Root of Problem Is Overreaction, not Malice

   In the past few weeks, a small scale war seems to have developed
   between Tau Epsilon Phi and Lambda Chi Alpha, or at least small
   factions therein.
   
   If I understand correctly, it started with some TEP brothers
   performing what they considered to be a good-natured hack on the
   Harvard Bridge Smoot marks, which brothers of LCA originally painted.
   LCA did not think it was good-natured. A small group from LCA
   retaliated with a bad-natured hacking spree at the house of TEP. Part
   of this attack included painting an arrow on the sidewalk with the
   words, "To TEP ' 33 nerds + 1 queer."
   
   This quote has subsequently been declared "homophobic" by Gays,
   Lesbians, and Bisexuals at MIT, TEP, LCA, and parts of the
   administration. LCA has (correctly) issued an apology for the actions
   of their brothers, mostly focusing on these words. This I don't
   understand.
   
   The vandalism did not read, "33 nerds and 1 queer, who is inherently
   evil because he is gay." The word "queer," I believe, is used by the
   gay community, so that can't be the problem. I doubt the context was
   intended to be offensive somehow, as it would be just as offensive to
   nerds, and very rarely do members of a group best known for laying a
   guy on the sidewalk several hundred times disrespect mild forms of
   insanity like being a nerd.
   
   I believe people have overreacted to the words used in this
   insufficiently thought out reference to the "This Way to MIT" sign by
   Harvard Bridge. While the unrepresentative sample from LCA did some
   unfriendly, illegal things toward TEP, I don't think any malice was
   intended, or effected, toward the lesbigay community.
   
   Steven Jens '97
   

----
Copyright 1993 by The Tech. All rights reserved.
This story was published on  Tuesday,  November 30, 1993.
Volume  113, Number 61
The story was printed on page  4.
This article may be freely distributed electronically,
provided it is distributed in its entirety and includes
this notice, but may not be reprinted without the
express written permission of The Tech.  Write to
archive@the-tech.mit.edu for additional details.