The Gadfly Vol. XVI, Iss. V
“To persuade and reproach” - Socrates, The Apology
April 16, 2012
Just a Thought We attend a Catholic school. Many of us came to this school to be surrounded by other like-minded individuals, so that we can embrace our beliefs and views without fear of attack. As this is a formative time in our lives, it is important to be around those who share our ideas, so that we can grow in those beliefs.
ing to shock people into considering new ideas or taking the time to think about other views of their own ideas. However, it is a well-known fact at FUS that this is a very strongly disliked publication. Around campus I have heard terms such as ‗disgusting‘, ‗socialist‘, ‗trash‘, ‗the Devil‘s work‘, and many others in reference to this publication. Why is this? The articles are all written with the purpose of deeper enlightenment, to help all of us grow together.
closet, shouldn‘t we preach that God loves them anyway and so do we? Likewise, rather than being racist because one‘s background has been sheltered from those with different skin colors, shouldn‘t we try to seek out people different from us so that we can educate ourselves and treat everyone with the human dignity that they deserve? Instead of judging our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ on Is this really the best way to live, this campus when they dress differently though? Can we truly grow if we are or don‘t go to FOP‘s or daily Mass or use never challenged, never exposed to becurse words or flirt or the many other liefs or ideas outside of our comfort zone? One of the things that has always things people here find themselves On our campus is a primarily white, bothered me, and many of my more judged for, shouldn‘t we follow God‘s American, deeply Catholic population. Catholic friends, is the lack of tolerance command, ―remove the wooden beam None of these things are necessarily bad; shown for us for our beliefs by those ighowever, when group mentality sets in, norant of Catholic teaching. Catholicism from your eye first; then you will see or when a large group of people gather itself is a very loving, forgiving, and tol- clearly to remove the splinter from your brother‘s eye.‖ (Matthew 7:5)? For a camwith the same views, those views often erant faith. In light of the lack of tolerpus that professes so ardently to be truly become distorted and take new forms. ance we often receive from others, and Catholic in every sense of the word, we What I speak of, my friends, is the judg- the tolerance that our own faith teaches certainly have a lot more growing to do mental attitude that exists on this camus, don‘t you think we should strive to together before we can truly deserve the actually live a little more tolerantly? pus. Rather than being openly homophobic, so title of Christian. Take this very piece of media for much so that there are gays and lesbians example. The Gadfly finds its very pur~ La voix meutte pose in being thought-provoking, in try- on our campus afraid to come out of the
Gay at Franciscan University Coming to this school I expected to meet some great people who loved Christ, played Frisbee, and with whom I could talk philosophy. That, I did find. I also expected to be treated with charity, but what I found instead was a lot of hateful language towards people like me. People who are gay. Whoa, wait, what? Yes, that‘s right; there are gays and lesbians at your school. I know, I know, it‘s shocking. I am reaching out to you here not in any artful satire, no creative short story illustrating my point, no formal argument. Just a gay classmate of yours, begging you to be nicer. It‘s not just for myself that I‘m asking, there‘s a whole bunch of us, looking just like normal folk, going to your classes and dances and coffee houses, eating in your cafeteria and talking with you in the halls. I‘m not saying this so you can launch a witch-hunt, but so you can be aware. Because every
time you made a joke about gays or lesbians, assuming that like Protestants and Democrats they can be talked about as this distant third party that has no relevance to us here, we heard. The amount of offensive comments I have heard is disturbing and unchristian. It hurts, and frankly I am d*** sick of it.
a racial slur and hurts us just as much. Number two: please, don‘t use ―that‘s gay‖ to describe something you dislike. Being gay in this world is tough, especially for us Christians and even more so at this school. Having your use of my orientation as a generic insult is very hurtful. Many times when I‘ve asked peoThe Catechism calls for us gays to be ple to refrain from using derogatory terms or ―that‘s gay‖ I receive the re―accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity,‖ (par 2358 if you don‘t believe sponse ―Well, it‘s not like we support me) which is not by a long shot how I‘ve them, so it‘s okay.‖ been treated. Befriending Franciscan stuLet me clear that up with number dents for these past few years has made three: we as a Church do support gay me very good at being people‘s very first people. What the Church doesn‘t support gay friend, so let me go ahead and explain is homosexual actions. Important distinca few things you might not know, some tion. But no matter what, we should be lessons on how to manifest that respect showing nothing but charity to gay peoand compassion. ple (and, well, all people), whether they are Catholic or not, in communion with Number one: you can‘t use derogatory terms for gays and lesbians, towards someone or just in general. It‘s as bad as
(See “Gay,” page 7)