The piece “Marriage debate not a new one” (http://www.campustimes.org/news/810032.html) is intended to be satirical, as the language and examples in the article illustrate. The “tongue-in-cheek” language in the article (ex: “blatantly mixed-race;” “calm-headed and reasonable;” “the misguided people who claim this obviously do not realize that separate institutions are not always a bad thing, provided care is taken to ensure that they are equal. The U.S. Supreme Court’s undisputed ruling in Plessy vs. Ferguson makes this clear;” “interracial coupling is unnatural…it does not occur in nature… you never see [two different dog breeds] having sex;” etc.) demonstrate that this piece is dealing with absurdity, a keystone of satire. As the title of the article (and the nature of the article itself) reveal, the piece suggests that supporting a constitutional amendment preventing members of the homosexual community is akin to one that would prevent interracial marriage.
While people may disagree with the publication of Ben Heaton’s opinions, we feel the subject matter is an appropriate one to address in a newspaper committed to a diversity of ideas, especially within a university setting. We at the Campus Times are aware that members of the UR community were offended by this piece and strive to use our best judgment in determining the appropriateness of material. We endeavor toward higher standards and, in most cases, meet our expectations.
The Campus Times is an organization that derives its members from the student body of the university and welcomes to anyone who wishes to participate in the public exchange of ideas. Our organization is open to all students that wish share in this end. For information on how to become a part of the Campus Times, please call (585) 275-5942 or e-mail js003k@mail.rochester.edu for more information.
As Ben Heaton’s opinion is not necessarily that of the UR, the Campus Times, or its other members, I would suggest that you contact Ben directly if you wish to follow-up further at bh003m@mail.rochester.edu.
