The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 24, Ed. 1 Friday, March 25, 1994 Page: 2 of 20
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2 FRIDAY, MARCH 25,1994 THE RICE THRESHER
OPINION
Debate
Thresher strives to keep the floor open
for exchange of views
We wanted to raise hell when we decided to run for Thresher editors last
spring — and in many ways, some unexpected, we did.
In the process of focusing attention on aspects of campus life that hadn't
been closely examined, we raised important questions about the role of the
Thresher itself. We shattered the image of the student newspaper as rote
observer, a footnote in the unfolding history of this university.
Instead, we tried to see issues through to their conclusions, even when that
meant covering difficult topics, asking difficult questions, and publishing letters
that were critical of our own reporting. Not everyone liked this, but we saw this
as the only way to achieve progress.
One of our greatest ongoing challenges was vigilantly covering a new
presidency. From our critique of the new tuition plan, to the debate on the
foundation courses, to this week's feature on planned buildings on campus, we
have sought to keep every aspect of university policy in the public eye.
Many of the Thresher's problems this year served to educate the staff about
the responsibilities of the press. Concerns about a libel suit following the
incorrect charge that a professor played an insensitive prank on his freshmen
students drove home the point that inaccuracy is completely unacceptable.
In our coverage of the resignation of the women's basketball coach last
spring, the Thresher took immense care to accurately uncover sensitive infor-
mation while protecting the identity of its sources, one of the hardest balancing
acts in journalism.
These kinds of stories highlighted the importance of sources that take
seriously the responsibility to inform the public. We must thank those who had
the courage to speak to us about difficult topics, either on or off the record.
This depth of coverage was repeated in a story about a scuffle at Jones that
some students claimed involved racial conflictand others claimed did not Even
while we were criticized for insensitivity, we stood by the balanced practices
that make reporting about controversial topics possible. We printed the critics,
and we printed the facts.
Much of our editorial effort was focused on a well-known problem at Rice:
Othe department of
+** 1 1 ^ bd Food and Housing. In
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XT £ZT« in8 SA Senate efforts
pf- to improve F&H'sper-
^ W Q formance and report-
^ on conflicts over
j the Sid Richardson
A College balconies and
^ the Brown College
bathrooms, the
77ires/terrepeatedly editorialized for increased F&H responsiveness to student
concerns.
Most importantly, we attempted to enforce the right of the student voice to
be heard on any point Whether it was administration activity, social changes
at Rice, housing concerns or even the content of the Backpage, we published
a variety of voices so that the decisions that create the future of this university
could be informed ones.
Openness and provocative debate are what we consider the pinnacle of
journalistic achievement. Ifwedid nothing else, we are proud to havehad some
part in enabling that ongoing debate.
— Kraettli Epperson and Peter Howley
T*Xe The r i *1 since mn
Rice I nresher
Peter Howley, Kraettli Epperson
Editors-in-Chief
Shane A. Speciale
Business Manager
%
Melissa Williams
Sei Chong
David Hale
Vivek Rao
Jeremy Bogaisky
Joanna Winters
Christof Spieler
TonyTran
Grant Flowers
Michael Gomez
Rachel Domhelm
Amy Jeter
Eric Stotts
Monica Weinheimer
Kevin Mistry
Charles Klein
Haley S. Robertson
Kathy 0*Steen
News Editor
Asst News Editor
Opinion Editor
Asst Opinion Editor
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Asst Arts & Entertainment Editor
Asst Arts & Entertainment Editor
Sports Editor
AsstSports Editor
Asst Sports Editor
Features Editor
Asst Features Editor
Backpage Editor
Photography Editor
Production Manager
Production Manager
Ads Manager
Asst Business Manager
The Rice Thresher, the official student newspaper at Rice University
sincae 1916, is published each Friday during the school year, except during
examination periods and holidays, by the students of Rice University.
Editorial and business offices are located on the second floor of the Ley
Student Center, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, Texas, 77251. Phone 527-4801.
e-mail: thresher@ricevml.rice.edu. Advertising information available on
requesL Mail subscription rate per semester $20.00 domestic, $40.00
international via first class mail. Non-subscription rate: first copy free,
second copy $1.00.
Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the Thresher
Editorial Staff. All other pieces represent solely the opinion of the author.
Obviously. © COPYRIGHT 1994
vrs N1WGWT-
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COffiTOLTENA-
Non-confrontation ignored true conflict
Discussion of homosexuality and religion avoided issues in favor of peace
To the editor
At the conclusion of last
Wednesday's panel discussion about
homosexuality and Christianity, Dr.
William Martin, the moderator, made
some closing remarks about the mood
of the evening. Congratulating the
panelists and the audience on their
ability to conduct themselves peace-
fully, Dr. Martin stressed the impor-
tance of civility within a university
environment Though I understand
THE EDITOR
Letters
the value of civility, I question its ap-
propriateness last Wednesday night
Given the traditionally hostile rela-
tionship between conservative Chris-
tianity and homosexuality, the rela-
tively calm conclusion of the discus-
sion represented not a discovery of
common ground, but rather an avoid-
ance of important issues.
One underlying theme of the dis-
cussion was that each individual has
the right to make up his or her own
mind about the moral correctness of
homosexuality. With this statement I
fully agree, but I believe that an ac-
companying idea was overlooked Yes,
each person has the right to make his
or her own moral judgments but does
not have the right to apply this moral-
ity to everyone else in society. Though
f believe that the conservative Chris-
tian panelists were speaking the truth
when they denounced acts of violence
against homosexuals, I must respond
thatphysical violence is but one end of
a continuum on which their own atti-
tudes towards homosexuals lie.
While I know that many conserva-
tive Christians are appalled atviolence
against gays and lesbians, I must ask
what else do they expect given their
own attitudes about homosexuals?
The conservative Christian panelists
discussed separating the "sinner" from
the "sin," but this is impossible, and in
fact any attempt to do so causes as
much psychological pain as the physi-
cal wounds inflicted by a gay-basher.
Although I do not want to be physi-
cally attacked, at least I know that gay-
bashers are honest about their ha-
tred. With their desire to separate me
into two parts, conservative Christians
give me ample reasons to regard them
with suspicion.
I make no attempt to summarize
all the controversy surrounding ho-
mosexuality, but I do hope that I have
shown that the relationship between
homosexuality and conservative
Christians remains much more vola-
tile than last week's program showed.
Unfortunately, the air of civility that
prevailed hid much of this uneasi-
ness. Personally, I would rather have
had the discussion end angrily, be-
cause then at least more issues would
have been out in the open. Still, I
cannot help but regret that the discus-
sion did not go further than it did. I
' The relatively calm
conclusion of the
discussion represented not
a discovery of common
ground, but rather an
avoidance of
important issues. '
must accept my own responsibility for
not raising these issues myself, but as
is typical, much of my thoughts did
not come to me until the program was
over. Despite my problems with the
evening, I was proud to have J.J.
McCoy and Jill Carroll represent my
interests with dignity.
I would like to end my letter with a
refrain of Nanci Griffith. She sings
that "we are a gentle, angry people,
and we are singing, singing for our
SEE PANEL, PAGES
GALOR debate lacked middle ground
To the editor
After attending the forum on ho-
mosexuality sponsored by GALOR,
Campus Crusade, Intervarsity Chris-
tian Fellowship and the Baptist Stu-
dent Union on March 16,1 feel com-
pelled to write this response. First, let
me compliment the articulate panel-
ists and the helpful moderator (Dr.
Bill Martin).
The spirit of openness and hon-
esty was a refreshing change to the
hostile, closed debates so frequently
heard on this topic. I have been the
United Methodist Campus Minister
at Rice for the last 14 years.
The Methodist church is a com
plex group of persons representing a
wide range of views on the topic of
homosexuality.
The conservative Methodist posi-
tion was well represented by the Chris-
tian speakers.
A moderate or liberal view was not
represented. Here are two points of
view that deserve to be heard.
• The two speakers representing the
homosexual (gay/lesbian) point of
view both claimed to be agnostics.
Their personal stories were moving,
articulate and courageously shared.
It would have been helpful to me
had there also been a student speaker
who is both homosexual and a pro-
fessing Christian. I understand that
many homosexual persons have felt
rejected by the church or formal reli-
gion, but there are also many homo-
sexual persons who profess the Chris-
tian faith.
• The four other speakers claimed
to be speaking as Christians (at least
6 It would have been
helpful to me had there
been a Christian
spokesperson who
interpreted scripture in a
moderate or liberal
' manner. *
one with the disclaimer "I don't speak
for all Christians.'')
All four speakers, however, seemed
to interpret scripture (the Bible) in a
conservative manner. It would have
been helpful to me had there been a
Christian spokesperson who inter-
preted scripture in a moderate or lib-
eral manner.
Some Christians interpret pas-
sages of scripture in a less literal man-
ner and welcome practicing homo-
sexual persons into full participation
in their community of faith.
None of this is said to denigrate the
speakers of organizers of this event
In fact, I applaud the groups' efforts to
organize last week's forum as a signifi-
cant step forward in addressing an
important issue.
I was very sad, however, that such
a large audience could have left hear-
ing the issue as a "'Christian" vs. "ho-
mosexual" one.
In an effort to offer interested stu-
dents some additional reading on the
topic, I have asked Sarah Nelson
Crawford (Campus Ministries' staff
liaison) to place a bibliography and
some related books on reserve in the
Rice Library. These share some views
on the topic from a moderate/liberal
perspective. I would especially like to
encourage all to read further and dis-
cover the wide variety of valid inter-
pretations of scripture on this sensi-
tive issue.
Terry Thompson
United Methodist
Campus Minister
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Howley, Peter & Epperson, Kraettli. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 24, Ed. 1 Friday, March 25, 1994, newspaper, March 25, 1994; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth246006/m1/2/?q=%22%22~1: accessed June 22, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.