Volume 14, Number 5 College at Lincoln Center, Fordham University, New York November 21. 1990 Fordham Recognizes I Gaelic Society Lecture Gay and Lesbian Club Controversy By Diane Barracca and Paige Polisner ' 'There was a lot of people wearing shorts, and' Following weeks of controversy and debate it was freezing cold, which is pretty telling," By Diane Barracca and Thomas Bradley Rai According to Irish Voice columnist Patrick regarding whether FLAG (Fordham Lesbians Plummer commented. "Nobody would have What began as a lecture sponsored by the CLC Farrelly, "It was then that Fr. McMahon said and Gays) should be granted club status, the worn shorts without it being on purpose." Gaelic Society on November 2nd turned into a it was okay to have Messinger and the message United Student Government at Rose Hill voted Members of FLAG had discussed seeking of- political rally against the wishes of the club's from the mayor." 12-4 to officially recognize FLAG for the first ficial recognition and funding from the Univer- members and its moderator, Dr. John McCar- (At the time The Observer went to press. Fr. time in the organization's eleven year history. sity since last year. According to Plummer. this thy, who was later the subject of two articles in McMahon was in Ireland and could npt be reach- "The administration has been by and large sup- semester FLAG leaders "decided that it was im- the Irish Voice which suggested that he and CLC ed for comment.) portive." said John Plummer, FLAG co- portant to be more visible, and that that would Vice President George McMahon had allegedly The Irish Voice article also charged that on the president. "The biggest obstacle has been be more valuable than continuing to be been motivated by racism in organizing who night of the lecture, Dr. McCarthy told one of students. A lot of students have been actively secretive." would be permitted to speak at the event and who the folk singers backstage, Matt Jones, that the petitioning at Rose Hill against FLAG funding." The process of receiving club status at Rose would not. singers would be unable to perform because Plummer maintained, "Several editors of Vie Hill includes submitting a list of fifteen group The Irish Voice columns charged that Dr. McAliskey was "too tired." He then reported- Ram, including Pat Riley (Editor-in-chief) and members and a constitution to be approved jw McCarthy and Fr. McMahon objected to allow- ly "shook his finger in Jones' face and said "You David Hayes (Opinion editor) are also the leaders the Director of Student Activities, the Dean 17 ing black activist minister Herbert Daughtry and are not going to sing." of PACT and many of the editorials in 77?f Ram Student Life, the Operations Committee, and civil rights attorney Richard Harvey speak at the Richard Harvey is also quoted in the article certainly reflect their viewpoints." finally the United Student Government Senate, lecture, in addition to reportedly preventing the as stating. "The folk singers were OK until they A rival Rose Hill publication, the paper. •vhich officially recognized FLAG on Tuesday, fwo folk singers, one also a black political ac- realized that Matt Jones was also a black political printed in its November 15th issue a letter from November 13, twelve votes to four. tivist, from performing. activist." Pat Riley expressing PACT'S (Preserving A Some students at Fordham's CLC campus have • According to Gaelic Society President Michelle Dr. McCarthy has stated that he wasn't even Catholic Tradition) views on homosexuality. In reportedly expressed interest in forming a gay (Prunty, in May of this year the Committee for aware who Jones was when the episode took his letter, Riley states, "Homosexuals are similar and lesbian organization here at CLC as well. Free Speech, in Ireland (CFSI) contacted the place. According to his account of the incident. to adulterers, pornographers, frequent mastur- Plummer said members of FLAG from Rose Hill Gaelic Society to ask if they would extend an in- McCarthy told Jones it would probably be bet- bators, and yes, somewhat to irresponsible would be willing to offer CLC students who vitation for Gerry Adams, the President of Sinn ter if the singers performed after the lecture, since drinkers and sexually active youths Homosex- wanted to start a FLAG club at CLC help and Fein, to speak in the United States, as other McAliskey had travelled extensively in the days uals are deviant from the norms of a good, pro- advice, adding that "They should feel confident |Schools such as New York University had done prior to. the event and was ' 'probably tired."" Dr. per healthy community." that the administration will be generally suppor- in the past. Sinn Fein is the political party which McCarthy said he exited to go onstage after Jones In recent weeks incidents of harrassment tive! I would think that at Lincoln Center the stu- legally advocates the Irish Republican Army and reportedly then said, "If I can't sing now I won't directed at FLAG memers have reportedlyJaken dent enviroment might be more receptive.". Jje.,5ioging.at.a)i.','. and denies seeing any securi- p'raceT'PluhuherstatetT According to* a FLAG Plummer said that "homophobia and safety" Adams was denied a visa by the U.S. State ty guards "escort" the folk singers out as was spokesperson, "One member woke up to cries is the topic of FLAG'S next meeting, to be held Department, and Irish political activist Bernadette of 'death to homosexuals' beneath her dorm win- Tuesday, November 27th at 7 p.m. on the se- Devlin McAliskey was chosen to speak in his dow. Another, a young freshman male, had a cond floor porch or the Administration Building place at the lecture on November 2nd. The Gaelic blood written note pinned to his door." at Rose Hill. A guest speaker from the Gay and • Society verbally agreed that it would provide the Ah indication of the opposition to FLAG on Lesbian Ami-Violence Project is scheduled. Pope Auditorium and refreshments afterwards the Rose Hill campus was the negative reaction Regarding the Rose Hill USG Senate's deci- with funds from from the Student Activities by some students to "Jeans Day", held on sion last week to grant FLAG official club status, Budget Committee, and the Committee would November 7th. FLAG asked that advocates of Plummer concluded, "We are very pleased that provide the speaker and advertising for the event. gay and lesbian rights and issues wear jeans that this passed. It has definitely been difficult, and In mid-September CFSI's Christopher Lyons day to demonstrate their support. Plummer said I think we're all very glad that this is over. There asked the Gaelic Society if Daughtry, Harvey, although student support was "considerable and will be another fight in the Spring because fun- |and Manhattan Borough President Ruth Mess- more than expected" (including participation by ding comes up as an issue in April or May. inger could attend the event, Prunty said. Mess- some professors and administrators), as many or Whether or not we get funded will largely de- inger would read a message from Mayor David more students wore shorts as part of a counter pend on whether the Pro-Choice Club gets fund- Dinkins on free speech. movement organized by opponents of FLAG. ed, which is currently under consideration:" By mid-October, the Gaelic Society received approval for the new speakers from Normand Parenteau, Dean of Students, and Fr. McMahon. 'Later the Gaelic Society found out that CFSI had Substance Abuse at already gone ahead and invited the speakers without waiting for their approval, Prunty added. Next it came to the attention of the Gaelic Fordham Society and McCarthy that CFSI had somewhat inaccurately billed the event in advertisements By Denise Oliver were drug related. However, two years ago, around the metropolitan area as being "under the Recently Fordham students and employees at three students were apprehended by campus auspices of Fordham University, Lincoln Center, stated in the November 10 Irish Voice article. Lincoln Center and Rose Hill received a com- security, for smoking marijuana on the Plaza. Gaelic Society", Prunty said, making it appear During the lecture itself, which was attended prehensive drug and alcohol abuse policy state- Director of Campus Security at CLC, Michael as if three separate entities had sponsored the by an estimated three hundred people, the Com- ment in the "mail. Required by Federal Law under J. Kenny, confirmed this, and said that campus event. CFSI also publicized the event as a mittee for Free Speech on Ireland sold publica- the provisions of the "Drug-Free Schools and security personnel are trained to look for mari- political rally. The Gaelic Society asked that tions and took up collections against verbal Communities Act Amendments of 1989", this juana use, routinely ^checking bathrooms, CFSI change its ads to avoid appearing agreements with the Gaelic Society and Dean statement not only outlined Federal and State stairwells and other parts of the facility for the misleading, but according to Prunty, they never Parenteau. penalties for the use and abuse of dj-ugs and characteristic odor. Other drug use would be did. "I think verbal agreements were a big mistake." alcohol, it also re-stated University policies harder to detect. He felt that since the pool table Two weeks prior to the lecture, members of Michelle Prunty said. "They [CFSI] did a lot of which are included in Fordham's Student was removed from the Plaza Cafe, and a strict the CLC Gaelic Society, feeling shut out of the things behind our backs.