Newspapers / Meredith College Student Newspaper / Feb. 28, 2007, edition 1 / Page 3
Part of Meredith College Student Newspaper / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
EDITORIAL CORE; con't from pg- 2 attaining a very narrow idea of diversity and the factors that shape it. CORE 100 stCTeotypes students. Many assume that Meredith women are typically wealfliy "daddies' girls" who know littie outside of North Face jackets and Vera Bradley handbags. I have witnessed tiiis assumption when my CORE 100 teacher asked my class if we knew what a Jew is. My professor also asked if everyone knew what a nun was. Hius, students leave the February 28,2§07 class feeling offended and unintelligent. Because the problems within CORE 100 reflect tt\e college's lack of diversity, the soluticai lies in addressing Meredith's internal structure. Students do not feel obligated to approach die unknown witii an open mind if their professors do not. If the staff and leadership are not following tfie message that they preach, Mereditii students will not feel the need to become well- rounded and tolerant individuals. A change in Meredith's student body will come only when the college holds tiie same ideals. By shifting the focus of the staff and changing the structure of the CORE, students' resistance will subside. Until then, however, the college will continue to face criticism, angry students, and a lack of diversity. [S Justice For All? By Heather Blanchard Contributing Writer A frequent topic of discussion in CORE 100 is homosexuality. As a reflec tion leader in flie CORE program. I've noticed that the discussion often dead locks around the specific issue of marriage. While discussing this issue, stu dents are often unaware of the specific challenges facing individuals who are unable to legally marry in our society. This lack of knowledge can lead to strong opinions rooted more firmly in ste reotypes and fear then in clearly reasoned facts. "Gay marriage is a radical notion for straight people and a conserva tive notion for gay ones" argues Quindlen in her article, Evan's Tivo Moms (1992). However, this statement is a broad gen eralization of the views of two populations, and as such is flawed. Quindlen's assumption that all homo sexuals are unequivocally for gay marriage does not recognize the growing number of feminists, les bian and gay, who do not wish to take part in what many see as a patriarchal and outdated social struc ture. Nor does it account for the significant num ber of heterosexual allies who advocate equal mar riage rights for all people. The debate over marriage equality in American soci ety is one charged witti emotions, tinged with opposing value sets, and muddied by hidden, (and sometimes not so hidda\), agendas. Staunchly con servative groups such as Focus on the Family and the Christian Broadcasting Network have taken pains to hide overt injustice inside a cloud of debates over perceived issues of morality (Dobson, 2006). These debates, which have fueled tiie opposi tion against equal rights for sexual minorities for decades, ignore \he fact that their insistent denial of marriage robs many stable families of the pro tection of legal marriage in society. It is a grievous offense to deny justice to any family living within our borders, especially when to do so would harm none. One of the most striking rights of marriage is tiie ability to adopt a child that does not share your DNA. In North Carolina, second parent adoptions are prohibited. If tine two adults who wish to share custody of the child are urunarried, only one of tiiem may legally become the par ent of a child (NC Gay and Lesbian Attorneys, 2007). In the event of the deatii of the primary par ent, or Ihe dissolution of the relationship, the sec ond parait is left with no legal rigjits or standing. Therefore, if a grandpar ent or other relative seeks custody, a child who has been raised with two lov ing and supportive par ents may suddenly find himself doubly trauma tized to lose not only one, but both of his parmts. Partners in a lesbi an or gay relationship also are unable to file as next- of-kin in a situation where one partner has been hos pitalized. Gay partners can be daiied visitation in the hospital, funeral decisions, and inheritance rights. They have no legal standing without a living will for decisions such as continuing life support to a parmer in a comatose state. Furthermore, with out the benefits of legal marriage a gay or lesbian partner has no standing in wrongful death suits, or eligibility for bereave ment or sick leave from employment (Religious Tolerance, 2001). Lesbian couples in particular are at-risk for financial challenges, due to gaps in econom ic equality: women still make on average about seventy cents for every dollar a man makes for equal work (NOW, 2006). Discrimination in ti^e workforce is particularly striking whoi botii heads of a housdiold are female. Furthermore, women are often "mommy-tiacked", passed over for promo tions and raises. Marriage would allow lesbian cou ples the benefit of filing taxes jointiy and receiv ing credit for the chil dren raised in their home. Marriage would also allow gay and lesbian couples tive rights of social securi ty benefits, pension plans, and the ability to jointiy own property such as a home that would revert to the surviving partner in case of death. In the case of abuse, marriage would provide the abused partner with the right to file for a special domes tic violence protective order, and to access cer tain services for victims of domestic violence. None of these rights must be taken away from heterosexual cou- See MARRIAGE; Pg*4 herald@meredith.edu Editor. Laurel Benedum Staff Writers. Christy Nash Shiara Molina Morgan Ericson Heather Blanchard Taryn Oesch Monisha Morrison The Meredith Herald is published by the College throughout the academic year. The paper is funded by the college and through indepen dent advertising. All advertisements should be sent to herald(^meredith.edu The opinions expressed in the editorial colunms do not necessarily reflect those of the college administration, faculty, or student body. Published by Hinton Press
Meredith College Student Newspaper
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 28, 2007, edition 1
3
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75