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May 17, 2005
Diverse Like Us
There's an upcoming Promise Keepers rally here at Razorback Stadium, and it's predictably got some local groups' knickers in a knot.
Promise Keepers may bring many people and dollars to Fayetteville, but they also bring intolerance, according to a consortium of groups that say Razorback Stadium should not be used to promote a religious viewpoint. "I don’t think this singleminded group should have their meeting here. It’s not an all-encompassing group and we are promoting diversity at the university," said Marian Kunetka, an archeologist at the Arkansas Archeological Survey at the University of Arkansas.
Promote diversity by excluding groups who don't think like us. I think someone needs a dictionary.
"We try to promote thinking and critical analysis and then we let this huge meeting come in with this one narrow viewpoint and try to promote it to everyone on campus. There’s no way that competing viewpoints could get the stadium; they wouldn’t have enough people here," added Wanda Stephens, immediate pastpresident of the Arkansas National Organization of Women.
Unlike NOW, which undoubtedly has a different but better narrow viewpoint.
For NOW President Melanie Dietzel, the issue is the inappropriateness of a non-diverse group using the facilities of a diverse campus. "You’re inviting parents to bring their kids and you have this going on, on campus. What kind of message is that sending about their true dedication to diversity?" she asked. "My point is, our university is saying we have this diversity plan in place that we want to protect, encourage, support, be tolerant of all of this diversity. And yet, in our Razorback Stadium, we’re going to have speakers who have made these broad statements openly defying the philosophy of the university. I just think this flies in the face of what they’re promoting as the university’s real efforts at diversity."
Asked if the university might be allowing diversity by allowing the Promise Keepers to use the campus, Dietzel answered, "No. I am for freedom of speech and I am for freedom of religion, and I think it’s important to protect that, but not when it’s something designed to hurt other people. I’m not saying physically. Their rhetoric is certainly hurtful to people and I don’t think that’s something the university should encourage."
Wow, that's quite the cognitive dissonance she's got there.
Now I'm only vaguely familiar with Promise Keepers, but their agenda doesn't matter. If they can pony up the cost of renting the stadium, more power to them.....whether it's Promise Keepers, NOW or the KKK. I reckon most people are smart enough to decide for themselves whether a group promotes good ideas. And public exposure of bad ideas is like pouring bleach on mold. It makes them die out much more quickly. (Which raises the interesting question of why NOW is unable to similarly fill the stadium)
All of which is illustrative of the growing climate of intolerance here in Fayetteville. It's understandable that a group or groups want to exclude those who believe differently. Hell, it's required. It's a sociological axiom that for an 'us' to exist, there must be a 'them'.
But don't go round preaching 'diversity' when what you really mean is "any group that's not male and/or Christian".
That's just hypocritical bullshit.
Posted by Rita at May 17, 2005 07:44 AM
Comments
I agree with you. I don't agree with the Promise Keepers, but they have a right to say what they want to say. If they're willing to pay to rent out the stadium, then let 'em. I don't agree with everything Wal-Mart does either, but let 'em pay to rent out the Bud Barn. Tolerance, diversity, etc. are admirable ideals, but those ideals include allowing those with whom you disagree to speak publicly. The PK are a male-centered organization, which NOW doesn't like. NOW is a female-centered organization. Exactly how is that different?
Posted by: Bob at May 17, 2005 08:45 AM
That's easy. NOW is a female-run organization which allows membership to all who agree with their tenets. PK is a male-run organization which allows membership to all who agree with their tenets. The reason you don't understand the difference is that you're part of the white male oligarchical hegemony that suppresses womyn. ;-)
It appears that their biggest complaint against PK is that there's no women in power positions. In an organization for men. Go figure. Like there's so many men in NOW power positions.
Hey it could happen.
Posted by: rita at May 17, 2005 09:04 AM
"Unless you're a black homosexual working class woman, you're an oppressor, pig! You deserve to die!"
National Lampoon, "Lemmings"
Posted by: Keith at May 17, 2005 09:14 AM
You forgot "and disabeled veteran" Kieth
With those stats plus yours you can get any job in America with no experience.
Posted by: BloodSpite at May 17, 2005 09:40 AM
The biggest tenet of the PK's ... is that they KEEP the promises they've made to their wives, children, families and churches!
It's not about being in control. It's not about the wife being submissive. It's about the HUSBAND being a Godly man and being the kind of husband that he should be. It has nothing to do with what kind of woman the woman should be. It's about BEING who they claim to be, and honoring the promises they made at the alter.
It's those who oppose any Christian group that try to make it into something else.
Posted by: Peggikaye at May 20, 2005 05:53 PM