Opinion
Monday, February 12,1996
Page 4
J. Christopher Haiti
Doug Kouma.
Doug Peters.
Sqrah Scalet.
Matt Waite.
Michelle Garner...
Jennifer Mapes ....
Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
-Editor, 472-1766
.Managing Editor
.. Opinion Page Editor
Associate News Editor
Associate News Editor
.Wire Editor
.Columnist
Magic’s back
Hope still exists for AIDS sufferers
1991: Magic Johnson announces he has contracted HIV, the virus
that causes AIDS, from unprotected heterosexual sex. He retires
from basketball, citing personal health and the well-being of team
mates and opponents as his reasons.
1996: Magic Johnson comes out of retirement to a hero’s wel
come.
What a difference a few years can make.
AIDS education and awareness has progressed to the point that
Magic Johnson is accepted, even welcomed back to the game, by
teammates and opponents alike. In 1991, Utah’s Karl Malone stated
flatly that he wouldn’t play against Magic. Last week, he did. Malone
said he had become more knowledgeable about HIV in the past few
years.
Magic’s face adorned the covers of most major American news
magazines this past week. Number 32 is being hailed by the media as
the man who is showing athletic prowess, which, although somewhat
diminished, is still remarkable, HIV or not That is perhaps the
greatest thing about Magic’s return. He is once again breaking the
myths of AIDS. In 1991, he broke the myth that HIV was the gay
man’s disease, announcing he had contracted the virus through
heterosexual contact. This time, he is breaking the myth that HIV is
an immediate, irrevocable death sentence. The smile he wore on the
Forum floor last week showed that Magic is still very much alive,
thank you.
When we look at Magic now, we see a basketball player who
happens to be HIV positive, not someone who’s HIV positive and
happens to be playing basketball.
Sadly, the acceptance Magic has received is not universal. Many
AIDS sufferers have become lost in the stigma of the disease—their
personalities are asterisks next to the bold letters that define their
existence, “AIDS.”
This disparity in acceptance, for whatever reason, is unfortunate.
But hopefully, Magic Johnson’s return will provide the understand
ing and hope needed by the millions of AIDS sufferers worldwide.
Meanwhile, having number 32 back on the court is a tremendous
triumph for the man, the game and our society.
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COIWTTEE TO RE-ELECT THE PRESIDENT
1//S' l
u 11 i ks io i in: i;i)i roK
Some advice
Apparently, Bob Ray’s prob
lems with sexuality don’t stop with
his overt homophobia. It seems
that any open displays of affection
between any two loving humans
“disgusts” him. Ray would like to
institute and maintain a “closet”
not just for us homosexuals, but
for heterosexuals as well. Every
one should “keep it in the bed
room.” Sorry Ray, humans
normally display their affections in
public; stop being so puritanical
and get used to it.
Tell you what Mr. Ray, just for
the fun, pretend to be a gay guy,
hold a male friend’s hand in public
someday and see what the reac
tions are, then tell me that we gays
don’t have a long way to go in
securing our civil rights.
William A. Poe
graduate student
anthropology
via e-mail
Het-parade
Bob Ray wrote: “If I were to
organize a heterosexual parade this
spring, would anyone join me in
marching down O Street?”
But it’s already happening Bob,
they’re already joining you — you
have no need to worry, you’re
surrounded by heterosexuality...
Every day and in every way, the
world is treated to a heterosexual
parade down every street, road,
alleyway, lane and path — after
all, the basic assumption that is
made about everyone is that they
are heterosexual. If that weren’t
the case, why would heterosexuals
act surprised when “normal
(heterosexual) looking” people
turn out to be gay? That’s
something that happens amazingly
often. That’s the truth.
Read a magazine, see a movie,
listen to the radio, watch television
— experience the reflection of the
heteroparade — in fact, when
you’re not heterosexual, you can
hardly find yourself... That’s the
truth, also.
Rest at ease Mr. Ray — you are not
alone...
Michael Keacli
Southfield, RJ
via e-mail
Not just a river In
Egypt
“The respect homosexuals
demand will be given when they
respect those who are not gay.”
The issue at hand, Mr. Ray, is not
about respect. Gay/Lesbian/Bi
sexual/Transgender pride is not
about earning the respect from those
who don't fall into these categories.
It’s about acceptance. Members of
the gay community only want to be
accepted so that issues of discrimi
nation, hate crimes, and the like are
looked down upon by society, not
just the gay community.
IJ I ft rr
Jason Giidow/DN
Your attitude of ‘keeping it in the
bedroom’ doesn’t show acceptance.
It shows denial.
Scott Jones
junior
secondary special education
via e-mail
Discrimination Is
that bad
Bob Ray has written what is
perhaps the most insensitive column
of the semester thus far.
When you’re denied a job, or are
fired from a job on the basis of your
orientation, (for that matter, when
you lose a job because your em
ployer SUSPECTS you are gay. It
can happen.) When you’re thrown
out of the military on the basis of
what you do in your bedroom, then
you can tell that it “just isn’t that
bad” Bob.
When you’re beaten by insecure,
ignorant thugs as you walk home
from the bar, or are shot by
homophobic gang members who
crash your party, then you can tell us
that “most heterosexuals could care
less.”
You will find it hard to lose the
“cloud of insecurity” when the “700
Club”-watching Christian zombies
condemn your life on the basis of
what happens in your own bedroom,
or when die continual onslaught of
gay jokes come up in your work
place.
When you’re denied custody of
your children, or denied the ability
to adopt on the basis of what you do
in your bedroom Bob, come tell me
that it’s “not that bad.”
James A. Zank
senior
English
via e-mail
Accept this
Regarding Bob Ray’s column, “Get
Over It,” it’s attitudes like his that
trouble me most. When people say
“We hate fags,” at least we know they
are homophobic, and we can accept it
and deal with it. When people say,
“Oh it’s OK that you’re gay, BUT...”
that’s when we have a problem.
Acceptance of gays is an all or
nothing thing. What further puzzles
me is why a simple pin bothers this
man so much. We, as gay people, wear
pins and march and have parades and
show affection in public because it is
our right. Straight people don’t
congregate and shout their pride
because they don’t need to. They have
that every day of their lives. Straight
men don’t need to walk down O
Street, shouting “we like girls, we like
girls;” they can just go to a frat party
for that.
As gay people, we are in all sorts
of closets, and this is a time where we
are stepping out and letting ourselves
be heard. I personally don’t want
people assuming I am straight,
because I am not, and that is my right.
Tomorrow, in Jionor of Bob Ray, I am
going to wear every lesbian button, T
shirt, sticker and flag that I have.
Inappropriate? Who cares?
Roxane Gay
sophomore
general studies
via e-mail