DSG should rethink their same-sex union proposal

In response to Tuesday's front-page article concerning Duke Student Government's proposal to allow same-sex unions in the Chapel, I would like to offer an analogy between the Chapel and Cameron Indoor Stadium to argue against DSG's proposal. DSG's main argument stems from its logic that the Chapel's prohibition violates the University's non-discrimination policy. DSG stresses that same-sex unions should be treated like any other private ceremony and that "the 'unions' we [DSG] are currently pursuing are not marriage." Vice President for Facilities and Athletics Affairs Emily Grey responded that "there is a non-discrimination policy at Duke that says you can't discriminate on the basis of anything in the use of university facilities, and that's blatantly being violated here."

Let's examine DSG's logic using another University facility, Cameron Indoor Stadium. Cameron was built for basketball and basketball alone. You see the men's and women's BASKETBALL teams play on its sacred ground, but can you imagine the look on Coach Krzyzewski's face if a football game, or even a football scrimmage, was held on the holy, gleaming, polished floors of Cameron Indoor Stadium? According to DSG's logic, one might argue that Cameron is discriminating against the football players for not allowing them to play on its courts. However, ask month-long citizens of K-ville that question, and the answer would be obvious. Simply put, Cameron was not built for football. Does that mean that Duke University is discriminating against football players? By no means!

In the same way, the Chapel was built on a system of beliefs that does not agree with same-sex unions. By forcing the Chapel to go against its system of beliefs would be like telling Coach K to cancel his basketball practices because the football players need to practice indoor. Different institutions are set up because people have different sets of beliefs. It is equally unfair to force the Chapel to host same-sex unions, as it is to force Cameron to host football games. DSG should rethink its justification for proposing to open the Chapel to same-sex unions.

David Chen

Trinity '04