To Rob Zeis:

I found your article an interesting mix of well thought out observations, but unfortunately, the few viable points that you make are overshadowed by a string of thoughts that can only be described as terribly ignorant.

I agree with you; “homophobe” is a terribly overused term. It seems that homophobe is used to describe any person who opposes homosexuality, and as you stated, this is simply false. I’m glad that someone out there is making note of it.

I also agree that people who oppose sexuality should not be afraid to express their opinions. However, you should not be upset by the fact that some people disagree with you.

On the other hand, I disagree with just about everything else that you stated in your article. I will attempt to go through them one by one.

1. You infer that homosexuals should attempt to lead a straight lifestyle, despite their obvious conflicts with it. I would pose this question to you: Suppose heterosexuality was in the minority; would you lead a homosexual lifestyle merely to appease society? Could you? I know that I certainly couldn’t.

When you approach it from this angle, it becomes strikingly apparent that your arguments do not hold up very well. Homosexuals should not have to change their lifestyles in order to appease the majority. Nor does it make them “happier.” How does suppressing ones beliefs make them “happier” or a better person?

2. As far as the “can of worms” (referring to other sexual traits such as “pedophilia and other sexual predators) that you so conveniently left out, I would like a clarification. By all means, convince me of how homosexuality is a predatory sexual trait. I’d like to hear your logic on this one.

3. Please don’t try and use Congress as a means to support the idea that homosexuality is wrong. It’s very obvious to those who don’t live in caves that it is election time again, and it’s amazing the things that they will pass during a presidential race.

4. You make an interesting point about “Gay Pride Days,” and for a while I too wondered why they existed. I’ve come to believe that they exist simply because it is a time when they can rally with other gays, and feel like part of a closely knit group. It serves as a way to release the anger that they have about people like you. It also serves as a way to politically represent themselves as a force. They are not trying to actively rub their gayness in your face, no more than the million man march was trying to rub their blackness in your face.

Mr. Zeis, if the world were a perfect place, we all would be equally accepting of each other. Obviously this won’t happen in our lifetimes. You need to draw a line between agreeing and accepting.

It angers me to see people such as yourself perpetuating such ignorant concepts, but all the same I accept that you are not going to change in the near future and that it is simply who you are.

By the way; take your word processor and replace “homosexuals” with “blacks” and “straights” with “whites.” Isn’t it interesting how our society defines bigotry differently for different groups of people?

Ryan McGinnis

Freshman

Meteorology