Peninsula: 'Negative Philosophers'

To the Editors of The Crimson:

I've had enough. Peninsula and its good friend Sumner Anderson '92 have once again caused Harvard students, myself included, to waste precious time in useless debate. It is sad that many talented students are wasting their time debating the rights of homosexuals when our society is faced with poverty, homelessness, drugs, child abuse and the list goes on.

I wish that Peninsula writers and Sumner Anderson would leave their computers and typewriters and take the T to Jackson Square (in Roxbury). Maybe then they would realize that many people in our world need help from positive people rather than lecturing from negative philosophers.

It is frustrating that negative debate and precious time is being wasted on an issue which is obvious. We live in America, the land of the free. This debate has shown that freedom has a different meaning to many people. For me, freedom is the ability to do as one pleases as long as one does not offend the rights of others. But no matter how one views freedom, the bottom line is that under the law, one is free to do as one pleases as long as they do not break the law.

Thus it is obvious that homosexuality is not offensive to the rights of others. Restricting the right to choose one's sexual orientation would give conservatives like the Peninsula staff and Sumner Anderson the opportunity to justify limiting other rights via the same screwed up logic.

The spark which ignited this letter was a quote from Thomas M. Lauderdale's '92 in The Crimson on November 25: "Prior to this year nobody ever called me a faggot, on the street.

This year, not a day goes by that I am not called a faggot."

This is a pathetic example of how Peninsula and Sumner Anderson have not given anything positive to the Harvard community. Rather, they have been the causes of many negative side effects. Rev. Gomes, Thomas Lauderdale and friends--I am praying for you and know God will give you strength. Jeffrey Stravino '92