January 28, 2010
Void of rights: Gay marriage viewed as ‘footnote’
George Talbot
Guest Writer
For many years, gay marriage has
been a widely-disputed topic that has
generated heated discussions and ten-
sion. I believe that saying someone
isn’t worthy of the same rights as het-
erosexuals is a serious concern. What
could possibly justify treating anyone
like this? Nothing I can think of.
It seems to me that a lot of the prej-
udice involved stems from the argu-
ment that homosexuals should not be
allowed to marry. Prejudice against
any group is always an act of igno-
rance, no matter how you attempt to
rationalize what you say. In my mind,
telling a homosexual couple that they
can’t get married for any reason is in
principal, similar to telling a couple of
a different race or religion they should
not marry. Either way, it’s a limitation
of rights to a demographic that isn’t in
the majority.
If heterosexuals were in the
minority and you wanted to get mar-
Opt for movies with substance, ‘soul’
Andrew Hebert
Staff Writer
Some movies are just bad. In a
world where we try to use all our
time to its fullest, there will never be a
time in which we will be able to view
the estimated 10 million plus movies
in the world. For all the bad mov-
ies you watch in your lifetime, there
is a multitude of critically-acclaimed
masterpieces you are possibly miss-
ing. Bad movies get made, but by no
means should you waste your time
and money on supporting them and
watching them.
Explore your future despite hesitation, doubt
Claudia Hagan
News Editor
I recently had an epic breakdown
about my future. You know the one
where I question my major, my job
outside of my major and my future.
It involved a lot of crying, hair pull-
ing, and I do believe an item or two
might have been thrown at some point
(possibly a shoe, but that still remains
undetermined). Throughout the week
that I was in utter turmoil, one ques-
tion resurfaced again and again – how
did I get to this point?
Well, I ended up coming to the
conclusion that the holidays were the
beginning of the end for me. At fam-
ily get-togethers I was asked the same
round of questions that follow the lines
of what I like to call “The Berry Basics.”
These consist of the invigorating ques-
tions about majors, minors, jobs, what
I’m going to do the rest of my life, etc.
For me, the moment of my mental
demise came when I was talking with
my uncle. I had just finished telling
him about being an environmental sci-
opinions
ried, assuming you were a hetero-
sexual, would you not feel terrible
if the majority called your desires
“immoral” or “disgusting?” Whether
a person believes, thinks or acts dif-
ferently from others or not should be
irrelevant when it comes to matters
of character and respect. Last time I
checked, there wasn’t a footnote that
provided a list of exceptions.
One of the arguments against gay
marriage is that it is sinful according
to Christianity. Why should the tradi-
tions of a religion that is not followed
by every individual dictate who can
marry whom? Many of my beliefs cen-
ter on the idea of separation of church
and state. Religion wasn’t intended
to function as a tool for lawmakers
to justify unfair treatment of any one
person or any group. Utilizing a reli-
gion that is supposed to preach ideals
such as “love thy neighbor as thyself”
and unconditional love as a weapon
against a group is not only unethical
but is also a perfect example of hypoc-
risy, because it sends a message to a
group of people that their lifestyle is
somehow inferior and unnatural just
because it’s different.
In the past, I have also heard the
I am by no means a movie scholar,
and I can’t talk about all the technical
attributes of cinematography, light-
ing design and production methods
that make a movie good. If you are
interested in all of this I would sug-
gest you take the introduction to film
class offered here at Berry. What I
look for as a self-proclaimed “movie
snob” is a unique story line, good
acting and the occasional production
“wow-factor.” With my limited time, I
leave the reviewing to those who have
dedicated their lives to being a movie
critic. In the Internet age it is easy to
find those good movies that are out
there and the ratings they are receiv-
ing from all the top critics.
Web sites such as Metacritic.com
and RottenTomatoes.com both compile
scores from all the major movie critics
ence major with minors in chemistry
and religion and that I worked for The
Carrier. To which he cocked his head
to the side ever so slightly, quizzically
looked down at me and uttered the
statement that would be my undoing,
“Well, I don’t know, but you sound
like one confused individual.”
Normally, this would not have
bothered me, and I would have said
something very … well, possibly not
appropriate for this publication. How-
ever, I get variations of this reaction
about 96 percent of the time when I
go through the Berry Basics. Make no
mistake, I am not just including fam-
ily members, but professors, peers and
everyone in between. A girl can only
take so many ‘what are you thinking?’
looks.
Personally, I know the breakdown
was inevitable. At some point in their
collegiate career, students begin to
question themselves. It’s healthy. For
me, it helped solidify that I am where
I need to be at the moment. My parents
and I were pleased that I came to this
conclusion, considering that, if I was to
change my major, I would be beyond
a super senior at this point. However,
that icky feeling of doubt still creeps
into my mind about working outside
CAMPUS CARRIER PAGE 5
argument that the legalization of
homosexual marriage could threaten
the very institution of marriage. I
never understood what could possi-
bly make someone arrive at this con-
clusion. If it was legalized, it would
have no effect on how heterosexuals
fall in love and marry one another. It
actually comes as a surprise to me that
people think that allowing more peo-
ple to marry partners of their choos-
ing can threaten marriage at all. To
say the institution is at risk in the first “What should the Berry College
place is almost laughable, especially Slogan be?”
considering the alarmingly high num-
ber of marriages that end in divorce
nowadays.
A more widespread acceptance
of homosexuality isn’t intended to
change anyone’s sexual preferences. Berry College: Where
Telling homosexuals they aren’t the deer and the
allowed to marry doesn’t change how women outnumber
they feel, after all.
everyone else.”
In the future, I would advise people
to think long and hard before saying
a group shouldn’t be granted equal
rights just because they’re different. Jordan Frost
Think how you would feel if you Freshman
were void of your right to be an equal.
Berry College: Eat more
and present the prospective movie deer.”
watcher with an average score and
what they can expect from the movie.
If you don’t want to go out to the mov-
ies, consider a movie subscription ser-
vice such as Netflix. Spend some time Josh Baker
filling your list with all those “classic” Junior
movies you never had a chance to
see such as “The Godfather,” “Casa-
blanca” or even “Pulp Fiction.”
Keep in mind that the movie indus-
try is just that—an industry. Some Where Martha
movies get made simply to get your
Berry’s dreams live
money, but it is the memorable few
that are able to maintain their soul on.”
and still deserve your money and
attention. For every forgettable and
calculated romantic comedy (“Leap
Year”) being churned out, their are Gabrielle Bill
life-changing romances (“Love Me If Junior
You Dare”) that you may never see.
Berry College: Where
of my major. It’s a battle for me until I you graduate more
sit in the production room of The Car- sheltered than when you
rier and begin to work. I become full came in.”
of excitement and peace at the same
time. That’s not to say that I don’t have
my ‘why am I doing this?’ moments Will Watkins
routinely at work. Yet, I am still left Senior
with the question of: why is doing
something I enjoy wrong just because
it doesn’t appear to match everything
else?
Through all of this inner confusion,
I knocked the dust off a value that has
helped define me. College should be
about exploring your options, among
other things. I should not feel wrong Does Berry blue run
for exploring areas outside of my through you?”
major. I should not be looked down
upon for trying to learn as much as I
can in various disciplines. Most of all, I
should not confine myself to what oth-
ers believe to be ‘normal.’ I am my own Ehsan Rabbina
person. Freshman
I still get questioning looks and
bewilderment from people when I first
meet them after I have answered the
Berry Basics. Now, instead of allowing
their reactions to bother me, I simply Letter Submission Policy
reply, “I prefer to be a ‘Jackie of all Letters to the editor must include a name, address and
trades’ rather than confined to one.” phone number, along with the writer’s class year or
title. The Carrier reserves the right to edit for length,
style, grammar and libel.
E-mail: campus_carrier@berry.edu