It’s like a broken record with the Northern Star and the topic of the Bible and homosexuality. I have been reading the Star since I was in middle school in 1970, and this topic in letters to the editor has come up continuously. Generations later, the letters are largely identical. I say we declare the issue officially irresolvable, and move on to a much more relevant issue: Is Disco the answer?

Few may remember that the club now known as Otto’s – then called The Uprising – was a pretty cool disco on DeKalb’s downtown strip of bars that used to all be filled to capacity every weekend during the school year. It had a translucent dance floor underlit with colored lights. The bar’s patrons were from all age groups, and most were dressed up. The music was fantastic, and there was always a waiting line and a cover charge. The “Disco” era in the United States was relatively brief, but attracted an amazing cross section of society. In the post-hippie ‘70s, Disco continued to help break down racial barriers that were shattered during the Civil Rights movement of the previous decade. On Saturday night, you went out dancing. Clubs in most parts of the country were truly integrated in terms of welcoming all races, ages and creeds.

Another interesting side effect was that we as a nation were in much better physical shape since we were dancing our butts off at least once a week.

So what does all this have to say about the Bible and homosexuality? Probably nothing, but when you are out dancing and just having a blast being with your friends or the one you love, you’ll spend a lot less time being miserable and creating reasons to hate people who aren’t just like you. And then we won’t have to read about it. Go dance. Please.

Dave Paulson

NIU Alum – Class of ‘81