School board should approve gay club

editorial cartoon by Natalie Fowle
editorial cartoon by Natalie Fowle

Aaron Mc Kinney, one of the murderers of Wyoming homosexual student Matthew Shepard, was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole on Nov. 4. His accomplice, Russel Henderson, pleaded guilty to murder in April and also received a life sentence. Justice has been served. It is finally over. Or is it? The odds are that it will never be over.

While most people probably agree that it was wrong to kill Shepard, many people also think it is wrong to be gay. There is an underlying notion in society that it is all right to get aggressive or even violent if a straight man is approached by a homosexual. The order of the day seems to be that “I do not have anything against gays as long as they leave me alone.”

This idea is reflected in the so-called “gay panic” defense McKinney’s lawyers used. They argued that McKinney beat Shepard to death because Shepard’s supposed approach reminded him of sexual abuse and an unwanted homosexual experience he had to endure as a child. This kind of reasoning may be convincing to a certain extent but by no means does it justify violence or murder. It relies on the preconceived notion that homosexuality is bad and that McKinney was just another victim.

Another kind of “gay panic” broke out at El Modena High School in Orange, Calif., when several students wanted to establish a gay-straight alliance at their school. The school’s principal was hesitant to support the club. The conservative Orange Unified School District board opposed the club as well and called for a meeting last Tuesday, which, according to the Los Angeles Times, was attended by about 300 parents and students.

Opponents of the club argued that such an organization might confuse students who are already not sure about their sexual identity. Here is a news flash for homophobic people across the nation: A gay club does not make anyone gay. People who are gay, will be gay, one way or another. One might consider homosexuality wrong for religious reasons. There is nothing anyone can do about that. But gay people exist. Neither murder nor censorship will make them go away. They have the same rights as anyone else. As human beings and as American citizens they have the right to establish a club that supports them and represents their interests. It would improve understanding and communication between heterosexual and homosexual students. Some straight students may finally understand that it is not necessary to beat up a gay student if they are approached by one.

The school board voted last night whether to approve of the club or not. If it decided against it, it will be partly responsible for the next Matthew Shepard.

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Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Campus Times Editorial Board.

Natalie Fowle, Photography Editor
Natalie Fowle

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