🚀 go-pugleaf

At 11:42 AM 3/16/95 -0500, hes@unity.ncsu.edu wrote:
>Ken writes:
>> ...  Why are people more will-
>>ing to articulate their negative views of homosexuals than of other
minorities?  I urge those of you attending the Midwest Political Science
Association Meeting.
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In response Henry Schaffer wrote:
>  Therefore my conclusion to the initial question is that this reflects
>that there is a sense on the part of people that negative views of
>homosexuals are more publically-acceptable than negative views of other
minorities.  Following this thought, I would further conclude that this
sense of public acceptance does accurately reflect the public mood.  In
effect, the articulators of these negative views have conducted
>their own polls, and do understand the reactions that their negative
>views will evoke.
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I wrote sort of a quick smart-a__ed posting earlier as I get somewhat
irritated with pigeonholes, i.e., why can't gays and lesbians study
hetrosexual relationships?  Why not, Margaret Mead studied another of other
cultures, which were pretty alien to her own.  From my observations (am I
making a P.C. mistake because I'm a happy hetrosexual?) many so-called
homosexual relationships look pretty much like hetrosexual relationships,
with the same love, problems, issues, etc.  In talking to my friends, who
happen to be homosexual in their personal orientation, they confirm that the
lifestyles are pretty similar -- and I've been married three time (not such
a great batting record myself, but am doing pretty well in my third).  What
is the difference?

The only thing that I can identify is that of social acceptance.  I suspect
that it must be similar to individuals who entered in inter-racial
relationships before they became socially acceptible.  An adopted uncle of
mine was gay and he remained in a monogoneous relationship for about 40
years (he finally commited suicide because of non-acceptance from his
biological family).  Acept for his alcoholism, he was a famous writer (you
would probably recognize his name) and cook.  When I was growing up, I never
recognized that he wasn't in a "normal" relationship, i.e., I figured he was
pretty happy with his best friend (that's how I'm doing so well in my third
marriage -- I married a friend).  Why wouldn't someone who is gay or lesbian
not be able to be an insightful political scientist, anthropologist,
sociologist, attorney, physicist, etc.  I deem this to be a pretty silly
argument.

Now when we address prejudice thats another subject all together.  For the
life of me, I can't understand prejudice against homosexuals.  Perhaps it is
based upon people not being secure in their own sexuality?  (a thesis
perhaps which needs testing).  Jealousy -- one individual I watched at a
neighbor's party was raging against Mondonna being a lesbian (?), and I
finally guessed that he had a thing for her but had no chance of ever
meeting her much less "scoring."  I would hope that psychologists could
identify the psychosis or whatever which drives some people to "hate" others
for biological differences.

Just some thoughts for discussion or contemplation or to be thrown away.

Mike S.

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Michael A. Schoenfield                             maschoen@students.wisc.edu
Michael A. Schoenfield & Associates     (608) 238-6121  Voice
University of Wisconsin - Madison
2637 Mason St.
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