes that are difficult to support or call normal such as racial discrimination. On the other hand there are outcomes that are positive, such as philanthropy.
How then do we determine whether a learned behavior is supported or opposed? Do we hate the decision on what is acceptable to society or in the jargon of the day, "politically correct?" I hope not for history is filled with politcally correct behavior that has led to persecution and atrocities.
If we cannot rely on societies norms for our decision, where do we turn? As for me, I turn to my Judeo-Christian beliefs. I cannot support, encourage, or celebrate homosexuality. But at the same time I cannot abuse, belittle, or condemn the homosexual. I would encourage anyone who is questioning their sexual behavior to seriously consider the foundation for their decision and the consequenes of their actions.
Andrew Economopoulos
Economics and Business
__________________________
Dear Editor,
I found Mr. Ronning's letter to the editor (week of November 12) very disturbing. I found the intensity of his hate and rage frightening. I am far from naive but it was also distressing to think that any human being really felt that way. But equally as frightening and distrubing was the fact that he felt comfortable and justified voicing his outrageous opinion.
We need not look very far to see that hatred and bigotry are insidiously seeping intro the realm of tolerable and acceptable. President George Bush used it with his Willie Horton ads. David Duke ran a campaign with bigotry at the core. When Duke spoke of "those welfare individuals who can work but don't" and when he spoke of "crimes committed against Americans" he was not talking about white people assaulting white people or white people on welfare. What is even more frightening than the message of David Duke is that 670,000 Louisianans saw fit to vote for the messenger.
To stereotype any group of indiivudals (as Mr. Ronning did) in such lewd and disgusting terms should be offensive to all of us; regardless of sexual orientation. My hope is that Mr. Ronning's viewpoint is one that is on the "fringe." My fear is that intolerance of our differences (be they cultural, racial or sexual) is finding a safe niche in our society.
Lastly, although I believe in free speech and would defend Mr. Ronning's right to it, I have to question his wisdom and judgement. It is my opinion that those of us that are privileged and fortuante enough to be working with and educating today's young adults have a moral obligation to help open minds; not clamp them shut.
Sincerely,
Kathy Gretzenburg
Counseling Dept.
_______________________
Dear Editor and Ursinus community,
With all due respect, I believe that all of the arguing over the existence of GALA has gone too far. If it goes much further, it may only serve to divide the Ursinus community even more. As a Christian, while I don't agree with what GALA stands for, I believe my Master has called me to "love my neighbor." And let us not forget the admonition that "he who is without sin cast the first stone." I doubt seriously that any of us, Mr. Ronning, myself, etc. are "without sin," so we should try to learn more about GALA and what they are trying to do--gain recognition on a campus that could probably learn more from allowing them to organize and dialogue with the rest of them from bickering and throwing around heated opinions and misinterpreted scripture references. Some of my friends are in GALA, and I feel terrible that they have been subjected to as much heat as has been generated recently. I believe that it is a true test of character to be able to hold on to your own beliefs and also to understand and love those who may disagree with you at the same time. As a member of the heterosexual population, I may not understand why homosexuals feel the way they do, but that doesn't mean that I or anyone else can tell them they can't organize as a potentially vital part of this campus.
Sincerely,
Shawn Glancy
Class of 1992
(Addendum to letter on page 9)
Dublin Core
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"More Response to Ronning Letter," November 26, 1991
Subject
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Studnets, faculty and staff continue to respond to John Ronning's letter.
Description
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Students, faculty and staff offer various opinions regarding Ronning's controversial letter on GALA.
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Joyce T. Lionarons, Andrew Economopolous, Kathy Gretzenburg, Shawn Glancy
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The Grizzly
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Ursinus College
Date
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November 26, 1991
Economopoulos
GALA
Glancy
Gretzenburg
homosexuality
Lionarons
Ronning
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History of the GSA
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If we stood back and looked at Ursinus College from an outsider's perspective, what would we see? Most of us would agree that, academically, Ursinus is a solid school, attracting a solid student body, but not quite in the prestigious liberal arts college category with Swarthmore or Haverford. Socially, most of us would like to see some changes but we might be stretching it to say Ursinus has a poor or below average social life in comparison to some "suitcase" colleges. A general conclusion might be that Ursinus is a pretty good college, let's keep it just as it is. "It it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Is "pretty good" good enough? There seems to be a general feeling in the student body that the status quo at Ursinus is good enough. While academically Ursinus has moved forward and continues to do so with the addition of newer, more modern buildings, building renovations, changes to a more writing intensive curriculum, and the addition of top faculty members. It is the social scene that concerns me.
If you think this is going to turn into a tirade against the Greek system, you are wrong. Ursinus has a quite healthy, thriving Greek system. It has without a doubt made the single greatest contribution to Ursinus' social life. But does that mean Ursinus' social life can't be improved? Can we all honestly saw [sic] we are satisfied with ursinus' social scene and not one thing should be changed?
Yet when one social change is proposed to try to unify this small campus into a "family like" atmosphere, transcending the cliques that I think 99% of us have critisized at one point in our college careers, these proposals are either supported in word but not deed, or roundly criticized. When a group is formed that's membership has resolved to express their true feelings about themselves and about the culture they represent, an admirable goal that takes much courage, some in the campus community still ask them to conform to what is supposedly "natural."
I would guess that most of us would like to see a more socially unified campus which keeps its traditional institutions yet also has a social life in which the entire student body can get involved, regardless of the letters or symbols worn. This has been the main thrust of the associate editor's writings in the past weeks, although some may have taken personal offense. And I think most of us would like to see Ursinus become a more diverse, socially conscious campus as seen in some of the letters to the editor not necessarily supporting GALA but supporting its right to exist.
In closing, let us all look at Ursinus College and think about what we would like it to be and what kind of school we would like to graduate from. Before we criticize ideas about change and growth, let us think about the positive good they may bring. If you think Ursinus is as good as it's going to get, then fine, be satisfied with the status quo. But if you do not, and I think most of you do not, then endeavor to make "pretty good" better.
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"Is 'Pretty Good' Enough?" November 26, 1991
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Change and growth at Ursinus
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Opinions Editor Steven Grubb argues that Ursinus should more positively consider change, work towards improving the community.
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Steven Grubb
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The Grizzly
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Ursinus College
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November 26, 1991
GALA
Grubb
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History of the GSA
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To the editors of The Grizzly,
Okay, I would just like to say three simple words, "Get off it!"
The debate that has raged on in The Grizdy over homosexulality has gotten OLD!
Is there no other news in this world? Even OJ. Simpson reports would be better than this.
Dr. Nagy and his supporters have their opinions. Everyone else has their own opinions.
My suggestion is wise up. You can't force your beliefs on other people. They will end up resenting
you for it. Grow up!
Thank you,
Caroline Kurtz
Class of 1998
Original Format
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newspaper article
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"Enough is Enough!" November 7th, 1995.
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edit
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edit
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Caroline Kurtz
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The Grizzly
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Ursinus College
Date
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1995-1996
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pdf
Language
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English
Type
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opinion article
debate
Gender
sexuality
speech
The Grizzly
Ursinus
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Title
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History of the GSA
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Bears Make History Banner
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Lauren Geiger
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Ursinus College
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December 7th, 2016
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History of the GSA
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insert in newspaper article
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edit
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Captain Jack
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The Grizzly
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Ursinus College
Date
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1995-1996
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pdf
Language
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English