Recently we ran into some issues with someone writing comments on a copy of the Oct. 13 issue of the Independent, saying that the paper’s a waste of time and questioning our knowledge of newsworthiness. Also, there were some rather insulting things written next to the news article covering Coming Out Week.
Thinking the newspaper is a waste of time is one thing. Thinking that way because of one article’s coverage of the GLBTA’s presence on campus is another.
In terms of our newspaper being a waste of time, if you think that and think you can do better, by all means, come in and test out your chops. We welcome people of different views as long as their view doesn’t promote hatred. After all, we’ve got Republicans, Democrats and Greens working together to put out a solid issue. Different views and wildly different, occasionally combative, personalities are working together for something we hope is a solid issue for you, the readers.
You don’t have to like what we write. Not everything will appeal to everyone. It’s the curse of media. Still, we are a service for you and if you don’t think that we are reaching a certain group of people, you’re more than welcome to come in and be that voice for that group, as long as it isn’t one that spawns hatred.
The insulting comment that pissed off even straight people was in regards to one passage for the Coming Out Week story. It was in response to “NEIU’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Alliance (GLBTA), a student organization catering to the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students…” I’m stopping there because it was specifically that portion of the article that brought out the comment.
The responding comment was too offensive to be repeated, but basically said that GLBT students have no needs. Let me say this, especially since the rest of the staff would probably agree with me. We ARE NOT the sounding board for hatred.
Either way, why try to condemn a people for their way of life? One might believe that the way of life for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people goes against the natural order of things. That is the only legitimate argument I’ve heard against homosexuality, bisexuality and transgender people, however, for a legitimate argument, it is already noticeably flawed if you look at nature.
I won’t say the whole “We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it” because I’m straight, that’s been the argument for years and it is getting tiresome to hear. However, if they aren’t forcing anyone to do something they don’t want to do or harming anyone, why worry. Gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender doesn’t mean the people are deranged, evil, less of a person or a threat to moral decency (to go over some of the arguments I’ve heard throughout life). It also doesn’t mean they spread disease and are unnatural (to list some more).
We think that we’ve come so far as a society, however, as long as there are still people who fear even the smallest, harmless difference, we will always be taking steps backward regardless of how far we progress. People might not like it, but we’ve got to respect these differences because they aren’t going anywhere, whether it is a difference in race, religion, gender or sexual orientation.
Lastly, as a press organization, it is our duty to cover influential groups on campus. So regardless of whether or not you agree with the coverage, we are still going to do our jobs to the best of our ability.