ROTC and the Council

Harvard University and the Undergraduate Council have both committed themselves to ending discrimination on the basis of race, sex or sexual orientation. How can either body consider officially condoning a student organization which so blatantly violates these principles? Reinstating ROTC is tantamount to restoring University ties to the final clubs. As we are all aware, military personnel are routinely discharged on grounds of sexual orientation. Moreover, ROTC promotes homophobic attitudes which are harmful and divisive in our (relatively) progressive society. We know of one ROTC student who, because he had a pierced ear, was made to stand in the parade ground at MIT shouting, "I am a faggot!" at the top of his lungs for an hour. To our knowledge, no apology was ever offered, nor was disciplinary action taken against the commanding officer. We refuse to condone such hateful behavior and will work to keep any such organization off campus. As for the notion that ROTC helps the underprivileged attend Harvard, financial aid exists for the most needy cases. Though there are some students who fall between the cracks, this is an indication of a need for greater federal assistance free from discrimination. Charles W. Henebry '89-'90   Matthew F. Drummy '89