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Golden Gate XPress (San Francisco State University): Career fair qualms
[Editor’s note—this editorial was received prior to the SF State Career Fair on Friday, Sept. 26]
My name is Brian Gallagher and I am a student here at San Francisco State University. I am writing this letter of concern to you because I would like to address the upcoming SF State Career Fair, which is to take place on Friday Sept. 26, 2008.
My concern is not with the SF State Career Fair but with one of the attending organizations. According to the SF State Career Fair website, the United States Marine Corps will be participating in this upcoming Career Fair.
I feel that the presence of this organization is unwarranted and in violation of anti-discrimination hiring practices and in direct contradiction with publicly stated goals of this University, as created under the campus' overall Strategic Plan.
Firstly, it is a matter of public record that the United States Armed Forces are against the inclusion of American citizens who are homosexual. The rationale of the United States Armed Forces, according to Title 10 of U.S. Code Section 654 Sub-Letter B, is that homosexuality "would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability." In other words, the military takes the stance that homosexuals would be in danger from their fellow soldiers, who view homosexuality as an objectionable choice, which violates the morality of life and normality.
Allow me to state an example which will show that this logic is contradictory to any society or government which calls itself open, democratic and leading the fight for freedoms and liberties of all its citizens. In 1954 the Supreme Court decided, in the matter of Brown v. The Topeka Board of Education, that separate school facilities were inherently unequal and de facto ordered the subsequent integration of public schools. What if I said that the black children should have been kept away from the white children for their own safety? Tensions were high and how could anyone really guarantee the safety of black children attending schools with white children? Could we justify segregation and exclusion due to safety concerns for the black children, much in the same fashion that the military justifies its exclusion of homosexual American citizens from armed services?
Secondly, the inclusion of the United States Marine Corps, at the SF State Career Fair, is in direct contradiction with the University's Strategic Plan Goals. This document outlays a 5-year plan for which the University and President Corrigan would use as a roadmap for advancement and development of this University. It is truly ironic that that the First Goal states the following:
San Francisco State University demonstrates commitment to its core values of equity and social justice through the diversity of its students and employees; the content and delivery of its academic programs and support systems; and the opportunities for both campus and external constituencies to engage in meaningful discourse and activity.
If this goal is true, then how can the University allow the inclusion of the United States Marine Corps on campus if we are making a commitment to social justice and equity for all students of this University? If the Marine Corps, like the other branches of American Armed Forces, discriminates against homosexuals, then does that mean we could invite the Ku Klux Klan unto campus? Or, how about the American Nazi Party? Please excuse me for using such examples but I find that this glaring hypocrisy, on behalf of the University, warrants such harsh suggestions.
In conclusion, allow me to end by saying, "All students of conscience and ethics should reflect upon this situation and ask themselves if this is acceptable here, especially SF State being a public institution of higher learning and academia." If this is not acceptable, then I call upon all students to voice their opposition and demonstrate their feelings about this issue. If we do nothing, then we are giving our silent consent for this to proceed forward. It was Gandhi who once said, "Be the change in which you wish to see happen." It is now in your hands.
