GLBT sponsors meeting to discuss professor's Web log- Students, faculty brainstorm ways to respond

idsnews ^

[chance33_98]

GLBT sponsors meeting to discuss professor's Web log

Students, faculty brainstorm ways to respond to Web site

Published Thursday, September 11, 2003

Concerned faculty, staff and students who disagree with the University's decision to allow a professor's controversial Web log to remain on an IU server held a meeting Wednesday to discuss possible actions to take.

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Service organized the meeting to brainstorm ideas about how to respond to the Web log created by Eric Rasmusen, a business professor.

Participants discussed ideas of how to respond, including educating the campus about homosexuality, asking for a response from the administration, taking action with debates, designing T-shirt campaigns and scrutinizing Web page policies.

"I see this as giving the GLBT community a chance to set a better example," senior Matt Briddell said. "Nothing we do here can change (Rasmusen's) mind, but I'm more concerned about informing the general community."

During the two-hour meeting in the Georgian Room of the Indiana Memorial Union, about 50 people contributed various ideas, filling several sheets of a large easel in the front of a room.

One student suggested a T-shirt campaign, where the Kelley School of Business would pay for the shirts. An idea was for the shirt to read "Take it off the server," on the front and "hate speech is not free speech" on the back.

"By responding with a T-shirt campaign or an advertisement in the newspaper, it is very subtle but still a dramatic way of approaching this," senior Brian Moak said. "We don't want revenge, we just want to educate."

Many reiterated the need for University administration to make a public response about Rasmusen's Web log, more specifically Bloomington Chancellor Sharon Brehm and IU President Adam Herbert.

Mark Brostoff, assistant director of undergraduate programs in the business school, said the administration has yet to comment publicly because attorneys are still looking into the legal ramifications and policies.

Although everyone in the room had different opinions about the best way to approach the issue, most agreed that everyone must work together to come up with the best solutions.

"In this meeting, I'm pleased that everyone was so productive, because we had a group of people that wanted to develop a helpful response and not a harmful one," senior Nick Blesch said. "It makes the message infinitely more powerful if students, staff and faculty work together."

Bill Shipton, director for student programs and services, said while he deplores the views expressed in Rasmusen's Web log against homosexuals, the outcome of the situation can be a positive one.

"As awful as (Rasmusen's) statements have been, I do believe this is a teachable moment for us," said Shipton, who is also co-chair of the GLBT Anti-Harassment Team. "Out of the worst kinds of bigotry comes the best moment to teach."

Rasmusen's Web log sparked controversy when students and business faculty members noticed his remarks about homosexuals not being suitable for professional jobs when it was posted on an IU server. Students and faculty then sent complaints to the GLBT Anti-Harassment Team. The team will discuss the complaints at its monthly meeting Friday.

Some say the very idea of open dialogue and discussion is a positive factor that has come out of the Web log controversy.

"I think a lot of good can come of this," said graduate student Sharon Minsuk, who responded in an e-mail to the IDS. "By sparking a mobilization of activism, these events have created an opportunity for dialogue. If we can resist the low road to censorship, we can educate the community about the misconceptions of heterosexism. In the long run, we'll be glad we did."

-- Contact senior writer Maura Halpern at mhalpern@indiana.edu

[dennisw]

Why don't the gays, lezbos etc compete and start their own blog??? Only problem, who will want to read it?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Although everyone in the room had different opinions about the best way to approach the issue, most agreed that everyone must work together to come up with the best solutions.

Sounds like a lynch mob to me.

But it's only bad to lynch a member of a protected minority, I guess.

[netmilsmom]

Here is the blog address...

http://mypage.iu.edu/~erasmuse/weblog.htm

[the lone wolf]

"Hate Speech"=anything said that a Leftist hates

[dennisw]

I went there and .......... blech.

[RightWingAtheist]

"hate speech is not free speech"

Lessee now...

Declaring you hate America is free speech

Declaring you hate Israel is free speech

Declaring you hate Bush is free speech

Declaring you hate Ashcroft is free speech

Declaring you hate white heterosexual males who don't share your politics is free speech.

But questioning radical cultural politics is NOT free speech.

I get it now...

[Benrand]

GLBT Anti-Harassment Team

Faster than a speeding Jm J. Bullock, more powerful than Siegfried or Roy and able to scream louder than a drag queen who has forgotten her...er, his...no her...makeup kit...it is the GLBT Anti-Harassment Team!!!

Moving into action to harrass 1st Amendment-abiidng people everywhere.

[First Amendment]

"hate speech is not free speech"

The writing on the wall.

[Dark Knight]

I don't know if this goes directly into the part GLBT finds objectionable but it looks like it.

http://php.indiana.edu/~erasmuse/a1.htm#august26a

Odd that they don't describe it better...they find it perfectly normal to talk about reeducating someone, but that implies ignorance (their bias) and trying to force the University to censor him (their power). Bias+Power=Oppression as I understand it.

DK

[EdReform]

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[L.N. Smithee]

One student suggested a T-shirt campaign, where the Kelley School of Business would pay for the shirts. An idea was for the shirt to read "Take it off the server," on the front and "hate speech is not free speech" on the back.

Once again, some display their belief that political correctness trumps the First Amendment. "Free speech" is when someone talks about the reasons why homosexuality should be forcibly mainstreamed into society and equated with normal sexual activity. When someone uses their speech to counter such an argument, that is "hate speech" and thus no longer "free speech," resulting in calls for punishment.

Another example of this is the case of John Rocker, former Atlanta Braves pitcher (now out of the Major Leagues). In a Sports Illustrated interview, he made rude remarks about the motley groups that stalk New York City (immigrants who don't speak English, dope addicts, welfare mothers, and "gays with AIDS") and became a national pariah. A few weeks later, former star reliever Bill "Spaceman" Lee was quoted in a Sports Illustrated interview as remarking that 'right-wing conservatives should be run over.'

But you didn't know that Lee had said that until this moment, did you?