Comments on: ‘The Right Side of History’ http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/10/02/%e2%80%98the-right-side-of-history%e2%80%99/ The independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:42:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Committee To Advance Equality For Binational Same-Sex Couples http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/10/02/%e2%80%98the-right-side-of-history%e2%80%99/#comment-1442 Committee To Advance Equality For Binational Same-Sex Couples Sat, 17 Oct 2009 03:40:05 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5122#comment-1442 An open discussion forum for people in binational same-sex relationships now exists and welcomes membership. Nothing is off-topic! Come and share, vent, and brainstorm. Our plight is difficult, our need is great. Immigrants come to the U.S. and a dozen relatives trail in on their heels. We ask to bring just one: our loved one. We deserve to have our relationships validated. We must be included in immigration reform, if not sooner: Demand a private bill of your senator! A sea of us, demanding individual relief may be the way to go. We can't just write letters! Over 50,000 green cards are gifted in a lottery every year with almost no scrutiny, yet we have no right or ability to bring home our permanent partners! We need alternative routines. We support the Right Side of History. The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. ~ Benjamin Franklin An open discussion forum for people in binational same-sex relationships now exists and welcomes membership. Nothing is off-topic! Come and share, vent, and brainstorm. Our plight is difficult, our need is great. Immigrants come to the U.S. and a dozen relatives trail in on their heels. We ask to bring just one: our loved one. We deserve to have our relationships validated. We must be included in immigration reform, if not sooner: Demand a private bill of your senator! A sea of us, demanding individual relief may be the way to go. We can’t just write letters! Over 50,000 green cards are gifted in a lottery every year with almost no scrutiny, yet we have no right or ability to bring home our permanent partners! We need alternative routines. We support the Right Side of History.

The U. S. Constitution doesn’t guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. ~ Benjamin Franklin

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]]> By: S.S. http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/10/02/%e2%80%98the-right-side-of-history%e2%80%99/#comment-1324 S.S. Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:51:21 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5122#comment-1324 I'm sad that it may require the distinction of being straight "vs" being gay to gain credibility and recognition in the community. Unfortunately, it is true that many straight people may often not join pro-LGTBQ rights groups out of fear of being identified as gay-- out of homophobia. To emphasize the gender binary that is at the essence of the prejudice and homophobia of our society seems hypocritical. Is it possible to make progress without being hypocritical? I guess not... I’m sad that it may require the distinction of being straight “vs” being gay to gain credibility and recognition in the community. Unfortunately, it is true that many straight people may often not join pro-LGTBQ rights groups out of fear of being identified as gay– out of homophobia.
To emphasize the gender binary that is at the essence of the prejudice and homophobia of our society seems hypocritical.
Is it possible to make progress without being hypocritical?
I guess not…

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]]> By: Mara http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/10/02/%e2%80%98the-right-side-of-history%e2%80%99/#comment-1130 Mara Mon, 12 Oct 2009 05:40:09 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5122#comment-1130 Congrats Dave! This is great. Congrats Dave! This is great.

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]]> By: M. Howard http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/10/02/%e2%80%98the-right-side-of-history%e2%80%99/#comment-1066 M. Howard Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:26:11 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5122#comment-1066 This article is an example of great reporting. That's reporting, not hiding an editorial between the lines. The article told a story and revealed the issue at hand. Perhaps if the New York Times, Washington Post and the San Fransisco Chronicle had writers like these they would have a robust circulation and would not be in danger of becoming bankrupt. This article is an example of great reporting. That’s reporting, not hiding an editorial between the lines. The article told a story and revealed the issue at hand. Perhaps if the New York Times, Washington Post and the San Fransisco Chronicle had writers like these they would have a robust circulation and would not be in danger of becoming bankrupt.

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]]> By: Patrick Seaworth http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/10/02/%e2%80%98the-right-side-of-history%e2%80%99/#comment-991 Patrick Seaworth Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:22:29 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5122#comment-991 Congratulations to David and the entire Dresner family. Its great to see people stepping out from behind the bureaucracy which has created the status quo and which is unable to bring about real change within the structures they have created. The saddest thing about this passion and support for a civil rights movement, is the fact of how divided the supporters of this movement would be as it pertains to rights for citizens living with Mental Health Diseases (based on society wide perception polls, that I don't at the movement have the time to retrieve for the sake of the argument), given that some individuals living with Mental Health diseases are unable to vote in certain states, based solely on their need for bill/medication management its tragic that a campus now so openly and proudly in favor of airing the civil rights of one disparately affected segment of the population is still years behind the status quo in acceptance of and understanding of Mental Health issues and the individuals that are affected by them and the discrimination created by a misunderstanding of those issues on a daily basis. After all it was not long ago, in the historical sense, that Homosexuality itself was listed as a psychiatric disease. The campus is to be applauded for standing, in what appears to be unison, against discrimination as it is not only codified within our society, but also as it exists within the very circles that are to be advancing those issues. However, as a campus, civil rights movements still have light years to go before they can truly impact change on a society wide basis. I did not hear a mention of the fact that women are still earning ~70 cents on the dollar of their male counterparts, nor that for the amount of times children suffering from mental health issues have literally been thrown out of school simply for seeking treatment for those diseases. And that those groups also need their rights heard. The ‘Right Side of History’ although a clever play on words has the ability to be the literal right side of every matter that stands between America and American ideals. One of the first and most prevalent arguments raised in favor of society wide acceptance of homosexuality was the very fact that is part of the way in which an individual is born. So too are mental health issues, as a society we can not truly advance against discrimination in one arena while not being fully united against it in other arenas. Dresner is definitely to be applauded along with his friend that spoke on his behalf, however it is disappointing to see not one mention of the older brother that firstly accepted him onto the campus publicly and in a way that allowed no doubt within the upperclassman circles as to whether or not it was acceptable for straight individuals to treat homosexual students poorly. Family, is the most important way in which we as a society can conquer these issues for the very reasons that there are listed as reasons against advancement of these causes. Yes, America is far behind in what is often perceived the last social stigma, a group of people upon which our society openly discriminates. However, it is a sad reality that there are still other circles in this country that are decades behind where the current LGBT movement stands. In order to truly move our society forward towards equality, there can be no group that is unequal, for if un-equality exists within any determination of human worth (discard irrelevant asides such as they pertains to prison population, etc.) then the entire population has to embrace the entirety of its ‘dysfunctions’ anything less only creates more rights while perpetuating a cycle of abuse, it merely shifts the target of that abuse from one group onto another. I.e. when the government granted rights to previously discriminated populations, it did nothing to change the notions about the homosexual population which now needs its own civil rights movement, when had the previous civil rights movements done away with discrimination in any form within our society, the current campaigns would be needless based on a society that accepts what it finds in the future, not a society that clears a hurdle at a time while not addressing and changing the very reasons our society is bigoted against minority populations. I am not a sociologist nor social psychologist and do not have the answers as to why men discriminate against those that are not like them, however, I do know that in order for our society to progress it has to conquer not only the de juror factors of discrimination, but the de facto matters as well. Dresner it appears is taking this very issue to task, however, there is much to be said about the manner in which the campus in general still views other segments of the population, and hopefully, this will be a chance for a society wide change rather than a societal norm change. Sincerely, Patrick S. Seaworth Congratulations to David and the entire Dresner family. Its great to see people stepping out from behind the bureaucracy which has created the status quo and which is unable to bring about real change within the structures they have created.

The saddest thing about this passion and support for a civil rights movement, is the fact of how divided the supporters of this movement would be as it pertains to rights for citizens living with Mental Health Diseases (based on society wide perception polls, that I don’t at the movement have the time to retrieve for the sake of the argument), given that some individuals living with Mental Health diseases are unable to vote in certain states, based solely on their need for bill/medication management its tragic that a campus now so openly and proudly in favor of airing the civil rights of one disparately affected segment of the population is still years behind the status quo in acceptance of and understanding of Mental Health issues and the individuals that are affected by them and the discrimination created by a misunderstanding of those issues on a daily basis.

After all it was not long ago, in the historical sense, that Homosexuality itself was listed as a psychiatric disease. The campus is to be applauded for standing, in what appears to be unison, against discrimination as it is not only codified within our society, but also as it exists within the very circles that are to be advancing those issues.

However, as a campus, civil rights movements still have light years to go before they can truly impact change on a society wide basis.

I did not hear a mention of the fact that women are still earning ~70 cents on the dollar of their male counterparts, nor that for the amount of times children suffering from mental health issues have literally been thrown out of school simply for seeking treatment for those diseases. And that those groups also need their rights heard. The ‘Right Side of History’ although a clever play on words has the ability to be the literal right side of every matter that stands between America and American ideals.

One of the first and most prevalent arguments raised in favor of society wide acceptance of homosexuality was the very fact that is part of the way in which an individual is born. So too are mental health issues, as a society we can not truly advance against discrimination in one arena while not being fully united against it in other arenas.

Dresner is definitely to be applauded along with his friend that spoke on his behalf, however it is disappointing to see not one mention of the older brother that firstly accepted him onto the campus publicly and in a way that allowed no doubt within the upperclassman circles as to whether or not it was acceptable for straight individuals to treat homosexual students poorly. Family, is the most important way in which we as a society can conquer these issues for the very reasons that there are listed as reasons against advancement of these causes.

Yes, America is far behind in what is often perceived the last social stigma, a group of people upon which our society openly discriminates. However, it is a sad reality that there are still other circles in this country that are decades behind where the current LGBT movement stands.

In order to truly move our society forward towards equality, there can be no group that is unequal, for if un-equality exists within any determination of human worth (discard irrelevant asides such as they pertains to prison population, etc.) then the entire population has to embrace the entirety of its ‘dysfunctions’ anything less only creates more rights while perpetuating a cycle of abuse, it merely shifts the target of that abuse from one group onto another.

I.e. when the government granted rights to previously discriminated populations, it did nothing to change the notions about the homosexual population which now needs its own civil rights movement, when had the previous civil rights movements done away with discrimination in any form within our society, the current campaigns would be needless based on a society that accepts what it finds in the future, not a society that clears a hurdle at a time while not addressing and changing the very reasons our society is bigoted against minority populations.

I am not a sociologist nor social psychologist and do not have the answers as to why men discriminate against those that are not like them, however, I do know that in order for our society to progress it has to conquer not only the de juror factors of discrimination, but the de facto matters as well.

Dresner it appears is taking this very issue to task, however, there is much to be said about the manner in which the campus in general still views other segments of the population, and hopefully, this will be a chance for a society wide change rather than a societal norm change.

Sincerely,
Patrick S. Seaworth

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]]> By: Alum http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/10/02/%e2%80%98the-right-side-of-history%e2%80%99/#comment-983 Alum Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:35:33 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5122#comment-983 I'm torn here because it has already been reframed, to a large extent, as a civil rights issue rather than a gay issue. The activism surrounding Prop 8 demonstrated this clearly, as well as the strategies of groups like the HRC (despite their problems). I think what this group is doing is clearly necessary, but to separate straight-directed activism so starkly from gay-directed activism might be dangerous. For one thing, it might implicitly promote the assumption of heteronormativity by presuming that the non-LGBT community is straight. As a gay man I can tell you that for a long time, even after coming out, I did not consider myself part of the LGBT community. This is not because I was opposed to it, the culture simply didn't appeal to me. There is a void here that is problematic as probably the majority of LGBT individuals do not have ties to the LGBT community (or who, as your language characterizes it, belong to the "straight" community). Gender and sexual identities are far too varied and dynamic to separate so neatly into different categories. Furthermore, forming a group whose sole existence depends on the distinction between the straight and LGBT communities is a dangerous policy. Although activism directed toward outside the LGBT demographic certainly has its own needs in order to be effective, I think it would be best to make your group's language more inclusive and, as you pointed out, focused on these issues as civil rights concerns without restricting your audience to non-LGBT. I’m torn here because it has already been reframed, to a large extent, as a civil rights issue rather than a gay issue. The activism surrounding Prop 8 demonstrated this clearly, as well as the strategies of groups like the HRC (despite their problems). I think what this group is doing is clearly necessary, but to separate straight-directed activism so starkly from gay-directed activism might be dangerous. For one thing, it might implicitly promote the assumption of heteronormativity by presuming that the non-LGBT community is straight. As a gay man I can tell you that for a long time, even after coming out, I did not consider myself part of the LGBT community. This is not because I was opposed to it, the culture simply didn’t appeal to me. There is a void here that is problematic as probably the majority of LGBT individuals do not have ties to the LGBT community (or who, as your language characterizes it, belong to the “straight” community). Gender and sexual identities are far too varied and dynamic to separate so neatly into different categories. Furthermore, forming a group whose sole existence depends on the distinction between the straight and LGBT communities is a dangerous policy. Although activism directed toward outside the LGBT demographic certainly has its own needs in order to be effective, I think it would be best to make your group’s language more inclusive and, as you pointed out, focused on these issues as civil rights concerns without restricting your audience to non-LGBT.

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]]> By: ZoeO http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/10/02/%e2%80%98the-right-side-of-history%e2%80%99/#comment-928 ZoeO Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:14:22 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5122#comment-928 P.S. to the above post: Additional information about the dire, immediate need for LGBT immigration equality rights can be found at: www.immigrationequality.org www.imeq.us www.loveexiles.org www.unitingamericanfamilies.net www.out4immigration.org P.S. to the above post:

Additional information about the dire, immediate need for LGBT immigration equality rights can be found at:

http://www.immigrationequality.org
http://www.imeq.us
http://www.loveexiles.org
http://www.unitingamericanfamilies.net
http://www.out4immigration.org

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]]> By: ZoeO http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/10/02/%e2%80%98the-right-side-of-history%e2%80%99/#comment-927 ZoeO Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:08:23 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5122#comment-927 Brilliant thinking. You will succeed (but you may have to adjust your timeframe a bit). Please don't forget those of us who are actually 3rd class citizens because we are the American half of binational same sex couples who can't even live together here in the States because we can't sponsor our partners. In 19 other countries of the world gay & lesbian citizens can sponsor their partners! We must live alone or self-exile to be with our partners. Ours is a truly cruel situation and anyone can fall into this 3rd class: all you have to do is find your soulmate on the other side of a U.S. border. Please investigate this situation and be mindful of our plight when you plan for our equality. Do not forget us! We are at least as many as 40,000 Americans and possibly as much as 100,000. There are two bills in Congress now that seek to help us: The Nadler/Leahy bill Uniting American Families Act (HR 1024/424) and Rep. Mike Honda's Reuniting Families Act (HR 2709). Please ask your elected official to co-sign these bills. Thank you! For more information contact: Committee To Advance Equality reachable through zoeoka@yahoo.com. Brilliant thinking. You will succeed (but you may have to adjust your timeframe a bit). Please don’t forget those of us who are actually 3rd class citizens because we are the American half of binational same sex couples who can’t even live together here in the States because we can’t sponsor our partners. In 19 other countries of the world gay & lesbian citizens can sponsor their partners! We must live alone or self-exile to be with our partners. Ours is a truly cruel situation and anyone can fall into this 3rd class: all you have to do is find your soulmate on the other side of a U.S. border. Please investigate this situation and be mindful of our plight when you plan for our equality. Do not forget us! We are at least as many as 40,000 Americans and possibly as much as 100,000. There are two bills in Congress now that seek to help us: The Nadler/Leahy bill Uniting American Families Act (HR 1024/424) and Rep. Mike Honda’s Reuniting Families Act (HR 2709). Please ask your elected official to co-sign these bills. Thank you! For more information contact: Committee To Advance Equality reachable through zoeoka@yahoo.com.

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]]> By: Debbie http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/10/02/%e2%80%98the-right-side-of-history%e2%80%99/#comment-924 Debbie Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:05:54 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5122#comment-924 Doodle, you make me proud that you are on The Right Side of History! Doodle, you make me proud that you are on The Right Side of History!

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]]> By: Miriam Dresner http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/10/02/%e2%80%98the-right-side-of-history%e2%80%99/#comment-923 Miriam Dresner Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:05:37 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5122#comment-923 David, I am so proud of you. Please let me know if there is ANYTHING I can do to help with this initiative. You truly are amazing and I admire your work. David, I am so proud of you. Please let me know if there is ANYTHING I can do to help with this initiative. You truly are amazing and I admire your work.

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