Dear Lantern Editor:I have been a graduate student at OSU for over four years, and I have never been so saddened and offended by an article in the Lantern (although I have cringed while reading it several times) as I am now. The article written by Chris Alexander, “Gay Awareness Week Glorifies Perversity” leads me to feel embarrassment toward being his fellow Ohio State student. To me, this article exemplifies the term “hate mongering.” It projects and image of Ohio State students as ignorant, hateful, Nazi-types. Equating gay, or the outdated term “homosexual,” to “rape,” “birth defect,” “pedophilia,” “child molestation,” “kleptomania,” and “perversity” is an outrage and preposterous! This type of writing only perpetuates hate and violence on The Ohio State campus and in the Columbus community. As an exemplary OSU student, Chris Alexander exudes an anti-gay sentiment that defaces this whole campus environment. In fact, his article serves as a testament to how little ground has been gained in the area of civil rights for gays and lesbians in this country and on this campus. This article would not have been printed if the object of his attack had been African Americans, women, American Indians, or Asian Americans. For example, how would OSU students react to headlines that read– “Women`s Awareness Week Glorifies Weakness and Subservience” or “African American Awareness Week Glorifies Genetic Inferiority” Reflecting ignorance and obvious misconception, this article is ludicrous as would be the ones I have suggested. Mr. Alexander has obviously been raised in suburbia and thinks of “normal” as his own little world of two “hetero” parents, two kids, trips to Disney, a white picket fence, and a minivan. The way that he sets up his argument demonstrates how anything existing in excess to his own little world is dangerous, abnormal, and perverse i.e. “the handicapped”, the “homosexual,” anyone with a “birth defect,” and “O.J. Simpson” and “Rodney King.” He states, “I understand the pride in handicapped people overcoming birth defects and leading normal lives.” Just what is a normal life to this so-called writer? What must be overcome? What isn`t normal about a “handicap?” Also, what is he saying about race and African Americans in this article? The only person in Alexander`s essay that he seems to identify with or sympathize with is Reginald Denny (a white `manly man` who drives a truck). Maybe Mr. Alexander thinks that everyone who isn`t a straight, white, man (without any physical or mental “defects”) is normal…just like Mr. Alexander himself. I am sure that he wonders why we all can`t be more like him. Maybe we should try harder to conform to his superior image? No way! Finally, we get to the heart of the matter as Mr. Alexander admits to his fear of lesbians. He states, “The female gay, however, DOES scare me.” Alexander has an image of the lesbian as “hell-bent,” “playing crappy music,” and “killing all men.” He laments, “How come lesbians in real life aren`t like those nice ladies you see in late night Cinemax (Skinamax) movies?” Gee, Mr. Alexander, I wonder why most women in general aren`t running around like eager-to-please nymphets? Maybe we have more important things to do, which does not include “killing all men?” And anyway, Isn`t “nice lady” just another way of saying “doormat?” It appears that one of the driving forces behind this little tirade is now apparent. FEAR!! So Mr. Alexander is scared of women, and could have some unresolved issues regarding his mother (who knows?); why should OSU`s whole gay and lesbian community and student body have to be subjected to this harassment? This article makes yelling “fire” in a crowded theater look like “child`s play.” It is a direct attack on OSU`s gay and lesbian population, and all students, faculty, and administrators who support a safe and just campus environment. Mr. Alexander is against legislation that protects people from hate crimes and guarantees health care to domestic partners noting that this would be “unconstitutional.” However, this article seems to be a public violation of gay and lesbian students`, faculty`, administrators`, and staff`s rights to a safe campus environment on every level. To me this article is HARASSMENT, and should not be tolerated from any venue, including this newspaper. How far can we let this type of hate speech go? I think that Mr. Alexander should take a step back and re-read his little hate-article and think about who is really “perverse” here. His final statement of “hetero is bettero” shows the lack of maturity, smugness, inflated sense of superiority, and ignorance at work in this article. Not to mention FEAR. WE SHOULD ALL FEAR Mr. Alexander and the hate and “perverted” sense of “hetero,” racial, and physical superiority he brings to OSU`s campus. His verbal terrorism should not be tolerated!
Denise DavisGraduate StudentCultural Studies in Education
