The opinion pages of a newspaper have always been my favorite section. I like the power and opportunities they hold, allowing a free public discourse. Of course, like all other public resources, they are periodically abused and misused. That is the risk of allowing all people to voice their opinion.

Reading people’s editorials and letters to the editor will sometimes give me a smile or make me shake my head in either agreement or disagreement. Sometimes reading opinions elicits an eye-roll, and more than a couple of times, it has made me rant and rave about how right or wrong it was to anyone who will listen.

And, so last Friday, March 6, I habitually opened up the Daily to the opinion section, scanning the letters for interesting topics or recognized names.

What I found did not make me smile. My reaction was not a simple head shake or eye-roll.

When I read the letter written by Eric S. Vymyslicky about the Boy Scouts deciding to allow homosexuals to be Scoutmasters, I was struck with total horror and disgust.

His depiction and lack of understanding of homosexuals was appalling. I found it difficult to believe that any college student could base opinions on blatant and unfounded stereotypes.

Mr. Vymyslicky wasn’t simply risking not being politically correct by saying homosexuals deserve equality and recognition in the “workforce, sure;” “in the military, maybe;” “in churches, no” and “when being a role model to young and very impressionable boys, most certainly not.”

First of all, it’s not rational to say human beings deserve equality and respect only in certain places and circumstances. Limiting equality and respect in any way precludes the very definition of “equality” and “respect.”

It’s like saying I’ll give a woman equality unless she’s at the voting booth or I’ll give minorities respect except when I see them. Equality means equality all the time. Respect means respect all the time.

Second, if I had a son, I would much rather he have the nurturing, compassionate and respectful homosexual men and women I know as Boy Scout leaders than misinformed and vicious homophobic bigots.

Mr. Vymyslicky also wrote that “ruling after ruling by state and federal courts have slowly been picking away at some of the last things we hold dear as a society.” He went on to state that he believes the “evil, ultra-liberal government has already succeeded at eliminating any sort of family values our generation may have left.”

Some of the most loving, stable and committed relationships I have seen in college are those of lesbian and gay couples I know.

I also know one homosexual couple who provides their children with a loving, secure and nurturing home environment. The “family values” in that untraditional family are very strong, even if they don’t resemble the “family values” of the Christian Coalition.

Mr. Vymyslicky goes on to state “regardless of what geneticists and researchers may say when they try to link homosexuality in some way to a biological source, everyone is still a product of their environment — any psychologist will agree.”

Well, there may be some truth in that — we are, in fact, products of our environment. However, I highly doubt there is some kind of scientific conspiracy trying to legitimize homosexuality by labeling it biological.

If geneticists and researchers, by Vymyslicky’s own admission, are pointing to a biological source for homosexuality, it probably is true.

I’m not a scientist, but I’m willing to believe homosexuality is biological because people who call themselves homosexual say it is. They would know better than anyone else, wouldn’t they?

Mr. Vymyslicky argues homosexuals are unfit Boy Scout leaders because “sex does come up as a topic of discussion in the Boy Scouts.” I asked my boyfriend about this. He couldn’t remember ever discussing sex with his Boy Scout leader.

If my son came home from Boy Scouts and told me his leader had been talking about sex, I’d be concerned — whether he or she were straight or gay. Sex needs to be talked about in the home and during sex education at school. That way, children learn the truth about heterosexuality and homosexuality.

Then those kids can grow up to be adults who know lesbians are not just ugly or tough women who couldn’t find themselves a man. They will know gay men are not lisping fairies. They will understand human sexuality enough to be able to define who they are.

Maybe they’ll be straight. Maybe they’ll be gay. Maybe they’ll be Cub Scout leaders.

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Jonquil Wegmann is a senior in community and regional planning from Bellevue.