UF (Fla.) alumni group apologizes for honoring gay-hunting governor

[Newsjock]

http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050630/APN/506300844

The Associated Press

The University of Florida Alumni Association has apologized for naming former Gov. Charley Johns a standout graduate, saying it wasn't completely aware of Johns' work to eliminate gays from the state's public universities decades ago.

... Liesl O'Dell, the magazine's editor, said she regretted not at least mentioning Johns' involvement in the committee. Beginning in 1956, a year after Johns left office as acting governor, he led a special legislative committee that began as an effort to uncover communism in the civil rights movement, but its focus turned toward expelling and firing gay students and teachers.

... Johns Committee investigators flashed badges and hauled to motels people they suspected of being gay and hammered them with questions seeking names. They set up homosexual encounters and parties and took pictures. They drilled holes in bathroom stalls to spy. They hired informants to report on homosexuals and on what professors were teaching in the classroom.

... The next issue of the alumni magazine will include a representative sample of nine letters from readers, O'Dell said, but added the magazine would not print a retraction or apology.

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[Cha]

1. Well, at least there will

the letters from 9 people..Live and Learn about past Florida Govs.

[Frances]

2. The hunt for gays

began as a hunt for communists in the civil rights movement.

I remember when Martin Luther King and other civil rights leaders were branded as communists. This accusation was just an excuse to continue segrgation.

Now Rove is using the same techniques to keep Bush in power.

[murielm99]

3. I remember how Reagan behaved when they named

MLK Day a Federal holiday.

He held a press conference, and was questioned about the holiday. He was reluctant to support it because of MLK's past "communist involvement." I was spitting mad.

Who knew we would get a president even worse than that clown?

[GRLMGC]

4. oh man

or that he's (Reagan) supposedly considered the greatest American, hahahaha. Life gets dumber everyday