Editor,
I am writing in response to Mr. Reynalds' column in Thursday's Daily Lobo titled, "Pro-pot song should be banned." I would like to remind Mr. Reynalds that this country has a little piece of paper called the United States Constitution that gives anyone on this soil the freedom of speech and expression that is denied to many around the world.
Any citizen who knows what this document means and values the sacrifices made by our forefathers to empower it should cringe at the very word "ban" when used in the context of art, music or the written or spoken word.
I am frustrated by Mr. Reynalds' denial of the fact that this is still the greatest nation in the world. Although governmental policies may be less than desirable, the guiding principles of this country are in tact.
We, as Americans, are free citizens.
This may not mean much to Mr. Reynalds but, to hundreds of students at UNM who have come from less than free countries, it means everything.
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It means that they can protest for their oppressed countrymen, even against our government, on this soil without fear of reprisal, torture or death.
It means that they, not some faceless government, will determine their own destiny and path in life.
As Americans, our highest value should be liberty, Mr. Reynalds, not morality. The staunchest conservatives fought alongside the most radical liberals in the name of the Constitution. Even your right to spew hateful, narrow minded and bigoted rhetoric is protected, as is mine to disagree.
Regarding the incident of your refusal of donation to Joy Junction from a homosexual organization, the radio station was well within its rights to deny your group access. It is not a publicly funded venue for free speech. This country has anti-hate crime legislation and you and your ilk are a mere step away from the lunatics out there beating folks who are visibly gay or gender ambiguous.
Your continuance on the airwaves would have been in essence, spitting in the faces of those lynched, burned, stoned and consistently harassed because of their race, creed or sexual orientation.
Hitler gassed gays and people with disabilities, as well as Jews. The KKK lynched gay men brave enough to "come out" in the deep South.
I believe, with my white, heterosexual, conservative, Methodist upbringing, that we are all created in God's image, drag queens included.
I further believe that if God were as fearful, hateful and bigoted as Mr. Reynalds, we wouldn't have survived the flood, and he certainly wouldn't have sent his beloved son here to spread the message of universal love, tolerance and acceptance.
At first glance Mr. Reynalds would probably "approve" of my life. I'm married, religious, community oriented and have a strong set of morals and values rooted in faith.
However, I do have gay friends and approve of the immense love they project into the world.
"Let he who is without sin," Mr. Reynalds, "Let he who is without sin."
Bridgette Wagner-Jones,
UNM student and staff member
