The Council: 'Taken out of Context'

To the Editors of The Crimson:

In your November 13 article about the release of the October/November issue of Peninsula, you quote from the introduction to our magazine, "We believe that homosexuality is bad for society." While we do allude to the harm that homosexuality can cause society, to use that quote to describe our issue is to grossly misrepresent its entire purpose.

Taken out of context, the quote implies that Peninsula is unconcerned with the homosexual person. This is untrue. In the same introduction, we write, "More importantly, we think [homosexuality] is bad for individuals; submitting to the homosexual 'lifestyle' can destroy individuals emotionally, physically, and spiritually." Even a cursory look at our issue will show that our primary concern is with the damage that homosexuality can do the homosexual person.

You quote Sheila C. Allen '93 as saying that she worries about the effects of our publication on a homosexual who is "just beginning to reach out to other people."

Our very hope in publishing this issue is that such a person will understand that his or her options extend far beyond those promoted by groups like Ms. Allen's BGLSA. Embracing a dangerous and self-deprecating "lifestyle" is not the only alternative open to homosexuals.

Finally, we wish to take this opportunity to join the BGLSA in their condemnation of the incident of harassment which occurred in Lowell House late Monday night. We reiterate the assertions made in our issue, that the persecution and harassment of individuals because of their sexual orientation is wrong, and should not be tolerated by society or this university.

Our ultimate goal is to see homosexuals free of both this sort of hate-mongering on the one hand, and of the injurious ideology of the pro-homosexuality movement as well. Chris G. Vergonis '92   For the Council of Peninsula