Anti-gay comments spark debate at Indiana University

[IndianaGreen]

Gee, I wonder how this professor feels about communist students?

Anti-gay comments spark debate at IU
Economics professor says on school Web site gays, lesbians aren't suited for certain jobs

By Barb Berggoetz
September 13, 2003

An Indiana University professor's anti-gay statements on his IU Web site are sparking a debate that pits freedom of speech against the university's efforts to promote diversity and tolerance of gays.

The furor has divided the Bloomington campus, prompting questions about how public money is being used and whether IU needs more stringent policies on Internet use.

On the site -- supported by the IU server and with an IU address -- Eric Rasmusen, an economics professor in the Kelley School of Business, contends gays aren't suited for certain jobs, such as teaching, preaching and elected posts, because these are "moral exemplars."

He also states that gay men "are generally promiscuous" and are more likely than heterosexuals to molest students.

http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/6/073929-9066-102.html

[Booberdawg]

1. *sigh*

ignorance - where does one start ....;(

[Toucano]

3. By ignoring the evidence, of course!

I know that's not what you meant, but if you go to his site http://mypage.iu.edu/~erasmuse/weblog1.htm#september13a he offers statistical data on the subject, but confesses that, "I haven't really looked at them yet, but I will one of these days..."

All the responsible sources don't support his view, and the irresponsible ones play very loose with the numbers.

[newyawker99]

6. Hi dralston!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Duncan Grant]

2. Aren't you supposed to have evidence and analysis supporting the arguement

or does anecdotal creativity make the case these days in the ivory tower?

Okay, just whose "moral exemplars" are we talking about here?

I contend that gays (and all g/l/b/t/etc) have been teachers, preachers, elected officials, artists, fathers, mothers, garbagemen, Kings, Queens, and everything in between...since time began. Refute that arguement, chump.

We shall overcome...someday, Oh deep in my heart I do believe, we shall overcome...someday.

[uhhuh]

4. I Don't Think

Economics professors are suited to judging social policy. Economics professors are "gererally amoral" and are more likely than homosexuals to broadly generalize about things that they admittedly have no understanding of. I don't think they are suited to jobs such as teaching, or political and social commentary, or preaching(since that's what he's doing). Although I have no evidence, I thing economics professors are more likely to pay or give good grades to students in exchange for sex.

[sandnsea]

5. I've never heard of a case

I've sure heard of alot of cases with male teachers going after high school girls, ALOT. Never one time heard of a case of a homosexual teacher and a student. These women that are in jail around the country that got pregnant by their students, what about them? I don't know where people come up with these crazy ideas.

[varun]

7. if this professor had posted something like...

...Hispanics/Blacks/Asians...are not fit to be teachers/doctors/soldiers...because they are generally...

I'm sure he would have been fired by now. No questions about freedom of speech would have arisen.

[Muddleoftheroad]

8. Freedom of speech can be messy

But a lot of schools are pushing hard for professors to use their websites as electronic portfolios and keep blogs and such on there. If they want the profs to do it, they have to give them freedom to speak their minds.

Bigotry is never pretty, but it is legal.