2008 Woodie Awards
Letter to the Editor
Issue date: 3/22/06 Section: Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
If Emily Mead (Editor in Chief) had done a little research on the topic she would have learned that the protests against US Military recruitment on campus started long before 9/11, let alone the invasion of Iraq. The issue is not about Iraq. It's about a government that officially discriminates against a large number of its citizens -- gays, lesbians, and bisexuals.
SSU has an excellent non-discrimination policy. It requires that employers agree to this same policy before allowing them to recruit on campus. The US Government treats gays, lesbians, and bisexuals as second-class citizens. We are not afforded the same civil rights as other citizens. For example, serving in the military, civil marriage. But the Solomon Amendment of 1996 allows the US Government to blackmail schools. SSU cannot receive government funding unless the university agrees to overlook their discriminatory policies. Any organization that believes in equality and human dignity would, of course, ban such an entity from using its property to further its causes.
According to a study at UC-Santa Barbara we, the taxpayers, paid $364 million to discharge and replace gay/lesbian/bisexual service members under the US Government's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. There are certainly gay/lesbian/bisexual people who support the efforts in Iraq.
Ironically, the US Government is spending money to prevent them from serving. If anything, the protests are about enhancing the military effort, not anti-war.
For the record, I am for equal civil rights, and I oppose the invasion of Iraq. I am for encouraging all potential employers, including the US Military, to recruit on campus, but only if they do not discriminate against some of the students.
--Robert G. Plantz
Professor Emeritus
If Emily Mead (Editor in Chief) had done a little research on the topic she would have learned that the protests against US Military recruitment on campus started long before 9/11, let alone the invasion of Iraq. The issue is not about Iraq. It's about a government that officially discriminates against a large number of its citizens -- gays, lesbians, and bisexuals.
SSU has an excellent non-discrimination policy. It requires that employers agree to this same policy before allowing them to recruit on campus. The US Government treats gays, lesbians, and bisexuals as second-class citizens. We are not afforded the same civil rights as other citizens. For example, serving in the military, civil marriage. But the Solomon Amendment of 1996 allows the US Government to blackmail schools. SSU cannot receive government funding unless the university agrees to overlook their discriminatory policies. Any organization that believes in equality and human dignity would, of course, ban such an entity from using its property to further its causes.
According to a study at UC-Santa Barbara we, the taxpayers, paid $364 million to discharge and replace gay/lesbian/bisexual service members under the US Government's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. There are certainly gay/lesbian/bisexual people who support the efforts in Iraq.
Ironically, the US Government is spending money to prevent them from serving. If anything, the protests are about enhancing the military effort, not anti-war.
For the record, I am for equal civil rights, and I oppose the invasion of Iraq. I am for encouraging all potential employers, including the US Military, to recruit on campus, but only if they do not discriminate against some of the students.
--Robert G. Plantz
Professor Emeritus