V065GZA5@UBVMSC.CC.BUFFALO.EDU (Lenny Shields (Silence=Death)) (02/06/90)
Hey Guys: Recently the president of the College Republicans at UB, put in harassing letters in our school newspaper "Spectrum". I wrote this article in response. I was wondering what some of you thought of it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Leonard A. Shields - University Student Mr. Keith G. Gawrys recently brought up some interesting points in his recent article in the Spectrum on Feb 2. As to whether his arguments are rational is yet to be determined, however. I am not advocating acceptance or discontinuance of certain lifestyles that Mr. Gawrys speaks of. Nor am I discussing the power that an invisible being that Mr. Gawrys terms as "God" supposedly has over our lives. I feel that everyone has the right to express their views, whether or not their views are backed up or not. Mr. Gawrys seems to feel however that it is the role of the spectrum to be a battle ground for such debates. It is my belief that a publicly supported newspaper, such as the Spectrum should be used for freedom of expression, not just for attacks against another group. However, it could be argued that by not allowing Mr. Gawrys to use the Spectrum as a battle ground, his freedom of expression is being suppressed, and he would be the first to scream bloody murder about it. One of the reasons, that the impeachment of Mr. Gawrys was called for was because he wrote the article on Oct. 27th, not just as a UB student, but as a member of the College Republicans, a Student Association sponsored organization. His stance in the article went against the expressed constitutional basis or some of the sponsored Student Association clubs. And now, Mr. Gawrys attacks an English professor and the selection process of the entire department. It is very interesting that someone who has not yet even obtained his bachelor's degree attacks someone with years of learning that far exceed that of Mr. Gawrys. The Generation magazine was the next thing attacked by Mr. Gawrys. For someone that has expressed an interest in the political arena, he has made one serious error, that of underestimating the power of the press. The press is a very powerful form of expression, whether or not Mr. Gawrys thinks so. His claim that he represents the masses has not yet been proven. Perhaps he does represent the conservative, straight white male population at UB. But who is to say that this is the mass of UB. I am not saying that it isn't, but who knows that it is. What ever happened to the policy of separation of church from state. The bible was a piece of literature written by people over 1000 years ago. I am not saying that what is in the Bible, whether it be the New or Old Testament is false, just that it is not to be taken blindly as fact. I, myself am Jewish, and follow the principles of the Old Testament. However, it isn't my right to ordain my interpretations of the bible to others. He also claims to have 6000 years of history behind him. Well, perhaps if some of the more famous leaders of the world in the past 6000 years had a different view on things, 12 million people might not have been killed in WWII, Africans might not have been enslaved in the U.S., and the people of the world might not have been as unevenly dispersed in the world, which would have brought more unity to humanity. Many of Mr. Gawrys views are not a surprise considering his conservative upbringing in Buffalo, and his education in the Williamsville schools, if I am not mistaken. However, UB, the flagship of the largest state university system in the world, is one in which people can express their views, sexual orientation, ethniticity, and individual differences without having to be harassed by members of the university, especially elected members of the student association that creates an environment in which individuals are able to be themselves and develop as human beings. This is the same right that enables Mr. Keith Gawrys the right to express his views whether they be political, moral, or religious.