I am writing in response to the Oct. 29 article, "Controversial Panel questions homosexuality's health risks." Although there definitely has been controversy surrounding this panel, there certainly wasn't any in it. All three of the panelists were in agreement when they attacked homosexuality, with one saying that "there is no such thing as gay people."
The panel was sponsored by the Tufts Republicans, and Nicholas Boyd, their president, was quoted as saying that the panelists were examples of the conservative views that his group wants to bring to campus, and that discussions are only made richer by bringing in all views.
My question is, when does expressing a point of view become discrimination? It seems that these days, the last holdout of socially acceptable discrimination is against homosexuals. If the panel was vilifying inter-racial relationships, or relationships between people of different religions, would Tufts students think it was right that it was being held on campus? Whether our differences are based on race, religion or sexual preference, is it ever acceptable that a group of students be singled out in this fashion?
LGBT students are part of the Tufts community, and it's wrong to bring their attackers here to demean them, without even giving them a voice on the panel. If Mr. Boyd truly wanted to encourage rich discussions including different points of view, he would have asked an advocate of the LGBT community to participate.
I think that the Tufts Republicans need to consider just for a moment how it would feel to be singled out as leading a deviant lifestyle in the Tufts community, where all students are meant to be accepted and respected. The LGBT community is fully aware of the intolerance that exists against them in this society, but to have these criticisms brought into their own home by their peers must make it many times more hurtful. The Tufts Republicans might do well to rethink the kinds of panelists they bring to our school, and the message they send to others when they deliberately single out and disparage a group in the Tufts community.
Maggie Clary
LA '07
