College is not only about acquiring knowledge and skills to help students get a job; it’s also about acquiring life skills to help them succeed as responsible, well-rounded citizens who can work cooperatively and compassionately in a global society that includes a variety of people who don’t necessarily share the same values, religion, ethnic background and lifestyles.
To that end, Kennesaw State supports (read: tax-payer money) more than 200 student-run organizations on campus— organizations that promote Muslims, Jews, Libertarians, Republicans, Democrats, African Americans, Latinos, Baptists, Episcopalians, West Indian culture, Catholics, addiction recovery, Chinese culture, Japanese culture, German culture, Indian culture, Latter-Day Saints, Mexican culture . . . the list goes on.
Following Mr. Hines’ line of thinking in his article published Sept. 29 in the Marietta Daily Journal, the university should pull its support not only for the GLBTIQ community but also for all religious organizations and any other campus group that doesn’t promote the values of the mainstream white, Christian, Republican male. KSU’s support of Gay Pride doesn’t mean the university is encouraging people to adopt that lifestyle any more than supporting a Jewish organization means the university is encouraging people to become Jews. I wonder if Mr. Hines would be willing to give back the 10 percent of his former salary and his current state pension that comes from “gay” money.
Mr. Hines seems to think that being GLBTIQ is a choice, when the research increasingly supports a genetic link to sexual orientation. Who in their right mind would choose a lifestyle that exposes him/her to ridicule, hatred, and contempt? We can only hope Mr. Hines is one day blessed with a close relative who is GLBTIQ; maybe then he will develop a little compassion for people who are different from him.
Tricia Grindel
Communication Professor and Sentinel Consultant