Tender Harvard Souls, Part II
Further to what THS posted below, what really struck me about this whole “issue” was the way it was first reported by the Harvard Crimson:
After some students were offended by Jada Pinkett Smith’s comments at Saturday’s Cultural Rhythms show, the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, and Supporters Alliance (BGLTSA) and the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations have begun working together to increase sensitivity toward issues of sexuality at Harvard.
Students said that some of Pinkett Smith’s remarks concerning appropriate gender roles were specific to heterosexual relationships.
In a press release circulated yesterday by the BGLTSA—and developed in coordination with the Foundation—the BGLTSA called for an apology from the Foundation and encouraged future discussion of the issue.
Now, ignoring for a moment the blatant descrimination that the BGLTSA is showing towards Lesbian Gorillas and Plushies, if you possibly can, and believe me I know it is difficult and frankly hard to accept, this ‘issue’ and the grievences that these students air are capture perfectly so much of what is wrong with universities today. These poor coddled little dears spend four years (at least) as supposed ‘adults’ having every little pea in their collective mattresses legislated away by an administration and a mindset that has been so successful at “increas(ing) sensitivity” that the slightest utterances from people lead to “crises” which need to be negotiated and discussed and apologies must be issued and genuflections, er, genuflected or however one does that.
Get a fucking grip people. The lady gives a perfectly cookie-cutter ok touchy-feely ‘inspirational’ speech for women (or should I say “womyn”?). Now, if you want to be curmudgenly about the speech you could say it’s perfectly legitimate to say that yes girls (and I use that term in a gender neutral, non-patriarchalistic sense) you can “have it all” if you and your husband luck out and both work in fields where you get paid millions of dollars for a few months of reciting lines that someone else has written; it’s a tad more difficult when you work at Jiffy Lube and your bride works at Target. This whole “You Can Have It All” mantra of feminism has caused more damage to women (aside, of course, from Leif Garrett) than anything else that came out of the 60s. No you can’t have it all. But that’s a topic for another rant.
Anyhow, like I said there are reasons to question some elements of her speech, but
“Some of the content was extremely heteronormative, and made BGLTSA members feel uncomfortable,” he said.
ain’t one of them. Part of being a big boys and girls (AIEEE! Gender stereotypes!) is dealing with people who are different from you, shrugging your shoulders and moving along. Sometimes things happen that you don’t like, or maybe you disagree with. Hell, sometimes you get a boo-boo on your knee. It’s called life. Grow up. Get used to it.
Humanity...or the Lack Thereof, Nanny State | Mr. Bingley | 
March 6, 2005 7:05 am
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Mr. Bingley! You are being politically incorrect, insensitive, an avatistic throwback to the Neanderthal era, and show signs of actually supporting anything but a homogenous, non-offensive, group-hugging-for-a-warm-and-fuzzy-feeling society.
Great job! Keep up the good work!
Yo, BGLTSA! You ain’t the center of the universe. Get over it and get on with life.
On behalf of many throughout the greater Boston area, and particularly in light of my own longstanding connections, genetic and otherwise, to that OTHER ultra-prestigious institution of higher “education” in Cambridge (see http://www.mit.edu ), let me drop my customary tact and subtlety fro a second and just say: fuck Harvard.
Rather insensitive there, Dave; are you due for some recurrent training?
You said genuflect. Perhaps you should think before you type, you ignorant pigdog. As most won’t check the dictionary for the definition (which you also should have known, so proper procedure was disregarded yet again), it’s important to realize that particular word will make the Roman Catholics feel defensive and all other religions feel inadequate, as they already believe that ‘the Catholic Church is the whore of Babylon’. Except the Islamofascists, who will use your slip of the fingers as yet another excuse to blow something up.
Hence it would seem you are the problem in higher education.
This particular Roman Catholic isn’t feeling defensive about “genuflect.” In this situation it’s the appropriate word, as the Alphabet Soupers are definitely kneeling and adoring at the Atlar of Inclusivity.
Be very careful around such as these, kiddies – theirs is a faith that still demands human sacrifice.
I blame Tom Lehrer, THS:
The Vatican Rag
Another big news story of the year concerned the ecumenical council in Rome, known as Vatican II. Among the things they did, in an attempt to make the church more… commercial, was to introduce the vernacular into portions of the Mass to replace Latin, and to widen somewhat the range of music permissible in the liturgy. But I feel that if they really want to sell the product in this secular age, what they ought to do is to redo some of the liturgical music in popular song forms. I have a modest example here; it’s called The Vatican Rag!
First you get down on your knees,
Fiddle with your rosaries,
Bow your head with great respect,
And genuflect, genuflect, genuflect!
Do whatever steps you want if
You have cleared them with the Pontiff.
Everybody say his own
Kyrie eleison,
Doin’ the Vatican Rag.
Get in line in that processional,
Step into that small confessional.
There the guy who’s got religion’ll
Tell you if your sin’s original.
If it is, try playin’ it safer,
Drink the wine and chew the wafer,
Two, four, six, eight,
Time to transubstantiate!
So get down upon your knees,
Fiddle with your rosaries,
Bow your head with great respect,
And genuflect, genuflect, genuflect!
Make a cross on your abdomen,
When in Rome do like a Roman;
Ave Maria,
Gee, it’s good to see ya.
Gettin’ ecstatic an’ sorta dramatic an’
Doin’ the Vatican
Rag!