I am thoroughly disgusted by the political advertisement, “Yes on 8” featuring Pepperdine Professor Richard Peterson. What a sad commentary on Pepperdine. I realize Pepperdine is a Christian university. That it’s almost accepted cultural convention to expect anti-gay rhetoric from any Christian university is ironic. I have been the employer of many wonderful babysitters, tutors, house-sitters, homework helpers from Pepperdine and my favorite “mannies” were gay and struggled incredibly with their Christian upbringing and the “reality” of their genetics.
I held their hands as they came to terms with who they were as people and accepted the fact that they could still love the Lord and be gay. I know that there are some gay students at Pepperdine and I shudder to think of what kind of message this professor’s right wing tirade will send to these young students. I shudder to think of the message these ads send to my kids who have grown to know gay students from Pepperdine and accept them without question.
It was a great life lesson for my teenagers as they became aware of the societal taboo one of their favorite “mannies” had to endure. My teenagers and their surfer dude friends had grown to really like him and after that experience will walk through the rest of their lives without the burden of intolerance fostered by ignorance.
I called the president’s office to voice my complaints and received an e-mail with a press release stating that Pepperdine doesn’t endorse this professor’s comments and had succeeded in getting the commercial producers to take Pepperdine’s name from Professor Peterson’s ignorant and intolerant comments.
That hasn’t happened all week. The ad is still on with the disclaimer that his title is used for “identification purposes. I wonder if the press release was just a bone to placate Pepperdine’s liberal neighbors. Maybe they need to look in their own quad and see just how many gay students and teachers this ad is offending.
In this time of economic uncertainty, why would anyone vote for another person’s unhappiness? Vote “no” 8. My oldest teenager, who will be voting in his first election, will most certainly do so and proudly!
Laureen Sills