LETTER: Anti-gay prank call reveals true cowardice

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by John McCoy

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Given that he left no possibility for a private response, I would like to share with the members of the Rice community one of the reactions to my letter of last week concerning ROTC and anti-gay discrimination.

"Yeah, this is for that faggot McCoy. I happen to be a member of the ROTC and if you've got a problem with us, why don't you come up and face us instead of complaining about it ... and we just want your faggoty white ass to know that we ain't takin' any shit from you or all your fuckin' faggot followers, so you can just blow it out your ass ... and, uh, go tape up your asshole and maybe you won't get AIDS, OK? Later."

Roused from a deep sleep at 3:28 a.m. Sunday morning, I let the answering machine entertain this courteous gentleman caller. I have no way of verifying his membership in the ROTC program, so I would like to apologize in advance to the members of the ROTC if, in fact, his statement was untrue.

However, working from the assumption that he is a member, I find it curious that his efforts at intimidation fail on their own logic.

I do believe that printing a signed letter in a public forum approximates "facing" an opponent slightly better than a cowardly anonymous phone message delivered in the middle of the night. Is this his idea of conduct becoming an officer and a gentleman?

Perhaps by "facing" he means a physical confrontation. Sorry, I don't work that way. You're the one trained to kill people.

I would also like to correct a misperception the caller seems to have made. I do not, in fact, have a problem with the members of the ROTC program.

Apart from two (now three) individual loudmouthed bigots whom I have met during my four years here, I hold my cadet acquaintances in high regard. My raising of this issue has understandably created tension between us, but I have no wish to make it personal.

What I cannot tolerate is the continuing harassment, expulsion and even imprisonment perpetrated, officially and otherwise, by members of the armed forces against gay and lesbian Americans within their ranks, people who are struggling bravely for dignity and civil rights in a homophobic culture. Bullshit pranks like the message above only strengthen my resolve to act locally.

They demonstrate the existence of homophobia even in this supposedly "enlightened" collegiate atmosphere.

Although I have no confirmation of this, I have heard that the ROTC cadets have been strongly discouraged from discussing this issue publicly. I can appreciate the frustration inherent in not being able to speak about a situation which directly affects one's life, and I would welcome an open discussion of ROTC at Rice in light of the larger political considerations. However, such stunts as described above are unacceptable.

As to the caller's concern for my continued well-being, I would just like to inform him that my sexual practices are quite safe, and that he can count on this faggot bringing up the issue of discrimination for years to come.

John McCoy

Co-Director,

Gays and Lesbians Of Rice

This item appeared in the Opinion section of the March 18, 1994 issue.

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