Legal Boxer Briefs :: Jewsade for Justice

Whoa, whoaa, whoa! I support the ROTC at Columbia and suddenly that makes me a fan of the people who brutally murdered Matthew Sheppard? Are you kidding me?

Guess, what? I’m willing to bet that the cops and even some of the witnesses who helped capture Matthew’s killers were probably no so pro-gay rights either. And yet, they had a duty to uphold the justice and they carried it out. They displayed a loyalty to a higher code that exceeded their personal feelings, something you seem unwilling to do or even respect in others. Even for a young college student, that’s a distinct level of selfishness I sincerely hope you outgrow.

I happen to be a big supporter of gay rightsn especially gay marriage. Would i like to see the military improve its policies toward gays? Sure. Am i willing to throw the baby out with the bathwater over this relatively minor issue? Of course not!

Let me tell you something else: you and all the other gay rights activists are being used. The university says it’s against ROTC because of the gay policies in the military. If that’s really, really true, how come the Muslim, Catholic and Orthodox Jewish organizations are allowed on campus? Each and every one of those groups is explicitly hostile to gay people. And in the case of Muslims, it is actually the LAW to imprison and even execute gay people in many Muslim countries!

Why aren’t you protesting that? Why does CU not ban them?

Because the REAL reason ROTC is banned is because CU is run by a bunch of 60’s radicals who hate the military and always have. They are hiding behind the gay issue and using it to cloak their intolerance.

By the way, I’m Jewish too, and let me tell you something: i happen to know for a fact that there was a lot of anti-semitism in the army during world war two. The men who stormed omaha beach were probably not too jew-loving. But what they did saved the jewish people in the long run. They saved the world from the nazis. I would not have the gall to look at them cross-eyed. In fact, i thank them.

There is no such thing as a perfect hero, but the men and women in the US military are heroes. Shame on you for deciding to hold them to your own relatively puny set of standards before “allowing them to come on YOUR campus.”

In the words of Sgt. Hulka in the film “Stripes,”; Lighten up Francvis! One of these men might save your life some day!

And I retorted:

First of all, not all of the religious groups on campus are so entirely intolerant as you perceive them. I attend weekly shabbat services at the Hillel, and yet I have experienced absolutely no discrimination, nor do I even feel uncomfortable there. In addition, you exhibit extreme ignorance in your characterization of Muslims which I find disturbing at an institution such as Columbia. Simply because the more extreme sects of a religion advocate entirely unacceptable measures does not mean that those who practice the religion on our campus harbor those same radical feelings. And, by the way, I do protest — loudly — the policies of Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Second of all, the religious groups on campus are not integrated with the university. They do not offer classes for which students can receive credit, they do not offer financial aid, as well as a wide variety of other things. This is the main difference. While heterosexual Columbia students would be entirely able to receive whatever benefits the ROTC might bring to campus, homosexual, bisexual, and transgendered students would be entirely excluded. Furthermore, to ask us to conceal and lie about our identities in an attempt to receive those benefits is not only unethical — it would be simply impossible for many.

Third of all, the religious groups on this campus are not permitted to prevent anyone from joining on the basis of their sexual orientation. Why? Because of the non-discrimination policies of this University. If the ROTC were to return to campus, they would be in blatant violation of those policies — both because LGBT students would be unable to participate, and because LGBT professors and officers would be unable to serve.

Fourth, the United States military did not invade Germany to save the Jews (nor the Communists, homosexuals, gypsies, Jehovah’s Witnesses, handicapped, and the wide variety of other people who were sent to the death camps). The US invaded because Germany had declared war on us in response to our declaration of war on Japan after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The men and women who fought in WWII fought in defense of their own families. The fact that they saved the Jewish people “in the long run” is merely incidental. Regardless, I, too, thank them. I have an immense respect for men and women who serve in uniform.

My respect for the actual soldiers, however, has not blinded me to the homophobia that is practiced by the military.

How dare you try to shame me for opposing discrimination against LGBT people on this campus? There are no special standards to which I hold people who come to Columbia. When my fellow students decide to invite a homophobic organization to establish itself on campus and integrate itself into the University apparatus, I am entirely within my rights to object loudly.

Indeed, shame on *you*, sir, for telling me to lighten up. As a white, heterosexual, and likely upper-middle-class Jew, when was the last time you actually experienced discrimination? Do you know what it’s like to be legally prevented from doing things? To have people look at you strangely when you hold the hand of someone you love? To have to live in fear for six years or more? To have people tell you, “no, you’re not good enough to fight for your country”. No, no you don’t. So you don’t get to tell me to lighten up when an organization threatens to not only bring all of that back, but have the endorsement of the student body and University.