Allow me to respond to a slate of recent letters and Viewpoints about the Tufts Republicans that have recently appeared in The Tufts Daily.
Many attendees of our recent "Homosexuality and Society" lecture expressed appreciation that it had been held, and dismay that they had not previously been exposed to the arguments presented. Above all, there was no "hatred, intolerance," or "ignorance" - this is liberal-speak to express the simple fact that the panelists did not conform to the apparently mandatory belief that homosexuality is acquired by birth. So, who's really being intolerant?
If we're going to name call, I'm happy to join the party by throwing out some of my own:
Ignorance to Maggie Cleary ("Panel did not contain any controversy," Nov. 2), who hilariously questioned Republicans' inability to understand what being "singled out as leading a deviant lifestyle" feels like at Tufts.
Hypocrisy to Meghan Saunders ("Homosexuality, hatred, and society," Nov. 1) who praised the Tufts Republicans for bringing unpopular views to campus and then criticized the Tufts Republicans for bringing an unpopular view to campus.
Impatience to The Tufts Daily, who, calling the speakers "disrespectful" on Oct. 27 ("LGBT issues demand thoughtful attention"), and couldn't wait the extra day for the lecture to take place before they started bashing it.
Cluelessness to Adam Pulver "(Gay Republicans in Delaware," Nov. 3) because, "having an M.D. does not count." But not having one and using a perplexingly random Delaware/New England analogy surely makes him a convincing authority on issues relating to homosexuality.
While Adam Pulver is correct in pointing out that not all Republicans adhere to the views presented in our recent lecture, he is certainly not furthering the cause of "diversity of thought" when he suggests that because conservative Republicans are in the minority here, their views should be shut out.
Speaking personally, yes, some of us believe homosexuality is an unfortunate state of mind. This view is not held in a threatening or demeaning manner. It is held with concern for society and empathy for the individuals afflicted by it.
There are no bigots, no racists, and, as proven by the election in which gay marriage was overwhelmingly banned in eleven states, no extremists in the Tufts Republican club. There are merely individuals who will not let political correctness stand in the way of learning.
Nicholas Boyd
LA '06
President, Tufts Republicans
