2008 Woodie Awards
Media inappropriate forum for religion
By Mike Goodwin
Issue date: 10/7/05 Section: Opinion
I'm physically and mentally drained.
I've been harassed, threatened with censorship and given almost zero outwardly support despite claims of agreement in my opinion, which, was a stronger one than I actually have. I have liberals and conservatives up in arms over saying too much and not saying enough. As the "all knowing all seeing English major" that my friend, whom compared himself to Thomas Paine, not so eloquently labeled me as, I apparently painted the department as a godless haven of extreme thinking and ruffled a few feathers. I don't know when the phrase, "quite a few," translated into "all" but someone send me the memo, because I missed it. Sarcasm aside, I do sincerely apologize to the English department for portraying them as close-minded individuals. They are, in fact, an open-minded group accepting of any and all walks of people. My opinions in no way reflect everyone within the department.
But, I've tried to quote people, write this in a more journalistic fashion and get people involved in what I'm writing, to show that this isn't just my opinion, but a shared campus issue. The whispers and backtracking by my peers is almost humorous at this point. When it comes down to it, people are afraid of the dominance that is a white, Christian majority, and refuse to meet the current issue head-on. What saddens me the most is the passivity at this university about one person expressing his beliefs over every other, an act of superiority and arrogance. The cultural bias that exists everywhere, but in this case Western Pennsylvania, is very unfortunate.
This is not a simple question of free speech and the ability to speak one's mind. Calling me an advocate of censorship is a bit of an oxymoron; hopeful writer against free speech. I would kill my own career before it even started. Everyone has the right to speak and believe what they want. It's not a question of separation of church and state, either. Faith is too large a structure in people's lives to separate it entirely. Using free speech or separation of church and state as a main argument is problematic because it's circular. Saying there's an option to read or not read an article is an easy-out of an issue which needs to be confronted. This is a responsibility issue. There are specific limitations to the First Amendment, for instance, yelling "fire" in a movie theater is illegal. Separation of church and state, in part, seeks to find a balance with religious issues and the First Amendment. My opinions aren't freedom from religion, but rather, equality and the elimination of a cultural bias.
I've been harassed, threatened with censorship and given almost zero outwardly support despite claims of agreement in my opinion, which, was a stronger one than I actually have. I have liberals and conservatives up in arms over saying too much and not saying enough. As the "all knowing all seeing English major" that my friend, whom compared himself to Thomas Paine, not so eloquently labeled me as, I apparently painted the department as a godless haven of extreme thinking and ruffled a few feathers. I don't know when the phrase, "quite a few," translated into "all" but someone send me the memo, because I missed it. Sarcasm aside, I do sincerely apologize to the English department for portraying them as close-minded individuals. They are, in fact, an open-minded group accepting of any and all walks of people. My opinions in no way reflect everyone within the department.
But, I've tried to quote people, write this in a more journalistic fashion and get people involved in what I'm writing, to show that this isn't just my opinion, but a shared campus issue. The whispers and backtracking by my peers is almost humorous at this point. When it comes down to it, people are afraid of the dominance that is a white, Christian majority, and refuse to meet the current issue head-on. What saddens me the most is the passivity at this university about one person expressing his beliefs over every other, an act of superiority and arrogance. The cultural bias that exists everywhere, but in this case Western Pennsylvania, is very unfortunate.
This is not a simple question of free speech and the ability to speak one's mind. Calling me an advocate of censorship is a bit of an oxymoron; hopeful writer against free speech. I would kill my own career before it even started. Everyone has the right to speak and believe what they want. It's not a question of separation of church and state, either. Faith is too large a structure in people's lives to separate it entirely. Using free speech or separation of church and state as a main argument is problematic because it's circular. Saying there's an option to read or not read an article is an easy-out of an issue which needs to be confronted. This is a responsibility issue. There are specific limitations to the First Amendment, for instance, yelling "fire" in a movie theater is illegal. Separation of church and state, in part, seeks to find a balance with religious issues and the First Amendment. My opinions aren't freedom from religion, but rather, equality and the elimination of a cultural bias.
