2008 Woodie Awards
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (4)
Issue date: 3/23/06 Section: Opinion/Editorial
- Page 1 of 1
Homosexuality 'not a disease' as organization suggests
Stephanie Kiszczak's article, "Christian organization says all homosexuals unhappy, desire change," did a wonderful job of exposing the hypocrisy of the Love Won Out conference. However, there are a few additional facts that might help Journal readers understand why more than 700 gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and supportive heterosexual people gathered together in the Love Needs No Cure vigil to protest the conference.
Love Won Out is a religious organization. If they limited their presentation to religious dogma, while I would not agree with their message, I would respect their right to present it. Unfortunately, Love Won Out does not limit its presentation to religious beliefs. They present pseudo-science and discredited mental health theories as if they were scientific facts. Topics in the Love Won Out conference program included 'treating homosexuality' and 'preventing homosexuality.'
The Love Needs No Cure vigil was there to remind everyone involved that homosexuality is not considered a disease by any reputable mental health or medical organization. Homosexuality is not "preventable and treatable" as Love Won Out claims, because it is not a disease.
Steve Houldsworth
Adjunct Faculty
Professors should show 'restraint' in classroom lecture
Yes, you got it right and I agree with you. ("Students tape-recording professors perform service for taxpayers," page A4, March 9 issue.) What would you do if a professor yells at you, calls you stupid in front of the whole class, slams the table, throws your papers back at you and gives you more assignments then he gives to some students?
Not all professors are fair, even though they must promise to be so. Please read below: AAUP/On Academic Freedom. "...College and university teachers are citizens, members of a learned profession, and officers of an educational institution. When they speak or write as citizens, they should be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but their special position in the community imposes special obligations. As scholars and educational officers, they should remember that the public may judge their profession and their institution by their utterances.
Hence they should at all times be accurate, should exercise appropriate restraint, should show respect for the opinions of others, and should make every effort to indicate that they are not speaking for the institution."
To read more, please check http://www.aaup.org.
Nilsen Turan-Kennedy
Graduate Student, Studio Art
Racism should be promptly addressed on college campuses
Racism is a very important issue, especially on college campuses. ("Racist remark left on dorm door," page A1, March 9 issue.) There are many who think it no longer exists. However, this incident proves that it does in fact still exist and it is as close as our own campus. I was shocked to learn about the event, which happened in January, over a month later.
I feel that this is something students should have known about immediately and that these issues need to be addressed. I was proud to see that Stephanie Covington wrote this article. If it had not been written, many students, almost two months later, would still have no idea of the racism that a student has been subjected to.
Antoinette Boyd
Junior
Marketing/Public Relations
Nothing better than newsprint on your fingertips
I have found The St. Louis Journalism Review helpful in keeping me current on what is happening to the newspaper where I worked for 31 years, winding up as Washington bureau chief.
I find it absurd to suggest that the review has been somehow responsible for the Post-Dispatch's decline from greatness. Rather, the review has tried, especially at various times. I would continue to read it online, but you can't beat hard copy that you can hold in your hand.
I hope you can manage to keep it operating, preferably in print.
Richard Dudman
Ellsworth, Maine
Stephanie Kiszczak's article, "Christian organization says all homosexuals unhappy, desire change," did a wonderful job of exposing the hypocrisy of the Love Won Out conference. However, there are a few additional facts that might help Journal readers understand why more than 700 gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and supportive heterosexual people gathered together in the Love Needs No Cure vigil to protest the conference.
Love Won Out is a religious organization. If they limited their presentation to religious dogma, while I would not agree with their message, I would respect their right to present it. Unfortunately, Love Won Out does not limit its presentation to religious beliefs. They present pseudo-science and discredited mental health theories as if they were scientific facts. Topics in the Love Won Out conference program included 'treating homosexuality' and 'preventing homosexuality.'
The Love Needs No Cure vigil was there to remind everyone involved that homosexuality is not considered a disease by any reputable mental health or medical organization. Homosexuality is not "preventable and treatable" as Love Won Out claims, because it is not a disease.
Steve Houldsworth
Adjunct Faculty
Professors should show 'restraint' in classroom lecture
Yes, you got it right and I agree with you. ("Students tape-recording professors perform service for taxpayers," page A4, March 9 issue.) What would you do if a professor yells at you, calls you stupid in front of the whole class, slams the table, throws your papers back at you and gives you more assignments then he gives to some students?
Not all professors are fair, even though they must promise to be so. Please read below: AAUP/On Academic Freedom. "...College and university teachers are citizens, members of a learned profession, and officers of an educational institution. When they speak or write as citizens, they should be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but their special position in the community imposes special obligations. As scholars and educational officers, they should remember that the public may judge their profession and their institution by their utterances.
Hence they should at all times be accurate, should exercise appropriate restraint, should show respect for the opinions of others, and should make every effort to indicate that they are not speaking for the institution."
To read more, please check http://www.aaup.org.
Nilsen Turan-Kennedy
Graduate Student, Studio Art
Racism should be promptly addressed on college campuses
Racism is a very important issue, especially on college campuses. ("Racist remark left on dorm door," page A1, March 9 issue.) There are many who think it no longer exists. However, this incident proves that it does in fact still exist and it is as close as our own campus. I was shocked to learn about the event, which happened in January, over a month later.
I feel that this is something students should have known about immediately and that these issues need to be addressed. I was proud to see that Stephanie Covington wrote this article. If it had not been written, many students, almost two months later, would still have no idea of the racism that a student has been subjected to.
Antoinette Boyd
Junior
Marketing/Public Relations
Nothing better than newsprint on your fingertips
I have found The St. Louis Journalism Review helpful in keeping me current on what is happening to the newspaper where I worked for 31 years, winding up as Washington bureau chief.
I find it absurd to suggest that the review has been somehow responsible for the Post-Dispatch's decline from greatness. Rather, the review has tried, especially at various times. I would continue to read it online, but you can't beat hard copy that you can hold in your hand.
I hope you can manage to keep it operating, preferably in print.
Richard Dudman
Ellsworth, Maine