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Guest column/Words of writer offer an adequate answer

After reading the March 31 guest column by Steve Krason regarding this newspaper’s supposed advancement of the gay rights movement, I was left to wonder why the university would allow Krason to reference his affiliation with that institution, given the fallout generated by his last diatribe regarding a social issue published in Crisis Magazine (“Items lead to questions about outlook of newspaper.”)

Krason has again demonstrated fundamental ignorance regarding the opinion of the majority of social scientists, medical people and “main line” Christian theologians regarding sexual identity. I ask him to put down his quill for a moment to consider the following:

First, why were your “moral sensibilities” offended as you state in your opening paragraph? Nothing mentioned in the two referenced Herald-Star articles personally impacted you. Turn the page if you do not like world views in opposition to yours. Elsewhere in your column you chastised this newspaper for representing only one side of this issue while you, in fact, were given the opportunity to express your thoughts. Our democracy thrives when we have contrasting points of view. Theocracies have a very poor record regarding human rights and cultural advancement.

The majority of your argument rests on the idea of some natural order of things. I might mention that what is “against nature” has been used to outlaw (and murder) people for interracial dating, as well as to justify slavery. Defining the outcomes of natural reasoning is not as clear cut as Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas would have us believe. As an example, you reference the “natural end of human sexuality” argument. This was an argument people on your side of the issue tried to get the Supreme Court to support.

However, social scientists cite pair-bonding, with or without children, as also a natural function of sex.

Given your perspective, a married couple, knowing they could not have children, engaging in sex could be considered immoral as they knew their behavior was outside of procreation — the only acceptable reason for sex according to your view of natural order.

In addition, cross cultural studies indicate a wide view regarding what is the natural order of things. Like it or not, there are as many compelling rational reasons for taking a more relativistic perspective as there are those that support absolutism. All these need to be heard in the public square, which is exactly what this newspaper tried to do in covering two people who love each other enough to want to share their life, and a group supporting individuals who are in the minority. Besides, what is so wrong with rainbow signs that your “sensibilities” were offended?

Normally, I ignore people who display in writing such vitriol as you spewed in your column. However, your support of “conversion therapy” must be challenged. This practice has been demonstrated to be so harmful to people, minors in particular, that it is condemned by all credible medical, psychological and social science professional groups. In addition, this practice has been outlawed in a number of states.

There are scholarly articles that discuss the problems children in same-sex homes experience. A large component of what drives these problems is related to the bigoted hatred these kids and their parents encounter in the community.

There also are articles that document the difficulties that can be faced by children from divorced homes and those raised in poverty. Does this mean the government should outlaw divorce and force sterilization on the poor? Of course not, because most children coming out of nontraditional home arrangement are well-adjusted and successful, just as there are many from traditional marriage homes who are not.

In closing, when my wife and I get the several alumni fundraising calls each year, we try to be generous to the students calling as we know they do this as part of their work-study.

It is going to be more difficult to do this now as the level of intellectual acumen, mental openness and Christian attitude of this professor causes me to wonder what has become of Steubie U. Mr. Krason wonders in his piece why those with his perspective are demonized as bigots. I think his words adequately answer that question.

(Joyce, a resident of Calabash, N.C., is a former resident of Steubenville who’s a former teacher, school principal, college administrator and college professor.)

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