In the recent weeks since the release of the Oct. 20 issue, City Times has found itself dealing with accusations of homophobia. The accuser, who requested we not use their name in the paper, shared strong concerns about the front-page layout by e-mail. They felt that the choice of photo for the "Church group protests school" was an advertisement for a hate Web site.
I am writing concerning an article titled "Police target 'cruising' at City" that appeared in the Oct. 20 edition of City Times. I have been a loyal reader of your newspaper as a student that attends City College full-time and appreciate the real world experience it gives to your journalism students.
A couple of weeks ago I had a lazy Sunday with my roommate where all we wanted to do was just stay at home, eat Mexican food and watch a few movies. A few movies turned out to be "Wanted," "17 Again," "He's Just Not That Into You," and the Academy Award winning "Crash.
The strange and curious impulses of an addled mind We were at one of those journalism conferences at California State Fullerton - Vanessa, Editor-in-chief (I call her Chiefy); Ernesto, News Editor; me, Arts Editor; and a few more conduits of City College news and all things related - coordinating who's doing what, going where and when.
I've been thinking about people's perspectives. We make judgements about people which influences our perception and can create a fabricated reality. We make judgements on people whether we're aware of it or not. I'm not a psychologist, but it's not like this fact is hidden in the woodwork.
Restroom "cruising", that is, the social phenomenon where individuals congregate for sex in public restrooms through secret signals such as foot tapping-whether gay or straight-is inappropriate, and, in the year 2009, outdated. And, yes, straights engage in cruising, too, if not more.
"Opinions are like ass#@!*s; everybody's got one." This crude, unenlightened retort does a good job of making everyone's thoughts and words seem less significant. But how DO we decide who's "right" and who's "wrong"? The opinion racket seems to be pretty easy.