Loaded ballot ‘unfortunate’
February 27, 1992
Student Association President Preston Came was right to question the wording of a mock ballot distributed by the Gay and Lesbian Union.
If students fill out the ballot, they will find they can choose between demanding Washington throw out “discriminatory” policies banning homosexuals from the military and ROTC programs or declaring themselves to be against equality and civil rights.
The wording, as Came calls it, is loaded. People who feel strongly enough about the issue of homosexuals in the military will be more than happy to complete the ballots. However, those who aren’t sure about the government’s policy certainly are not against equality and civil rights.
GLU members probably would have more success if they made the ballot choices less controversial. More people would be inclined to sign if the choices weren’t so damning.
The GLU does have a beef with the SA for not distributing the ballots because of a lack of communication. The SA should have made a stronger effort to clear up the misunderstanding and clear up even more apparent internal miscommunication. It is, in Came’s words, an “unfortunate mistake,” but the mistake should not have been made.
When the SA is presented with matters like this—a request to support protest of the federal government—they should take more care to make sure the right and left hands are working together.
Once again, serious issues are being bungled because of internal conflicts and time’s running out to make a difference. Hopefully, the SA is watching the clock.