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https://omeka.ursinus.edu/files/original/fb43f8bcb5bf165cb2366664c32e8be1.JPG
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Dublin Core
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Title
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History of the GSA
Text
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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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Title
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"Ronning Responses Critiqued," November 26, 1991
Subject
The topic of the resource
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.
Creator
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Mike Evans
Source
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The Grizzly
Publisher
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Ursinus College
Date
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November 26, 1991
Dawley
Evans
GALA
Hess
Jones
Kelley
Ronning
Sylvester
Talens
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https://omeka.ursinus.edu/files/original/58aca48d75f4ff392ce78792121a2120.jpg
6ebb104d7a102b2cfeb174776951ebb9
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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History of the GSA
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Text
Any textual data included in the document
As Americans, we are guranteed the freedom of speech by the First Amendment of the Constitution. This amendment does not, however, gurantee that what we write will be of good opinion or in good taste. In the last issue of The Grizzly, two faculty letters expressed views concerning the recently founded Ursinus chapter of GALA. Generally, I feel (as I believe a majority of the students at Ursinus feel) that students look to the faculty not only as experienced teachers of selected subject matter, but also human beings with a greater understanding of life. Therefore, it would seem that a faculty letter regarding GALA would give substantial reasoning for why GALA should or should not exist at Ursinus in the context of the school rather than based on personal judgement.
While I feel that everyone has the right to express their opinion, I believe that Mr. Ronning's letter in the last issue of the paper did not even attempt to relate GALA to the context of the school or to the need it would provide a certain poriton of the student body. Instead, Mr. Ronning's article attempted to explain the reasoning behind why he felt "homosexualitiy is an unhealthy perversion" rather than why he felt the GALA organization should not exist. For a man of science, surprisingly, Ronning's article lacked scientific reasoning and proof. Ronning created a stereotype in which he explicitly suggested the sexual practices of the entire homosexual population. Does he feel the sexual practices of the entire heterosexual population are "normal" in comparison? To prove this assumption false, one has merely to turn on the news or glance at a newspaper to hear of the strange (may I even suggest perverse) practices of a percentage of the hetersexual population. As a heterosexual person, I would not like to be placed in a stereotype with many of the heterosexual people that frequent singles bars and clubs across the country. I think it is just as ridiculous to assume that all homosexuals participate in the practices that Ronning offers as "regular features of gay culture." Stereotyping all homosexuals as perverse, raging sex fiends allows those that Mr. Ronning considers "normal, healthy people" to continue to debase the homosexual population and deny the validity of their existence. To accept homosexuals as people who are capable of monogamous, loving relationships would mean admitting that they are similar to "normal, healthy" heterosexuals.
In consideration of Mr. Ronning's feelings regarding the safety of homosexual actions, many diseases that were known originally to have been spread throughout the homosexual population are now prevalent among hetersexual populations. With the recent announcement of Magic Johnson's contaction of the AIDS virus, many people were awakened to the fact that AIDS does not discriminate, and to the fact that even heterosexual practices can lead to contraction of the diesease. It is impossible to question the safety of homosexual practices without quesitoning the practice of all sexual human beings.
As for Ursinus in regard to the GALA, no one has to like the organization, people mrely have to accept it and the needs of the students it is serving. GALA has had some complications surrounding its beginning on campus, but these complications arise in any college organization. GALA has been approved by the Student Activites Committee (SAC) and does plan to provide activities such as speakers, programs, and awareness evetns. Dr. Oboler's letter published in last week's Grizzly stated that SAC is "debating as to whether the campus will beneift from the organization." Would an organization take the trouble to approach SAC with a proposed constitution if it was not serious in its intentions? In what other campus clubs are people putting their lifestyle on the line in order to gain campus recognition as a legitimate organization? Letters like Mr. Ronning's (who sadly represents a significant portion of the country's population) should remind us that the time has come to accept people who are different from ourselves. Although some of society has changed its opinion to the point of tolerating homosexuality, many others are still classified as "homophobes." Perhaps it is wrong to belive that all unaware and uncomfortable people suffer from "homophobia." In that case, the services GALA plans to provide through programs and speakers should help to educate the portion of the campus population that is unfamiliar with or uncomfortable with homosexuality. As Dr. Oboler stated in her letter last week, "I believe that all students will benefit from any organization that makes efforts towards increasing appreciation of diversity."
The preamble of the Constitution gives all United States citizens the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The time has come for these rights to extend beyond hetersexual people to include all people. As human beings, the time has come to accept that other people have needs which differ from our own, and that we may possibly benefit from the views and opinions of others. Mr. Ronning's opinion served the college community well; it made others strengthen and reevaluate their own opinions concerning the GALA organization. Unfortunately, I don't believe society will move in a positive direction if people continue to hold opinions similar to Mr. Ronning.
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Title
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"Writing in Good Taste," November 19, 1991
Subject
The topic of the resource
John Ronning's letter on GALA
Description
An account of the resource
Ellen R. Sylvester, the Assistant Opinions Editor, argues that Ronning's letter was harmful and stereotyped the homosexual populaiton.
Creator
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Ellen R. Sylvester
Source
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The Grizzly
Publisher
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Ursinus College
Date
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November 19, 1991
AIDS
GALA
homosexual
homosexuality
Magic Johnson
Oboler
Ronning
Sylvester