1997_10 Insight October 1997

              Oct 29.1997
VIEWPOINT & NEWS -
Debate brings gay rights issues to forefront again
■ Writer feels
pressure to accept
a "negative" belief.
by Donna Ramtrez Baker
For years now, the gay community ha* been seeking ac -
ceptance from the nation
through demonstrations, lupport
groups and other tactics encourag
mg acceptance of gays by getting
people ii> speak out about their
"true selves'" and their "true setual
I have a problem ** ith this, when
gay rights groups begin trying to
force their agenda down my throat
through the media, parades, etc
I don't feel that the sex prefer
ence should he flaunted by gay or
straight people
I've had gay friend* and a gay
family memher in the past I refer
to them in rhe past tense, because
they died a* a result of AIDS from
their gay lifestyle* I loved them
very much
The difference I have found in
these people in my lite is that they
were discreet aboui their lifestyle
They did not trv to shove their be
liefs and lifestyles down my dtroat or
others' throats and they did not disrespect my belief system There was a
rnuteal respect
Thr* respect existed because there
was no pressure for them to accept
my view* and no pressure for me to
accept their vtew* and setual prefer
ence* Instead. I thmk they felt secure
with themselves and they did not feel
the need to impose their "sexual preferences" upon others
1 don't feel a need to impose my
private *e*ual life on the public And
if I were to do so, for what gain' To
gain reinforcement and acceptance
from cithers that I can or should be
okay with myself
They need to get on with their
live* and stop trying to seek
affirmation so that Bwy can
feel OK with themselves People with
my belief* don't warn to "foster tol
erance so they cancytccept them
selves I have other matter* to he con
cerned about without condoning a
lifestyle I don't believe tn
They may make a difference with
legislation for their "special rights"
such as the right to share property and
health insurance coverage among
partners and other rights  But they
caanot change what r* e*nbee>ded at
those with a strong belief system, that
rhe gay lifestyle is not Ok
They need to just be themselves and
be happy They need to stop shoving
their idea* on those with crasfnenag
idea* Instead, be discreet.
f^T^ hey wsoasd preanuwy Be oar*
■ Gay rights are
human rights and
must be honored.
by tXeuy Jonas
Maybe homoaei
deaag«t*«*ona»ev _
*waaa*te--**ayteBwcst»wt;rl^    f^****1
canaiey»awhe«1anewbeiBS»r»an-
ttrnVsT tfawcanBwy be happy if then
:an Bwy jwa he a* math r. *f Bwy are    TTJ e*er**aet*»e£enja t rhe
I
1     i.
G
Ga* people drmt*»*e*uy affectum aayeae to a* inaatai saw «hw
are not seeking for one another to anger hetrre#ie*t»el Shey nBat¥*etTBU»sea~«1etot>a»a
ght* They are pewpte Beceraty. two yrsang wiatwo
or their human    were ieprti**ande«J by a far* artverfar
toward* the gay cor*jn*untty
The rnore Bwy protest, the more am
mosity dwy w ill em-twnter
Ken Hamm. president ol Fresno
lesbian And (Jay Pride Committee
ln>. I! M.lt em quoted in ihe
(Xt 15 edition of Insight at saying.
"All we need ■' T'TfTT"* **** seed
to change BW armude of people so that
dwy would vi
They *houldn i teel the need to
change the attitude* aa
people Some people don't like cer
tarn trait* and it i* mu up to people
with negative trail* to male it their
mt**ion to change others' attitude* or
feeling* about it
Gay people need io
live* and not worry about tt
Donna Ramtrei-B&ef is an
Insagnf staff writer
veeksnxepunce llomrv \^tmfkt eras dtwag - shaving aa ut- «gaypiuBpteaaasateaent»it*ai
sexual* seek a *o Bwy don't have to nocentkvt* a> farce a bean* on eaawr*
worry about bemg beaten far being IteteniwtueJ peefde lis* as pubhc ffh*uteBa>at»ira>aMas^.e>
I taj gav They seek a *o tM the time and Biey r*^**»**fy don t eryswa ***aa1B Sa ret*sW«d to go a*
ihev wivn't be tired from Bwtr johv reahfc that *»mply ****** head* or a*»/pn*»e^eamOaanf»fagawe
or even denied the cfamce to get a job. massaging *houMrr* are alV*> pubh* event* B you tiam^naat a*aat to,
hti aua aa*n mu ilm mi tfti't uhh dtseaey* of aftevtH*n but don'i taxi rUhee*
then lifestyle apt,                               .tviuaa B *eetw» Btet htiaaaeueati aw
They worry about acceptarKt h ^tv                                          The bemghraarasvahBaiaatfae* The*
caww raVn arc forced to worn hv W_J        .iw**t*UI«a coMaadun do accept who they are. and lot
tolerant anrtudc* The* atea accep- caring nU.v it r*erv eri*«H*n wa* fad many * was a loag and traaaman
lance so i>                             -e*and deorsrfandiU.v-0 J.vor* reive** For so inany year* the*
he happy araThe Bwrnselve* Being TlTuiuJu j. J     '  '    '    '"'"'g were told thru leehngt new smssg
■taf Satan at be- m>                           v*eepmg rhe The goal of hotatwctaal geatar
mg Not aR homi* n ant to aeate «* try oat
B! Some people don i like Baa oaV
er* put ice in their milk or teach far to or Bury i
ihe ii i.nket when the tenuBeratnre Bat if at
drop* below 7*, degree* Ate shew atokwtuat*
negative trait*' Are these people rtajamasael
wrong to be friend* with' b.,,,, ihi>n
\tns ivn'iagay taaeww hdoesn't iruariagen
discriminate based on sexual prefer |f one hi
an imiWk with then prefer     ihemgay Theyaaa*toat
eajjav] aaan) ;>>..
Keo> Jones ism**
td*or of Insejht
Community service should not be a punishment
by Chyra Bonner
•rvue a punishment
or an attempt to help the public
through a kind heart' It * hard ft) vav
these days A lot aj people, mainly
athletes it seems, are being repn
manded by the law by being ordered
to perform community service
Many athletes have been sentenced
to get involved with their communi
lies This is ridiculous Community
service is an easy way out. not a
method of deterring someone from
to stay away from drugs have their
menis But when they are done to
make up for some run in with the law.
that takes the cake
Individual public service shouldn't
be glorified, especially it the volun
teers aren't constantly involved Help
ing other* once in a while is not my
idea of trying to help another person
teel »!<*»1 What they have done is not
more important than w hat anyone else
has done It would he a otg deal if they
pitched in year round
last month. Portland Trail Bla/er*
o
won
stime crime* are minor enough hv I mle Hemes program, are prov *hng
dodge real puaiahinewt Doing com a service Drawing eaten
anient seeking aad wrong If that is the .*nlv
, with the mes* that souse Mesao taoBssseea Bw a, one t t*oBier
Slate fiuahalT aad) men » hesktBtsJI We tend to farget ahxsut Bene who
been insolved in lately an
k rvod tV Oth
jenurne. bat N't funny that thru ef-    erv And that i* where ihe benefit
ftat* ate sssaarnly ne**worth* eeea ■■! do gotvd
So they are doing a paanc service    Bongs* good things win come sa yea
Insight
ajM  .
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Io   KM  fKHirv  •
l AcMnar rs m hsteftt KafT
STUDENTS: Rally
draws thousands to
to 'Save The Dream'
CorttJrtued from page 1
I a lot of tK^ve out there That
i* why individual* are getting more and
more involved in hope* of realizing cer
The yetjng rooftat
The last thing Mark Giannopulo*
heard before lea* ing for ihe rally wa* hi*
grandmother cautiimtng him m be very
careful out therr She had a lone of disapproval in her voice.
With the sound advice entrenched in
the hack of hi* mind Mark set out for
one thing answers
Not answers unlocking the world i
great mysteries or what wa* behind a
gel ru h tsstkjg s* heme hut rather the an
swers to "what do I need to know, at a
California student/un/en. about what it
happening around me and my fellow
man'' And why I How can I gel involved
and how can I make a difference'1"
"I wanted to hear in rwrson, what had
to he said," Giannopukis said "This wa*
a way for me kt become involved with
my community and to gel the informa
bon lured to stay intivrmed about i
which may or may not affect me "
The issue* may or may not affect
Mark, but thr 21 year old Fresno Cay
College ttudrni prefer* to know alt the
fact* on a* many itsuc* a* he can farm!
iarize himself with
He blended m with the immense crowd
mi the wca end of thr ( apit.*l
n Sacramento He was decked
out a* an atmo*t cliched all American
boy next door look Mark doaaod a
e of a pro*
a wood off to the nde of Bw ratty.
ducked undet ihe    ha»lr ,.( aaaafjffBai
being a Certified Public Accountant
someday He is a life lonj native of
Fresno, though he served two year*
m ihe IS Army in Caermany
Mark is from a lower middle class
family and pride* himself in learning
all he can about any i>
affect rum
I alway* try to a
Jevrk.pmrrrtof*do*vntr»w^«*adium
Mg reBy te take atht leed
Thousand* came from all i»er (ah
forma, and some at far at Florida aad
Tetas, to protest wish fasse Jackson
"Save The Dream Serrna \9t\S to
Sacramento I9U7" was Bw theme a*
speakers decried against voter ap
proved Proposition* 187 and
well as the initiative etpet ted on next
year* ballot to eliminate bilingual
education in public school*
National and Mate politic inn*, mi
nonty      leader*.      educational
and
People of every race, creed, color,
gender, religion h* iground aad age
group were represented a the rally
The Golden State wa* *ymb»ili/ed by
Bw awBiag pot of peoptt Handing
tide by teat a rhe rally
prayed
U fa aBba La Bus
everyone   at   the
'ansento raay s*apport
eg ale new. temee Jacaaen
The hope* expressed by many
i « 2 *>
pm and spoke for ahum an hour He
UoCUaM attVOTH MrfNCa. Ml BtyVaf iat M
On 27rai^»talwaaW4enfB«
N*fa | i*   (tVi? ti*mnni
r* of our
aasaai aad fkefa far **xaB iwange .
MaWe* MM ShNm nniy RatVV ufW* -
ehuJfatJwtaawsehKK
mrr>»st h«? fhr> ^tagrnrv***! *V'»n
MM itiftrtrni p«i*h* ■>( Mr ►»■ f<\
•0 W0 fttyJt KKt %Wt ¥L\Kmt i'KKpKmtm
Clware* are m mat namr «»f ehtf
right* and the pursue QfjEtvtl t**V
raBy,    ream far sBh
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