No to Proselytizing

To the editors:

In “Can this man make you straight?”, Benjamin D. Grizzle ’03 declares: “When I tell people that BOND and [Christian Impact] are doing a service project together, they’re like ‘What’s going on?’”

We now are among those who express that sentiment.

Originally, a joint activity seemed like a good idea in order to help people understand one another. Things have changed.

We would like to make it clear that we no longer wish to associate with Christian Impact’s efforts to perform “outreach,” since now it appears evident that it is their intent to proselytize.

We apologize to the BOND membership and to any lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered students (especially closeted ones) for giving the impression that Harvard is a place in which the LGBT leadership is in bed with those who object to us acting on our attractions and emotions.

All of us should remember the words of Paul Monette, a gay author whose insight still rings true: “The project of our enemies is to keep us from falling in love.”

Clifford S. Davidson ’02

Justin C. Ocean ’03

Matthew A. Romero ’02

Elizabeth C. Vogt ’01-02

Sept. 28, 2001

The writers are the co-chairs of BOND.