In protest of the protesters
Bill Maas
Issue date: 2/27/06 Section: Forum
The protest against the ex-gay therapy group Exodus (discussed in the "Students to protest 'gay therapy' group" article on Friday) brings up some interesting points about the true objective of the protesters. I do admit that I'm not an expert on the Exodus group and their dealings, so I decided to do some research. Upon looking at their Web site, I immediately saw what the protesters hated so much.
The label "Focus on The Family" probably scares most of these people on campus. They are a Christian conservative group that Dr. James Dobson created out of concern for the evolution (not in the good sense) of the typical American family. From talking to some of my more liberal friends, they think that this protest is not aimed at the ex-gay therapy group, but is rather a protest against conservative Christianity in general.
My problem is this: why are you protesting a therapy group that people go to by choice? There is obviously some reason (either religious or secular) for these people to attend these seminars and then also go into counseling later. They are paying these groups for help with their lives. They feel as if something is wrong or needs to be changed in their life. And with it being a Christian organization, I am assuming that most of the people that attend these functions do not like living in the lifestyle of sin that they have chosen (whether they realize this consciously or unconsciously is an entirely different story). They feel something must be changed in their life (their homosexual lifestyle) and choose to attend these conferences out of their own free will.
The people that run these conferences are also very educated, yet most likely they are religiously motivated. My main concern for this protest is the disregard to truthfully claim what they are protesting. Some of the protesters said the conference harms the public's view of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. How does a conference trying to confer some people's opinions that homosexuality is a choice harm the public's view? For a long time in the United States, the commonly accepted view was that homosexuality was a choice and was some sort of mental disorder. Now, I'm not going to start preaching against gays with the Holy Bible as my reference (as much as you'd love to hear it), but as much as it is your right to have your own beliefs, why not let Christians spread their own beliefs among others who wish to hear it? This is their right as much as it is your right to claim Christians are ignorant bigots.
The protesters also reveal some inherent problems in their intolerance of "bigotry." It always seems that people like the protesters want tolerance of everything except when it comes to a conservative Christian standpoint. While they have the right to protest this group, why choose to infringe upon the rights of others wishing to speak within their own community? Yes, they may advertise to the gay and lesbian community at large, but are you forced to go to these functions? Of course not! Why hinder the functions of people who are truly looking for a way to help their brothers and sisters in faith? I hope that these protesters sit down and think about what exactly they are protesting. Maybe then they will realize how different some people are, as much as they hate to accept it.
Bill is a junior in Arts & Sciences.
The label "Focus on The Family" probably scares most of these people on campus. They are a Christian conservative group that Dr. James Dobson created out of concern for the evolution (not in the good sense) of the typical American family. From talking to some of my more liberal friends, they think that this protest is not aimed at the ex-gay therapy group, but is rather a protest against conservative Christianity in general.
My problem is this: why are you protesting a therapy group that people go to by choice? There is obviously some reason (either religious or secular) for these people to attend these seminars and then also go into counseling later. They are paying these groups for help with their lives. They feel as if something is wrong or needs to be changed in their life. And with it being a Christian organization, I am assuming that most of the people that attend these functions do not like living in the lifestyle of sin that they have chosen (whether they realize this consciously or unconsciously is an entirely different story). They feel something must be changed in their life (their homosexual lifestyle) and choose to attend these conferences out of their own free will.
The people that run these conferences are also very educated, yet most likely they are religiously motivated. My main concern for this protest is the disregard to truthfully claim what they are protesting. Some of the protesters said the conference harms the public's view of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. How does a conference trying to confer some people's opinions that homosexuality is a choice harm the public's view? For a long time in the United States, the commonly accepted view was that homosexuality was a choice and was some sort of mental disorder. Now, I'm not going to start preaching against gays with the Holy Bible as my reference (as much as you'd love to hear it), but as much as it is your right to have your own beliefs, why not let Christians spread their own beliefs among others who wish to hear it? This is their right as much as it is your right to claim Christians are ignorant bigots.
The protesters also reveal some inherent problems in their intolerance of "bigotry." It always seems that people like the protesters want tolerance of everything except when it comes to a conservative Christian standpoint. While they have the right to protest this group, why choose to infringe upon the rights of others wishing to speak within their own community? Yes, they may advertise to the gay and lesbian community at large, but are you forced to go to these functions? Of course not! Why hinder the functions of people who are truly looking for a way to help their brothers and sisters in faith? I hope that these protesters sit down and think about what exactly they are protesting. Maybe then they will realize how different some people are, as much as they hate to accept it.
Bill is a junior in Arts & Sciences.
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Ben2537
Ben2537
posted 3/01/06 @ 5:22 PM CST
In Defense of Protest
Bennet Goldstein
I will defend Bill Maas' right to express his point of view regarding the right of the "treatment" of homosexuality. (Continued…)
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