BGLSA Battles Anti-Gay Group

Mystery still shrouds the poster war that pits the Bisexual Gay and Lesbian Student Association (BGLSA) against the Association Against Learning in the Absence of Religion and Morality (AALARM).

Adjacent posters for the two student groups contrast in color and message. The blue one, sponsored by AALARM, reads "AIDS: Sodomy= Death." The bright pink fliser from the BGLSA reads "AALARM: Hatred=Death."

The AALARM posters began appearing across campus this week. Soon BGLSA posters were pinned alongside. The fliers have drawn quick, heated reactions from Harvard administrators and students on both sides.

Joshua D. Oppenheimer '96-'97, BGLSA's political chair, said yesterday that he was responsible for a considerable amount of the counter-campaign launched by the BGLSA in response to AALARM.

Oppenheimer said that the BGLSA made about 200 copies of the AALARM poster to put next to its own.

"We did it because [their posters] were nasty, cruci, hurtful and vicious," Oppenheimer said. "Because AALARM is not recognized anymore, we felt no compunction with copying their posters and putting them next to ours."

"It was very painful," said Oppen-heimer. "They [AALARM] took a meaningful slogan in the AIDS epidemic and they changed it to fit their purposes and make fun of [gay people] as a community."

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps Ill said yesterday that AALARM became defunct as an officially recognized student organization in 1993. And because AALARM is no longer recognized by Harvard College, it is not permitted to post fliers on campus.

"I think the sentiments expressed in the posters are unacceptable and abysmal," Epps said. "And I'd like to contact the people responsible to explain my position in person."

Former AALARM president Tung Q. Le '96 defended the posters.

"Our goal is to make the campus aware that its PC-oriented goals are not necessarily correct," Le said. "Especially with freshmen being bombarded and pressured into believing this [politically correct] nonsense."

AALARM has previously displayed these posters during its three-year term as a College-recognized organization, Le said.

"We get the same response every year, the kind you'd expect on a very liberal campus," he said. "The posters are straightforward and mean that the way you can get AIDS is by homosexual sex, especially unprotected homosexual sex." Current AALARM President Randy A. Karger '96 declined to comment.

"Sodomy is not equal to AIDS," said BGLSA member Royce C. Lin '96. "Unprotected sex between men and women is equal to AIDS. Using dirty IVs is equal to AIDS."

"I think it's pretty funny that AALARM, which stands for learning and morals, is itself completely without morality," Lin said.

The posters have provoked reactions from other students as well. "I've been fuming for last two days," said Daniela C. Bleichmar '96, co-director of AIDS Education and Outreach and a Crimson editor. "AALARM's posters are not only prejudiced, they are factually wrong and potentially a health hazard because they imply that vaginal intercourse is safe when it isn't."

"This touches on gay-bashing, AIDS discrimination and lots of peer groups such as Contact and Response," she added.

"Everybody I spoke to was obviously shocked by the AALARM posters," said Marco B. Simons '97, Dunster House Undergraduate Council delegation chair. "I think that the BGLSA's response in competing with [AALARM's] posters is appropriate." Simons said the AALARM posters are outdated with a new date written over them. In some cases both fliers looked like they had been posted by the same person, using a single piece of tape. Thus Simon said he had suspected that a member of BGLSA was trying to generate publicity by posting the contrasting fliers.

Oppenheimer said he will lead a protest next Tuesday in front of Widener Memorial Library to counter AALARM

AALARM has previously displayed these posters during its three-year term as a College-recognized organization, Le said.

"We get the same response every year, the kind you'd expect on a very liberal campus," he said. "The posters are straightforward and mean that the way you can get AIDS is by homosexual sex, especially unprotected homosexual sex." Current AALARM President Randy A. Karger '96 declined to comment.

"Sodomy is not equal to AIDS," said BGLSA member Royce C. Lin '96. "Unprotected sex between men and women is equal to AIDS. Using dirty IVs is equal to AIDS."

"I think it's pretty funny that AALARM, which stands for learning and morals, is itself completely without morality," Lin said.

The posters have provoked reactions from other students as well. "I've been fuming for last two days," said Daniela C. Bleichmar '96, co-director of AIDS Education and Outreach and a Crimson editor. "AALARM's posters are not only prejudiced, they are factually wrong and potentially a health hazard because they imply that vaginal intercourse is safe when it isn't."

"This touches on gay-bashing, AIDS discrimination and lots of peer groups such as Contact and Response," she added.

"Everybody I spoke to was obviously shocked by the AALARM posters," said Marco B. Simons '97, Dunster House Undergraduate Council delegation chair. "I think that the BGLSA's response in competing with [AALARM's] posters is appropriate." Simons said the AALARM posters are outdated with a new date written over them. In some cases both fliers looked like they had been posted by the same person, using a single piece of tape. Thus Simon said he had suspected that a member of BGLSA was trying to generate publicity by posting the contrasting fliers.

Oppenheimer said he will lead a protest next Tuesday in front of Widener Memorial Library to counter AALARM