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We feel that this amendment is immoral and against the traditionally clear and rational ideals of the Wisconsin citizenry. It is also important to note the negative consequences that this amendment will have on the heterosexual community as well. For example, if this ban were to pass, all health insurance policies and state worker contracts would need to be renegotiated and reissued. The economy would be placed at unnecessary risk, as half of Fortune 500 companies offer domestic benefits and may be discouraged from doing expanded business in a state that is hostile to their business philosophy. AFL-CIO Wisconsin and a number of other important labor and teacher unions have also come out against the referendum. For these reasons and others, this referendum is bad for Wisconsin and needs to be defeated.

The referendum also has important national consequences. On Nov. 11, 2004, eleven states unanimously passed similar referendums and this momentum has been used to get midterm referendums in five other states besides Wisconsin. A referendum loss by the bellwether state of Wisconsin would change the tide of this momentum. Experts agree that Wisconsin is the state where a defeat is most likely, considering recent polls show Wisconsin residents evenly divided on the amendment and because of the historically independent nature of Wisconsin voters.

OK, so why did we put this letter in the Oracle? First, a large percentage of Hamline University’s students are residents of Wisconsin and are eligible to vote via absentee balloting. Second, for all students regardless of state residency, it is likely that you have a number of friends attending school in Wisconsin. You should inform them of the importance of this referendum and encourage them to vote “no” on Election Day. Recognizing the power of the student movement, we have created a medium through which to easily participate in the push against this measure.

Please join the Facebook group “A Fair Wisconsin Votes No (Minnesota Chapter)” to show your support for this movement and/or to get additional information on the referendum, absentee balloting, and more. Or, please visit the bipartisan website:www.fairwisconsin.com. With Minnesota’s help, Wisconsin can make the right decision and change the tide of this national debate.

--Mike Pesko
CLA ’07
--Tim McDonald
CLA ’07

The writers of this letter are from Shell Lake, WI and Beaver Dam, WI respectively.

'Politically correct' Oracle upsets student

Nearly a year ago a Dutch newspaper printed a political cartoon depicting the prophet Mohammed wearing a turban shaped as a bomb. This depiction of Mohammed set the Muslim world on fire as protests turned into sometimes-deadly riots. That means human beings died over a cartoon.

The Danish publication, Jyllands-Posten, explained that the cartoon was part of a debate over self-censorship by Islam. Of course it can also be argued that that the cartoon itself is Islamophobic and blasphemous to people of the Muslim faith or that it is an example of western ignorance. But to me, even if all of the complaints leveled against the cartoon are true, it doesn’t change the fact that all major and minor news publications worldwide must censor themselves and their contributors or risk chaos in the streets and deadly riots. Again, that means people die over cartoons.

In July, graffiti artists covered a Houston billboard with an Image of Jesus Christ holding a beer with the caption, “King of Jews, King of Beers.” As a committed Christian, I LOL’ed. The irony of that image is too funny not to laugh at. We can and should laugh at the things we hold most dear.

On Aug. 31, I submitted an opinion article to the Oracle on the prompting of a friend who is part of the staff. The gist of the article was that chickens don’t have feelings because they don’t need a head to continue being a chicken. Go ahead, Google “Mike the Headless Chicken.” I imagine my submission wasn’t printed because it was interpreted as overly sarcastic and divisive. Also it may have offended some vegetarians because of its satiric nature. I do realize that some readers could see the humor as cutting. Most of all, the article was meant to be funny, and believe me it was.

Now, I suppose the Oracle has every right to choose what they will and will not print from week to week. Unfortunately for me the Oracle is too preoccupied with appearing to be politically correct. Heaven forbid they make anyone upset or encourage discussion and debate through printing controversial subject matter. I guess if I had drawn a cartoon they would have gone out in the street and started throwing rocks. My column could have gone to a public forum where you, the reader, would have been able to chose whether you agreed or disagreed. Instead, the Oracle chose to languish in mediocrity by saying nothing at all.

Really though, what should I expect from a newspaper that stood idly by while Hamline’s administration flexed its censorship arm over a misinterpretation of an article about Linda “Buzzsaw” Hanson in the rhetOracle? Answer: not much.

If you want to see the article check out my site, threeletteracronym.unl.edu (shameless plug), when it goes online in the next couple of weeks and you can see it yourself. This is why the internet is better than old media.

--Logan Beggs
CLA ’08

Editor’s note:
Members of the Oracle staff met with university officials seven times over a two-day timespan to address the issues which arose surrounding the Linda “Buzzsaw” Hanson article from the March 28 rhetOracle. The staff’s advisor also met with Dean Alan Sickbert in an attempt to halt censorship of the Oracle by Hamline administration.