Page 104 - Scrimshaw1979-80

~~M\~w Letters to the Editor Both of these projects will be The land of the free? At .Apathy attacked the completed within the next few this year. (Please see back for more information.) Proceedsfrom the bike ride help weeks. We are requesting student a recent meeting, members of the Trustee Com. involvement in this process. If support programs that the CCARC L{,o~lard Mattovtch's appearance on campus next Monday night will mittee on Student Affairs interested, please contact Mit. a operate for the mentally han. dicapped. These include summer member of the committee: no doubt touch off a series of debates on the'Jegality, morality, and discussed the growing concern of chell Alexander (Apt. lC). Mimi camps, recreational events, norma lacy of homosexuality. The right to live, to work, and 10worship student apathy. We concluded that as one pleases, taken for granted by most Americans, is a goal this problem has contributed to a Griffin (Blanche 222).John Leitzel vocational training, a residential towards which the gay community must be constantly fighting. lack of cohesiveness as well as a (Apt. 3A) and Gary Stern (MacLea home and an advocacy program. America's attitudes toward homosexuality seem, at times. to take on negative attitude within the WMC D). The CCARC is celebrating Its 25th the proportions of a witch-hunt. It is ironic that in "the land of the community. In response to this Help out-ride a bike Anniversary this year. Community free" people are not free to make choices about the most private part situation we proposed to evaluate supported projects like the bike of their lives-their sexual preferences. all student organizations and their Dear EdItor ride have assIsted the ARC in Homosexuality is. quite simply. an alternate life-style. It is not a objectives, and to make recom The Carroll County Association providing the necessary services cenragtous disease. nor is it the sign of a declining society. And no one mendatlons hopefully establishing for Retarded Citizens, Inc. Is now in the county In the past and we are has the right to call it wrong. The Christia.n community, and other a more effective useof the campus making plans for the 8th Annual looking forward to continuing our communities. joining together under the banners of 'humanity', resources. A more positive student Ride·A·Bike tee the Retarded Day efforts for the handicapped. With 'Christianity'. and 'decency' have often decried the gay lifestyle. attitude is hopedto be the result of and we hopethat you will beable to your cooperation, we will be When do we realize that non-acceptance of another human being this endeavor, per+lctpate. The ride will be held successful. doesnot make us more human? Whendo westop asserting our identity The committee also decided that on Sunday, May 4, 1980. Routes An application ter-m Is attached negatively through the suppression of someoneelse's identity? When it will interview voluntarily the have been established in several and additional forms are available do we slop worrying about decency and begin to practice it; starting at various locations in the county with our fellow human beings regardless of their sexual pr.efernces? candidates for the upcoming SGA communities and minI rides will be or by callIng our office at848·'(124. We worry about teaching our children to be morally sound,meanwhile elections. We felt that the student ~ conducted at Westminster High We hopethat you wIll be with us passing on to them a practice of oppression that is Inhuman to say the bOdy would benefit from a!'! ob School and on Freedom Avenue in onMay4. least. [ectlva appraisal of these con. Eldersburg. the tot ride will also be , The gay community does not need to come out of the etesets. The tenders. held at WestmInster High Schoo! Sincerely, oppressive heterosexual society needs to come out of their closets; Personal Viewpoint Mikeand Bettie Smith their closets of cppressten, righteousness, prejudice, ignorance, cruelty. stereotyping, and discrimination. All of those evils are Growing up with gay parents practiced in the name of "cleaning up society". The Anita Bryants of the world have perverted the messageof humanity and Christianity, and taken the businessof making judgements into their own hands, walk up to many of my fr-iendsand But. fortunately, this action will not wipe out the gay community- Being the daughter of a lesbian may sound totally absurd but it's say, "-You should be locked up! quite the contrary. The opposition has resulted in thousandsof people, has really helped me to grow and true. 11has never directly scared You're sick!" No one person is any regardless of their sexual preferences standing up to take action understand the whole realm of me, nor have I felt any pressure better than all the rest of us. against discrimination, Scrimshaw would like to join these people in relationships between a man and a from her to follow in her tcctetecs-. Homosexuality is not wrong. It's a affirming our freedom as human beings-freedom to choosewhom and woman, two women and two men. -qulte the opposite. She has choice made by two consenting how we love, without being condemned, labeled, or ostracized. Any My mother's relationships are strongly encouraged all of us not to adults and doesn't need the sub action taken against a homosexual because.ofhis sexual preference is speclal to her as well as to all of us choose homosexuality. She says, jectlvity of the rest of a messed up an action taken against all of us, becauseeither we're all going to be kIds. I don't look at Rita and her " ...no comment other than to society that can't get it together free- ._ together and feel uncomfortable. suggest you never hide yourself in enough to see past their own self or non of usare. Actually, It never phased me. I the gay world. It is anything but righteousness. difference the noticed Personal Viewpoint haven't for quite sometime. That gay, what a misnomer ..." Many look down on this lifestyle Mom never pushed. We have by saying that it's "unnatural". really always been free to make our own According to Del Martin and Biblical taboos refuted decisions as well as our own Phyllis Lyon in Le~bian!Woman, observed have mistakes. If we fell flat on our " ... Biologists rats, activities forbIdden strictly homosexuality pigs, mice, hampsters, knew she'd be there tor support. IraG.Zepp. A group of men from Sodom here Includes the eating of rabbit, faces, we picked ourselves up and homosexual porcupines, guInea in marten, When my sister moved away and rabbits, Since the American Psychiatric wanted to know (yada) the angels shrimp, oysters, rare meat and became involved with another cattle, antelope, dogs, cats, goats, Association took homosexyallty off who were visiting Lot, t.e. they having intercourse with a men- woman, Mom never took her horses, lions, sheep, monkeys, Its sick list about five years ago, wanfed to have sex wIth them. strating woman. Since we no support away. When my sister, chimpanzees...." In a quote from the homophobes' res+ resort has Someargue that the worcvknow" longer consider the laHer unclean then decided that she'd changed Patterns of Sexual Behavior by beenthe Bible. Being Gay, if not a here refers to becoming and sinful, how is It we retaIn this her mind and fell head over heels Drs. Clelland Ford and Frank sickness, isatleastasln! acquainted, but the context and the passage as a stricture against in love with Roger, Mom still Beach, It was stated, It's sinful character, however, Hebrew word seem clear. In the homosexualIty? W~ are also continued to care for, love, and "homosexuality, while prevalent, has been under very serious next verse Lot offers his vIrgin clearly told In this verse to put support her. is not the predominant sexual scrufiny by Biblical scholars of daughters to the men "for them to homosexuals to death. Sincewe do When any of us have quesflons activity observed in these societies many persuasIons for the past know." For other in-terpreters, this nof deem Is approprIate to execute eIther she or Rita are very willing and animals ..." For example, twenty.five years. 11aUbegan wIth passage Is a judgement of God Gay people, by what Insight do we to answer them, although Rita Is there are other groups within our Derrick S, aenue's Homosexuality against the sIn of Inhospitality, by keep the prohibition against much more open to our questions society that are prevalent but not and the Western Christian no means a peccadillo In the an- homosexuality? These are some than Mom. They chose to tell each prominent, such as the Catholics. Tradition. cient Near East. The men of serious hermeneutical questIons. of us as they felt we were ready to Do they get condemned? Are they The upshot of most of this In· Sodom did not welcome Lot, who Further, Israel's authors did not deal with It. subjected to the eccusettces.tbet vestigatlon is that how one sup· with the visiting angels, were neatly distinguish ceremonIal and Mom used to try to suppress her homosexualsare? ports one's position on stranger In the community. In fact, moral law as conveniently as we feelings after we left my father. If In terms of custody, Il)any homosexuality from the Bible Is nowhere in canonical Scripture is do. didn't work. She started drinking lesbians do have problems getting largely a hermeneutical Issue. On the sin of Sodom understood to be and gradually she could only their kids. We were never caught the one hand, unless there is homosexuality. Whenever the sin If one quotes Deuteronomy 23:17 tolerate life when she had a drink up In that fight because our father rampant elsegesls with the text, is menfloned In Jeremiah 29:14, and I Kings 14:24, 15:12, 22:46as tn her hand. My sister and I svt- didn't want us for the first 8 or 9 condenmation of what seems to be Ezekiel 16:49·52, and by Jesus evidence of condemnation of fered more damage from that than years after the divorce. Last fall, homosexuality does appear in the (Luke 10:10·12)' It Is invariably a homosexuality, the reader should from any of her present or' Mom wrote' saying, " ...Daddy Bible. On the other hand, many reference to Sodonm's proud and be reminded that these passages previous relationships. Mom Is a called and told the kids about his sincere Blble-bellevlnq Christians uncaring heart whIch made It a deal with male prostitution. And very Intelligent woman and saw move. He asked them to move with strongly disagree on the In· notoriously bad host. The first prostitution, along with rape what was happening to us as a him. Your sister said no and your terpreteucn er these verses. Their mention of SOdom's sin as (homosex.ual or heterosexual), Is family. Now, she rarely drInks brother thought a lot about if, but meaning is not altogether clear; homosexuality appeared in the violent and unacceptable human anything other than beer and never he thinks hewill stay home and try hence, the centrality of the her. ncn-cencntcet Book of Jubilees, behavior. gets drunk. to see Dad as often as he can..." roenecucar question. just preceedlng the Chrlsllanera. My biggest problem dealing with Since my brother has begged to go There are three different On two other counts, though, one Romans 1:26·27 Mom and her choice of lesbianism live with Dad for 8 cr s years, I was specific references In the Bible to justifiably wonders why God did was that she didn't tell me. Rita suprlsed; but he says he feels more homosexuality: GenesIs 19:4·11, ( not condemn the offering of Lot's did, Mom and I have since dealt comfortable when he's home and correlatrve passage recording a daughters {Are women In. " ...thelr women exchanged wIth It and now can discuss questions his life with Dad. Mom homosexual gang rape Is In Judges dispensable?) and the Incestuous natural relations for unnatural and anything that comesalong. has secondthoughts. "Maybe they 19:22·28),Leviticus 18:22arid 20:13 affairs I)ls daughters had with him men likewise gave up natural I have a diffIcult time would be better off to go to Jive and Romans 1:26·17.There are two later In Chapter 19. That relations with women and were recognizing and comprehending with Dad. At least they's have a Incidental Pauline references in I prohibitIon comes later In consumed with passion for one people's negative feelings toward normal home for once." I tend to Corinthians 6:9·10 and I Timothy Levll1cus 18. another, men committing any other person as well as their questIon that. I've been to visit my 1:8·11. I use fhe word "Incidental" shameful acts with men." need to condemn them. What right father and step.mother. There Is because first, the homosexuality Leviticus 18:22 This Is probably the clearest does any one))erson (or any group more bitterness and fighting there mentioned here Is ambiguous In (See parallel! BIblical teaching on of people) have to say that my than I remember from my younger meaning (It was first translated passageIn 20:13 homosexuality as a dls·orderlng of mother's lifestyle Is wrong or years living with my parents. homosexuality In the 1946edltlonof continued to page 3 deviant? What right do I have to In conclusion, I feel that I have the Revised Standard Version) and grown more and am a more well· secondly, it apears In a catalogue "You shall not lie with a male as rounded person than I could ever of sins including drunkenness, with a woman; it is an Spires reads in McDaniel - have been coming from a per. greed and gossip. abomination. If a male lies with a manen';ly shattered family. Each I would like to examine briefly male as with a woman, both of Westminster, Md-· Poet Hopkins Writing Seminar M.F.A. of us kids has dealt with the _ the operative Biblical passages them have committed an Elizabeth Spires will give a program. Her works have been situation openly and honestly. We and suggest some possible in· abomination; they shall be put to reading of her works at Western published in the New Yorker and have struggled with ideals and terpretations. death, their blood is uponthem." Maryland College on Thursday, Poetry. identities just like all other young The context of this passage Genesis 19:4·11 (Leviticus 11·10) is the holiness ~~g!~ at 4 p.m. in McDaniel This event is sponsored by the :~~~eih:!~ee!":;~s~~ui~ldv~~~ Sodom code of Israel. Other activity than Ms. SpirE;S. pJI:e.n.d.C!i•. y.a.s~r :f61opel~hn ~:~;tp~~~~. ~nd is free w ""',,',~."be. tter identify this side of ,h College and i~ a graduate of Johns ....