4_________
Opinion
Where would life be without
Controversy in a new light differences
of opinions?
WedNEsdAy, J anuary 26, 2000
ast week, The Print covered
student or the campus as a whole,
a controversial story regard
they are excellent tools for learning—
ing a complaint filed by a stu both for students of Darris as well
dent against Dr. Donald Epstein as
for
members of this staff. When cer
comments he made about homo
tain stories broke, some members of
sexuality in his Judaic Studies class.
this staff cried foul against Darris
While I openly disagree with
for inspiring
whatever
topic was at
hand. Over
the past few
months, I’ve
had the op
JohnThorbum
portunity to
Editor-m-Chief
work with
and speak
with a small
Epstein’s religious and moral views number of Darris’ students. It is my
on the subject of homosexuality, I
opinion that some of these students
certainly don’t condemn him of any
are not ready to handle the topics
wrongdoing in the classroom. This brought forth in his classroom.
year we have seen much contro
Darris is a very intelligent, perhaps
versy on this campus. Lately it even a brilliant man. Some of his stu
comes from Dr. Epstein’s classroom, dents, however, fall short of that stat
but largely has grown from a core of ure.
political science students.
While at times I strongly disagree
Topics brought up in Dr. Dean
with some of Darris’ views, I do ap
Darris’ political science classes have
plaud what he tries to do as an in
seen coverage in this newspaper.
structor. I have never taken a class
While at times it reflects badly on a of his, but have a number of friends
L
From the
Editor’s desk*.*
TI j E ClACkAMAS P rìnt
that have. Dr. Darris makes students
think—he raises questions. Some of
those questions aren’t handled in
the best fashion by some of his stu
dents, but that does not mean that
we condemn the teacher.
In light of recent public debate
regarding academic freedom, I pose
a few questions; what is wrong with
challenging students’ minds? What
is wrong with stating an opinion re
gardless of your position as an in
structor or a student? The times we
live in are thought to be times of
open debate, times of change and
times for people to question. If
people say that the rights of homo
sexuals are being won because of
these times—because there is so
much acceptance in society—then
how does someone have the right
to question the opinion of any man
in a classroom and say that it is in
appropriate for students to hear?
This is a learning institution.
With being a student come certain
obligations of willing to be open to
all ideas. When did we receive the
right to not be offended by some
one?
’Epstein in same company with Hitler'
tudents should know that
S
Dr. Donald Epstein's views
against homosexuals do not
represent those of all Jewish
people. As with every religion,
there are a spectrum of people who
are more tolerant of those differ
ent than themselves, and those,
like Dr. Epstein, who are intoler
ant.
When I discussed the
instructor's classroom comment
with a Jewish friend of mine (who
attends a synagogue uncon
cerned about the sexual orienta
tion of its members), she was ap
palled by the instructor's behav
ior. She said, Jews, of all people,
have suffered persecution. We,
of all people, should know to prac
tice tolerance. She added that Dr.
Epstein is an embarrassment to my
culture and to my religion.
Although I cannot argue Bibli
cal matters with Dr. Epstein, I rec
ognize the passage he cites to sup
port his bias as Leviticus 20:13. I
suspect he does not place as much
importance on nearby verses.
Leviticus 25:44, for example, says
that people may buy slaves, as
long as they come from neighbor
ing nations. Leviticus 19:19
states, ". . .nor shall there come
upon you a garment of cloth made
of two kinds of stuff." Perhaps Dr.
Epstein also spends classtime
condemning polyester clothing,
but I doubt it.
It is ironic that this instructor
would use a class focused on the
Holocaust to spread prejudice
against homosexuals. As he is well
aware, the Nazis targeted not only
Jews but other segments of soci
ety as well—including homosexu
als. Gays were killed simply be
cause of who they were—just as
surely as were Jews. Dr. Epstein
placed himself in horrific company
when he said that gays are better
Epstein abuses
power
'Better off retired -
than to be Epstein'
Dear Editors:
I would like to thank Don Epstein
for exercising his academic freedom
in such a disrespectful way. Having
leaders in the faculty and commu
nity show their bigotry with such
arrogance and openness helps stu
dents understand power and its
abuses. Much like the O.C.A.,
Epstein helps homosexuals prepare
and implement an agenda that we
probably had not considered before,
and heterosexuals show their com
passion and civility by speaking out
loudly against a small-minded pro
fessor. Josh Alexander and The Print
staff rose from the ashes of this inci
Two years ago I brought one
of my classes to hear Diana
Golden, a Holocaust survivor in
vited to campus by Donald
Epstein. During the course of her
speech she mentioned that the
Nazis impisoned homosexuals as
well as Jews in Auschwitz.
Isn’t it ironic that Don Epstein
would be willing to treat homo
sexuals the same way the Nazis
did: that is “better off dead.”
In my opinion—which, of
course, I have the academic free
dom to express—it would be bet
ter to be retired than to be Don
Epstein.
dent and model a type of leadership
that fosters respect and compassion.
Sincerely,
Sincerely,
Kate Gray
English Instructor
Rainbow Coalition, Advisor
Diane Averill
English Instructor
off dead. It’s strange and unset
tling to realize that this Jewish man
and Adolph Hitler would have
shared a belief in common.
I commend Joshua Alexander,
the student who walked out of Dr.
Epstein's class. Alexander has
made it clear that he will not listen
to people in authority who sug
gest those who are different from
himself would be better off dead.
If more people in Nazi Germany had
had this student’s moral integrity,
the Holocaust would never have
happened.
If other students on this cam
pus refused to listen to a man in
authority who says those differ
ent from themselves would be
better off dead, Dr. Epstein's
classes would no longer happen
either.
Patricia K. Lichen
Student
I’ve been extremely introspec
tive this past week as I’ve pon
dered the happenings surround
ing the “Epstein Debate.” There
are still a few questions that I
haven’t answered, and perhaps
they never will be answered. It is
an issue, as a friend of mine said
View from
the soapbox
recently, where both sides are
right. Nobody wins.
However, there is a piece to
this story that hasn’t been fully
addressed. And the entire foun
dation of the controversy lies on
this one, small piece. The ques
tion to be asked is, what was
Epstein’s intentl
I do not think that that the
comment was made maliciously
or with any trace of hatred.
Epstein said that he was using
the Bible as a reference (an ex
cellent source of information for
a Judaic studies course, if you
ask me) and, during his inter
view he said, and I quote, “The
Bible says.../didn’t say that.”
Now, let’s say (for the sake of
argument) that Epstein does be
lieve that homosexuals are bet
ter off dead. While I don’t con
done or agree with Epstein’s al
leged comment regarding homo
sexuality, I do feel, however, that
he had every right to voice that
opinion. I am a proud defender
of our first amendment rights,
which includes our right to free
dom of speech.
Does a teacher need to keep
his/her personal opinions out of
the classroom? No, just like we,
as students, aren’t forced to
keep our personal opinions out
of the classroom either. If we dis
agree with an instructor, it is our
responsibility to raise our hand
(or our voice) and say we dis--
agree.
It is my own personal opinion
that Josh Alexander did not do
something worthy of praise. As
a matter of fact, I think he did the
most cow-
dly thing a
student
can
do
when they
disagree
with an in
structor.
Something
offended
him and in
stead
of
taking a stand for what he be
lieved in, he ran away (by drop
ping the class and filing a com
plaint). What are we supposed
to learn from this? Are we to as
sume that if someone bothers
you, you should go and tattle on
him/her? Are we first-graders, or
are we grown-ups?
Where would life be without
differences of opinion and an oc
casional heated debate? “Don’t
conform,” we preach to others.
“Be yourself!” And then we say,
in the same breath, “Be politically
correct. Share in society’s ac
cepted viewpoints.”
We live in a world where people
are taught to be freethinkers, so
why does society condemn
someone for thinking outside the
norm? Isn’t that what we encour
age people to do? Seems to me
we should be applauding a per
son who comes forward with a
different view, shouldn’t we?
Those who have built up all
this anger and hatred toward Dr.
Donald Epstein, those who want
to see him fired or burned at the
stake, I have news for you. Your
hate is based on a comment that
he may or may not have meant in
spite. And what makes you think
that your hatred is justified and
Epstein’s (assuming that he even
does hate) is not?
It’s just something to think
about.
’History doomed to repeat itself*
I find it very disconcerting that sev
eral teachers at Clackamas Community
College think that expressing
homophobic remarks in class is chal
lenging and instructive. These so called
professionals, even a psychology pro
fessor, fail to realize that by having a
person with a leadership role in the
classroom making hateful comments
doesn’t promote discussion or debate.
It only goes a long way in quieting
any dissent from members of a minor
ity group.
Several students were quoted say
ing that the college is not necessarily
a safe place to be ‘out’ Students are
afraid ofbeing harassed or hurt if they
are identified as gay. That fear is only
perpetuated by inflammatory speech
from a self-described conservative Re
publican and defended by people who
should know better. This speech
which is being so vehemently pro
tected can in turn give credence to
someone with warped views and can
justify their dangerous actions.
Homophobia is not an acceptable
position to state by a teaching pro
fessional, no matter how conservative
or passionate one is. I don’t believe
that other racist or sexually degrading
remarks should be tolerated at a col
lege campus and I hope that Clacka
mas Community College will recognize
the seriousness of this situation and
publicly rebuke Mr. Epstein. I am sure
that this highly schooled educator
can’t forget that unless remembered,
history is doomed to repeat itself.
Tony Loeffler
West Coast Plant Company
Portland, Or
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