"saying UT students shouldn't have to pay $80,000 a year in fees for a center that "promotes a lifestyle" a majority of Texans reject – particularly when parents are struggling to afford college costs."

That eighty grand is necessary *BECAUSE* a majority of Texans reject it! (And I mean, reject it as in hate it with a passion, harrass its members, make every attempt to make them feel subhuman, et cetera---not reject it as in decline to participate.) If "the majority of Texans" were being treated like this, they'd deserve a center to help them out, too.

The hate-crimes position of these assholes is purely sickening. Hate crimes laws become necessary when people are inclined to commit hate crimes. Large amounts of Texans hate gays, therefore hate crimes laws are necessary to protect the people they hate from them. End of story. It's not a question of "why do gays deserve extra protection?" (the answer to which is "because they have extra hatred to deal with"), but of "are people inclined to commit hate crimes against them?" (the answere to which is "yes").

To deny hate-crimes protection to someone *because* a lot of people hate them is as discriminatory as it gets.

How can these assholes not feel completely ashamed of themselves as they straight out say they’re against fair treatment and equal rights?

- They didnt staight out say they were against fair treatment and equal rights. The statement of the campus chapter of Buddy Christ (or whatever the hell it is) said they were against fair treatment and equal rights of gays and lesbians if achieved through "protection under the law from hate crimes or discrimination". In all fairness their statement shows nothing more than an objection to the means of achieving fair treatment and equal rights.

"*because* a lot of people hate them is as discriminatory as it gets."

I agree, such hatreds and discriminatory behavior are the first step toward more horrible things like genocides and the oppression of whole peoples. Remember, the NAZIs went after homosexuals before they went after teh Jews.

You know, football represents a lifestyle that I, and many other parents oppose.

So why can't we have that become privately funded?

When did people forget that society has a responsibility to everybody and not just the folks in the majority?

Julia:

College football is not only privately funded (ticket sales, sovenirs, TV rights, etc. to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars) but its income supports much of all colleges. In the Big 10 for example football revenue covers an average of 40% of each colleges budget.

Nymphalidae:

So just being in the minority should result in financial support? So should there be special centers for rapists and child molesters. These groups meet your standard as a "minority" and many of the other posters criteria for this special treatment because they are so disliked...

Don't you whacky, whacky liberals ever get tired of looking silly and just being wrong?

Good job redefining words. I'm not going to play your game.

Hi, I actually went to UT this semester because I was displaced from hurricane Katrina, and I learned pretty quickly that there is nothing about the "Young Conservatives of Texas" that should be taken seriously or respected. They wanted, at one point, to hold a "Catch an Illegal Immigrant Day" in which they ran around in yellow, black, and brown t-shirts, as their disturbing representation of different races (there was no white t-shirt), and the idea was that if you managed to catch one you would get a candy bar. They also have been known to sabatoge minority groups' bake sales and the like by finding out the days when those bake sales occur and setting up a cheaper bake sale right next to it. They are racist, mysoginistic, and foolhardy.

Yet there is a very important thing to remember in all of this: they are a very small group at UT. UT is one of the most politically active campuses in the country, filled with groups, and I was inspired by the activism of the students on campus. I was also inspired by the smart liberalism, and that the largest group on campus was in fact the University DEMOCRATS. This semester, Texas passed the gay marriage ban with an overwhelming and disheartening 74% majority, yet Austin, Texas, UT's home, rejected it confidently by 60%. By assuming that Texas is a state devoid of liberalism and progress, you deactivate the strong liberal contingent that is growing, and wants to activate. DO not underestimate the power of oppression, it results in people triumphing in surprising and revolutionary ways. I am officially part of the Texas that will stay blue in this disconcering, yet not infallible, sea of red.

sel de mer, thanks for that. Don't think that all of us northeasterners are anti-Texas, though -- this one definitely is not. Especially Austin. Ok, I've never actually been there, but if I were to go anywhere in TX, it'd definitely be Austin. I've only heard good things about that little bubble of blue in the otherwise very red state.

That was actually what bothered me most by this story, aside from the blatant homophobia and just plain assholeishness of these "conservatives": the fact that it happened in Austin, which is really a pretty liberal area, like you said.
It's good to know, though, that these assholes are in the minority at UT.
And I trust that you liberal kids down there will do your best to keep 'em in check? Please?

hey, lisa flaherty, happy new year...

on the real, though, that's an interested point about college football. i wonder if it's really true. i mean, at my alma mater, since football became a real thrust (about four or five years ago), the school has had to cut back in terms of both faculty and scholarships awarded... but, considering what you said, maybe it's a long-term thing... i'd love to look into that more, because then all those team sports make a lot more sense for schools.

as far as your comment to nymphalidae, you're pretty darn off point. nymphalidae did not say "just being in the minority should result in financial support," but "society has a responsibility to everybody and not just the folks in the majority".

there is a world of difference there. if you want to understand this better, perhaps you could look to the logical conclusion of majority rules (without any thought to protecting minorities) - genocide.

sel de mer (you ever have sel de fleur, by the way? :) ), that's some really interesting stuff there about UT and Texas in general. i think we all (especially those of us in the northeast and west) could do with a healthy dose of what you're talking about there - there's been way too much divisive stuff going recently (all the red and blue state blah blah blah) when we really need a serious bit of working together to build a better world (as opposed to 'fighting' the good fight - or whatever fight)... so... um... go sel de mer!

peace and blessings