Homosexuality Is Key to Some College Scholarships

CNSNews.com ^ | January 21, 2002 | Michael L. Betsch

[tdadams]

(CNSNews.com) - Need money for college tuition? A group of employees from telecommunications giant AT&T will help pay the bills of students who identify themselves as homosexuals.

Grades and extra-curricular activities don't count as much as sexual orientation for this type of financial help.

The scholarship comes from the AT&T Foundation's LEAGUE, which is an acronym for Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay & Transgendered United Employees.

LEAGUE is one of seven "Business Resource Groups" at AT&T, serving as a homosexual advocacy resource for the telecommunications giant, its customers, shareholders, colleagues, families and the global community.

For the past six years, LEAGUE at AT&T Foundation has awarded a handful of $1,500 academic scholarships to self-identified homosexual youth. LEAGUE Foundation spokesperson Charles Eader noted that applications have doubled every year since the fund was launched.

And for those homosexual students who have demonstrated leadership in promoting diversity and understanding in the community, the LEAGUE Foundation offers a $2,500 scholarship dedicated to the memory of Matthew Sheppard, whom it considers a model of courage.

Sheppard, who was homosexual, was tortured and beaten to death by two men on Dec. 28, 1998 in Wyoming. He was 21 at the time.

LEAGUE Foundation said it hopes Shepherd's memory will inspire lesbian, bisexual, gay & transgendered applicants and recipients of scholarships to persevere against anti-homosexual intimidation both in and out of the classroom.

According to Eader, applicants must be high school graduates; identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered; have achieved a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; be actively and substantially involved in community service; live in the United States; and have been accepted to attend an accredited college or university in the United States.

But conservatives are outraged by the notion that homosexuality is being rewarded by corporations such as AT&T.

"It's sad that teenagers are being deceived about sexuality and recruited into a lifestyle that is unhealthy and immoral," said the Family Research Council's Kristin Hansen. "It's definitely evidence that homosexual activists are organized at many facets of society -- in the corporate world, in schools and in the media."

Eader noted that LEAGUE Foundation is funded wholly by donations and does not receive any financial support from the AT&T corporation. AT&T allows LEAGUE Foundation to conduct its communication and planning activities -- including phone calls, faxes, and emails -- on corporate premises. However, Eader noted that LEAGUE and LEAGUE at AT&T Foundation "are 2 different and distinct, even though related, organizations."

Membership in the AT&T Business Resource Group LEAGUE is reserved solely for AT&T employees. According to Eader, any homosexual advocacy group or its members may become part of the 501(c)3 LEAGUE at AT&T Foundation charity . This charity also "welcomes financial support from the larger LGBT community and its allies," according to the group's Web site, which is hosted by AT&T.

"The level of organization is not a surprise," Hansen said of LEAGUE's wide-open membership requirements and financial practices.

Eader said homosexual scholarship recipients who have been outspoken in their communities are encouraged to continue such activism when they get to college, but he said they have no obligation to do so. Eader added that the names of scholarship recipients remain anonymous, no matter what path they choose to follow.

But scholarship recipients are not discouraged from performing acts of "community service." In fact, Eader said LEAGUE and its supporters would benefit from having a fresh voice on campus promoting the homosexual issues and diversity.

Hansen said LEAGUE's scholarship offering is just another example of incentives encouraging behavior. "And if there's money available," she added, "it legitimizes a behavior."

[wwjdn]

Thanks, I'm far from perfect but I do believe in the principles our Great Country was built upon. Godd Godly principles that kept us strong for over two-hundred years. The last two generations alone are destroying our value system.

[The Man Upstairs]

I say jail all openly homosexuals if they refuse to go back to normal moral lifestyle.

I know you not.

[Protagoras]

We (the majority) don't want the deviates to be equal. They aren't equal, we live in a Republic where the majority still has the majority of the say.

Majority rule is democracy, not a republic. Majority rule is mob rule. You are a governmental as well as moral illiterate.

[tdadams]

Post #112, I have no idea what you were trying to say, if you were even trying to say something. So, instead of just cryptically dismissing what I said, why don't you explain your opinion/point of view.

[Protagoras]

Sorry if it seemed that I did.

Apology accepted. Now back to the question of Jesus. Changing the subject doesn't work with me.

[Protagoras]

I say jail all openly homosexuals if they refuse to go back to normal moral lifestyle.

"I know you not."

See, now you have it on the highest authority! LOL

[Protagoras]

So, instead of just cryptically dismissing what I said, why don't you explain your opinion/point of view.

I second that. Hard to say what this person is saying.

[tdadams]

We (the majority) don't want the deviates to be equal. They aren't equal, we live in a Republic where the majority still has the majority of the say.

Ah, and finally the ugly truth comes out. You're in a position of power. You feel threatened that your position of power is being challenged and diminished.

The tyranny of the majority is not moral. By your rational, caucasions, because they are the majority, could re-institute slavery against the minority blacks and that would be OK, because what the majority wants the majority is entitled to get. Your premise doesn't hold up.

[OWK]

Hard to say what this person is saying.

That isn't accidental.

This person knows full well that he advocates evil, but is unwilling to discuss it forthrightly, because that would require him to be honest with himself.

And honesty with himself, would require him to abandon his position.

Hence, he must speak in ambiguous terms.

[Taliesan]

You can't tolerate a lifestyle by law and then refuse treatment for their legal behavior.

Objection. Confusion of "treatment" and "pay for treatment".

Many, many acts are legal but not subsidized.

Fuzzy thinker.

[Taliesan]

WWJDN? Let the wheat and the tares grow together till the End.

[Protagoras]

Hence, he must speak in ambiguous terms.

Something I have never been accused of. Or you for that matter. :-)

[Protagoras]

Shall I continue to wait for your answer to the WWJD in this case question, or are you suddenly busy doing something else? Rounding up queers perhaps?

[OWK]

First you say you'd fight to the death anyone who'd try to make America an atheist nation. Then you say you respect their beliefs.

Surely you recognize that it is reasonable for an indidual to respect another's right to believe in a God (or no God) and even be willing to fight to defend it , and at the same time be unwilling to have that individual's views imposed upon them by state force.

It doesn't seem all that difficult a concept to me.

[OWK]

So long as they don't try to convert a Christian, it would seem.

So long as they don't try to convert a Christian by force.

I don't think the poster is suggesting that atheists be disallowed to present their views.... I think he's suggesting that they should not be allowed to institutionalize their views with government force... (nor should anyone)

[TC Rider]

Young man, I'm sorry, but judging by your unkempt clothes and bad haircut, we will have to deny your scholarship. Unless of course, you can arrange our furniture or whip up a fine creme brule.

[Dr. Good Will Hunting]

Equal Rights: marriage is just as available to men wanting to marry women as it is to women wanting to marry men!

[Khepera]

There is no such thing as same sex marriage. No matter what the perverts in Congress say.

[MEGoody]

The point that was being made is that those scholarships do not specifically ask the person to declare their sexual 'preference'. You know that, you just wanted to be nasty.