Hypocrisy?....

To the Editors of The Crimson:

In a letter appearing in The Crimson on October 15, four members of the William J. Seymour Society labeled the issue of minority representation in the new student government as "laughable" and "pablum." They went on to single out GSA's [Gay Students Association] desire for a voice in the new government as "puerile" and "illegitimate." I suggest that the society, instead of spewing invectives and denying the oppression of other groups (including Asians, women, Hispanics, "middle-class Blacks" and Gays), might use its time and energy more constructively.

The Seymour Society should realize that it is not "opportunistic" Asians, women, Hispanics and Gays who link our oppression; that is done for us by a common bigotry. I note that the KKK-like group pandering its hate on the Amherst campus of the University of Massachusetts did not just target "poor Blacks." No, they aimed at "Chinks, Gooks and Niggers," and threatened the life of a Gay man. I wonder what that man thinks of what the Seymour Society terms "so-called" opression?

Without ever offering any reasons why, the Society flatly states. "the illegitimacy of GSA's claim is obvious." Historically, Gay people have been systematically denied participation in, and protection from, majoritarian politics. Furthermore, they have identifiable interests: safety. academic freedom, employment and housing security and ending the mindless bigotry that has for so long denied them basic civil liberties. The "illegitimacy" of our desire for a voice in the new student government is not clear to me, nor to the Constitution Committee which made the recommendation.

The hypocrisy of any "Christian" group using homophobia and crass insensitivities toward Asians, women and Hispanics is distressing; that the Seymour Society would use these abuses to further division and antagonism when unity and cooperation are needed is deplorable. As Proverbs states: "A poor man who oppresses the poor, is a beating rain that leaves no food." French Wall '83   President, HRGSA