Jim Andris, Facebook

Oppression of rights supported by most of dialog participants

From The Alestle, 5/1/74

"Gay Awareness Week" got off to a disturbing, if not disgusting start Monday with the gay liberation dialogue in the Goshen Lounge. The awareness program in the lounge was meant to educate the student body. Educate it did.

Members of the SIU campus community found that there is a very high level of hate for fellow human beings in this community. They could also easily see that this institution of higher learning was the home of a massive amount of ignorance.

The President of Students for Gay Liberation (SGL), Larry Whitsell, sat calmly and received insults from individuals who were cheered-on for their heroics by fellow members of the crowd. With Whitsell was SIU student John Stock who is a member of the executive board of the SGL. Alone these two men stood up for the rights of homosexuals. At no time during the dialogue did they intimidate the crowd. Both tried, calmly, to field questions in a serious manner only to be laughed at and heckled by students of this institution.

Suprisingly the most viscious opponents of SGL to voice opinions on Monday were females, blacks or persons with long hair. All of these people are members of groups who have one time or currently are victims of oppression. It is extremely disappointing to watch members of groups such as blacks and females, two of the most mistreated and oppressed groups in the history of the world, stand up before a large crowd and ignore the rights of another oppressed group of people. We know this is not typical of either group. We are merely saying any member of such a group should know about the social crime of oppression of individual rights. These people should not wish for oppression of any member of society.

Only on rare occasions during the event did a member of the audience stand-up and try to point out the ignorance to individuals who so rudely and offensively attacked the men who were trying to educate the crowd.

The discussion Monday was based on emotion only. It appeared that these heterosexuals felt threatened by the existence of a group of students standing-up for a belief that they, as heterosexuals could not agree with.

Whitsell and Stock were accused of trying to persuade the crowd to become homosexual, although they had explicitly stated they wanted only to educate heterosexuals. They were only trying to show how difficult it is for these people to exist in society merely because they violate an existing social norm. This difficulty was better pointed out by the opponents of SGL in the crowd.

Repeatedly Whitsell and Stock were asked, “If you represent a large number of gays, why aren't they here helping you out?” Whitsell said they were not there because being gay was something which could be hidden and these people hid because they were afraid. After seeing the hostility in the Goshen Lounge that is sufficient reason for their absence.

Homosexuality is no longer considered a mental illness. Psychologists throughout the world are trying to convince people that this foolish old belief is not true. Homosexuality is considered to be a "normal alternative" to having sexual relations with the opposite sex. This was pointed out to the crowd on a couple of occasions but they apparently did not hear, or because of their old beliefs, could not accept a newer, more liberal view of homosexuality.

Homosexuals have very distinct problems in this society. A society in which we are all, theoretically, free to choose our lifestyles. Homosexuals are denied employment just because of their sex habits and are discriminated against "legally." It is a practice most often used by the agencies of our government.

A common argument thrown-out by members of the audience was that homosexuals offended and violated the rights of "normal people" in this society. One questioner went so far as to compare homosexuals with murders. Some were more generous, conceding that these people have a right to different sexual habits. However, they added they should keep them hidden. They said it was tolerable for homosexuality to be practiced privately, but any hint of it shown in public should be illegal. After all, if heterosexuals are offended these people should have no public rights. But nobody bothered to ask, or even seemed to care, if homosexuals disapproved of heterosexuals displaying signs of affection in public.

These people displayed the worst kind of greed. A greed which illustrated that they should have rights as individuals on one hand but on the other hand they failed to give other people, of different opinions an equal amount of rights.

There was some support for Whitsell and Stock. On occassion, when the display of ignorance was logically and honestly rebutted, members of the crowd would cheer in agreement with the criticism of that ignorance.

But with eacy valid statement brought out by the minority, those in attendance could see people actually run to get in lie to express their hatred over the public address system in the lounge. These people would interrupt serious lines of argument to yell vulgar statements at the two men at the table. But never did Whitsell raise his voice. Stock was not quite as calm but even he did not answer irrationally. Opposing viewpoints on any issue is to be expected and encouraged. But opinions in public forum should be expressed with some degree of dignity. Only the representatives of SGL and tiehr few supporters in the crowd displayed this dignity necessary for good discussion.

The same people who screamed about homosexuality being offensive would follow with questions asking if homosexual acts between males was painful. But they did not explore the subject in such polite terms.

Students for Gay Liberation are trying to educate and bring forth the problems facing homosexuals in our society. They are not threatening anyone unless learning is thought of as a threat to society.

Although the Alestle's policy is to keep editorials on the Opinion Pages only, it is felt this case is entirely too important for normal handling. It is extremely discouraging to see this type of complete violation of individual rights in our society.

After years of struggle and several movements by oppressed groups in our society we apparently still have not learned.

The hatred and fear displayed Monday was expressed by young members of our society who not so long ago were demanding freedom from oppression. This is an indication that we have a very, very long way to go.

One encouraging note was struck near the end of the program. A young female member of the audience stepped forward, declared she was heterosexual and asked not to be associated with the heterosexual mass that was illustrating, in such an ugly manner, the human traits of fear, hatred, doubt and ignorance.

The worst part of it all was that the people who were putting on this ugly display of these traits, viewed these traits as something good. They would identify them with Courage.