Sonoma State Star

Issue date: 4/1/08 Section: News

SSU Mathematics Professor Rick Luttmann voiced his opinions about the discriminatory policies of blood banks, and has since received death threats. [Click to enlarge]

"He's using the gay card to further his own agenda,"- a remark commonly heard regarding the furor over Rick Luttmann's stance against SSU's blood drive, for what he called discriminatory toward gays, which has subsequently led to anonymous calls and death threats.

Luttmann explained one of the death threats appeared in the Press Democrat (PD). Luttmann lashed out at the regional newspaper calling them "journalistically irresponsible."

"They chose to publish those letters. They fed the public's bigotry. The public's making me the issue instead of the blood banks and the anti-gay discrimination," said Luttmann, SSU mathematics professor.

Luttmann called the death threats that started after the Press Democrat's run "Planet of the Apes" stuff. He received anti-gay rants, a caller accusing him of ripping off the California taxpayers and advertising his sexual orientation. A caller he did not know yelled "No Contaminated Blood!" before abruptly hanging up in his ear.

"Now what is he saying? Does he think I'm some sort of Darth Vader or Lex Luthor who is diabolically trying to contaminate the blood supply so lots of people will die?", said Luttmann, chuckling. He has grown to see the comedic aspect of the calls.

Luttmann explained that he reported this and other threats of concern to Police Services for their investigation.

Chief of Police Services Nate Johnson commented that Luttmann did not report these threats officially. Johnson added that he was not closely in touch with the investigation and that he did not know its status.

"[Luttmann] did forward a few emails. He did not submit it for the official investigation," said Johnson, adding he was not able to comment further at this time.

Adding to the responses received to the Press Democrat's March 8 coverage of the mathematics professor's protest, The Blood Bank of the Redwoods (BBR) accused him of confusing the issue regarding the policy of banning gay men to donate at the monthly SSU blood drive.

Continued...

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