Letters
Adding insult to injury
Pat Douglass' response to my letter (Emory Report, Oct. 9) simply
makes
my point. "Same sex domestic partnerships" are not addressed by the IRS
because
they have no legal standing. The University then recognizes and confers
benefits on them while denying those same benefits to step-children in
"traditional" families. Hiding behind IRS regulations just adds insult to
injury.
Ann Hartle, Philosophy
Reality is a process
Please accept this letter in support of Dr. Oliver's editorial on
"Mything with
the facts: faith and science." People are searching for their reality and
they
seem to be searching outside themselves. In entertainment, the movies
become
even more violent and more sexually provocative -- each trying to outdo
the
other on the "shock" scale. In behavior, some people take the "looking
out for
Number One" philosophy as far as "live and let die." In seeking their
miracle,
some people are more willing to put a buck on a lottery ticket rather
than a
few minutes in meditation to connect with the oneness of the universe.
And so I
agree with him, and my view is that the "real" world comes around to what
Dr.
Oliver says is what Taoists and Buddhists have always said: "reality" is
a
process, not things.
Believe in miracles, trust your intuition and live your dreams. Or, to
quote
an old Barry Manilow song, "the miracle is YOU!"
Mary Parks, College Office
Rights are personal, truths evolving
I just finished reading the letters in the current Emory Report
(Oct.
30) concerning Gerald Garrett's "First Person" (Sept. 25) and I am struck
by
the two respondents attitudes.
First, Mr. Garrett has every right to express his opinion. Those who
disagreed
had every right to express, in kind. However, Mr. Garrett did not just
criticize the domestic partners program; he began preaching. This usually
entails an assumption of the superiority of Christianity and begins
imposing a
personal interpretation on other people's lives.
Then, there is the assumption that "rights" and "truth" are societal and
fixed. If one believes in self determination and democracy, then "rights"
are
personal and "truths" evolving.
Finally, yes, the domestic partners benefits does not include
heterosexual
couples. Why? Because when an opposite sex couple obtains a marriage
license,
they are allowed spousal benefits. Homosexual couples do not have that
right.
Joseph Cribb, Candler Library Resource Center
Submissions welcomed
The purpose of the weekly "First Person" column is to generate
conversation
across disciplines and departments on campus, and Emory Report
welcomes
submissions of editorials from faculty and staff. Articles should address
a
topic of general interest to the Emory community and be 700-900 words in
length. Articles may be edited for clarity and length.
Letters from members of the Emory community are also welcome. Letters
should
run less than 300 words, and may be edited for clairty and length. Please
include your name and department. Submissions may be sent to Emory
Report, 741 Gatewood Road, faxed to 727-0646, or e-mailed to
<nspitle@emory.edu>.