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Proposition 8 stirs little public outcry at University
Published: Wednesday, November 19th, 2008
Though students at peer institutions have organized and participated in sizable public rallies against Proposition 8, the ballot measure that revoked gray marriage right in California, there has been little public outcry at Princeton in the weeks following election day ...(back to the article)
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To be fair, Princeton is a bit small to have it's own gay bar; the borough has less than 15,000 permanent residents. It really is sad though to see how disengaged Princeton students are from world events. People claim that they have too much to do or Princeton sets more work than other schools so they don't have time to formulate opinions or care about world events. It's a damn weak excuse...Though I'm not sure it's necessarily unique to Princeton; I think it's more widespread and typical of a generation who grew up in relatively good economic times. When people have nearly everything they want and aren't directly affected by these world events, it's hard for them to care. But they still should.
I couldn't stop laughing when I read Matt McMahon's lament about Princeton's lack of a gay bar. What a ridiculously deluded idea... For goodness' sake, having a gay bar is not a human right, and there's nothing wrong with the fact that Princeton happens not to be the kind of community that would have a gay bar. Gosh.
OMG...you both totally missed the point. This artcle is about apathy and you are droning on about gay bars. He was speaking more to the culture of town. I wish there was more activism and public outcry to Prop 8, the other 3 anti-gay initiatives that passed in Arizona, Arkansas, and Florida, as well as outcry about NOM and Robert George. People in Princeton can make a difference and one of the largest funders of homophobia is on campus and in town. He also drafted the federal marriage amendment a few years ago. Wake up people!
we really are rather apathetic. we're too academically-minded and empathetic to all points of view to get worked up enough about anything to have a rally. while we are, comparatively, a rather conservative campus and conservative student body, i am certain (at least from the many consersations i have had) that the majority supports gay marriage rights. we're just not riled up enough to be vocal or do anything pro-active to support it.
Or students here realize that a rally at Princeton about voter passed measure in California is the very height of meaningless posturing.
Perhaps students here realize that holding a 'rally' will do absolutely nothing to change the situation in California? They would be far better off spending time doing well in their studies, then having a successful career so that they can use their money to *actually* influence politics.
But I guess that would be too 'boring' and 'rational'.
Signs of solidarity are hardly pointless. Protests in foreign areas encourage people who can actually do something to continue fighting; protesting lets others know that they're not alone in their views. Sure it's not quite as efficient as staging a coup, but it's still worthwhile. The argument, P'11, that somehow wasting a couple hours of your precious studying time will destroy your future suggests that you're in a bit over your head at Princeton.
People, stop saying that anyone who opposes gay marriage is homophobic. It's unfair and untrue. There are good reasons for opposing gay marriage that have nothing to do with one's attitude towards gay people. Those who oppose gay marriage oppose ANY modification of legal marriage, not just one that would allow two men or two women to be granted a marriage license.
@abv:
some people may think they are gay-friendly and not homophobic but just don't support gay marriage. this is, however, a contradiction. being against gay marriage is ultimately not gay-friendly and is inherently homophobic. you can't be friends with gay people one minute and then turn around the next and say that you are going to deny them a basic civil right.
@JE '10
What about the position that marriage is not a civil right, but something different, and as such, cannot be changed to fit various sexual lifestyles and still be expected to work? You can't frame the argument in your own controversial terms and expect your interlocutor to fall into line...