LETTER: Lacrosse poster offensive, bigoted

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Last week, the men's lacrosse team posted a flier announcing their game this past weekend against University of Texas. The flier included this quote:

"Gunnery Sergeant Hartman says:

`Who is Rice Lacrosse playing this Saturday, Private?'

`Sir, Texas, sir!'

`Holy Dogshit! Texas! Only steers and queers play for Texas, Private! And they don't look much like steers to me, so that kinda narrows it down!'"

There are many of us, homosexual and heterosexual alike, that find this quote offensive. We do not dispute the team's right to post this sign on campus, but only wish they had used better judgment on its content. Although the idea behind this quote is taken from the popular movie Full Metal Jacket , it remains bigoted and harmful.

It tries to defame the UT lacrosse team by using negative stereotypes of the gay, lesbian and bisexual community. In doing this, it singles out and directly insults the homosexuals on this campus. To understand the inappropriateness of the sign, one has only to substitute the words "niggers," "spics" or "Jews" for "queers." This flier is supposed to be funny. As you can see, we find nothing funny about it.

We sincerely hope that the lacrosse team meant no harm in posting these fliers. We assume that had they known these signs would offend and hurt so many of their fellow students, they would have chosen a different way to publicize their game.

It is for this reason that we invite the men's lacrosse team to an informal discussion next Tuesday, Feb.11, at 9 p.m. in Kelley Lounge at the Student Center. This discussion will include an exchange of ideas and viewpoints; therefore anyone interested may come to listen and/or participate. Let's work together to make sure this kind of thing doesn't happen again.

Christa Robbins

Baker '97

Glenn Levy

Assistant to the director, Leadership Rice

and members of Pride

This item appeared in the Opinion section of the February 7, 1997 issue.

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