Letters to the editor: CLU needs to right a wrong; forgetting hermaphrodites
CLU needs to revisit decisions
Mark Twain’s aphorism — “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story” — may be useful for understanding what’s going on at California Lutheran University where the Gallegly Center is concerned.
To start: Mark Berry, CLU’s spokesperson, took issue with the “theatrical fashion" of how 70-page, well-organized binders, one for each CLU Board of Regents member, were delivered. Berry erroneously claims that the notebooks were delivered “during the busiest week of the school year was meant to disrupt operations and intimidate the university.”
The statement is false.
The binders were delivered at 5 p.m. to CLU lawyers, not the “campus,” and included supporting documents, including transcripts of a Zoom discussion in 2020 where CLU faculty and staff members discussed renaming, repurposing, “occupying,” and even “burning down” the Elton and Janice Gallegly Center for Public Service and Engagement.
As an institution of higher learning, the Gallegly Center is exactly what CLU should be about. Critical thinking and the debate of ideas. CLU’s unilateral changes significantly diverged from the original agreement. CLU eliminated it the replica congressional office within the center, designed to captivate visitors and students and provide a compelling backdrop for film and television majors.
Similarly, the Gallegly Speaker Series, to bring distinguished figures to campus for discussions and highlight public service, was eliminated. CLU reneged on its promise to digitize and archive the Gallegly papers and records to make these documents easily accessible to interested researchers worldwide.
As a once proud CLU Regent, I urge the current regents to revisit the decisions of Ms. Varlotta, rekindle its commitment to honoring its promise and donors’ intent, uphold the values of the university, and rectify the missteps that have tarnished the Gallegly Center. Only through this introspection and resolute corrective action can CLU begin the journey towards restoring its once-pristine reputation.
Glen Becerra, Simi Valley, is a former Simi Valley City Council member and nine-year CLU Board of Regents member
‘Biological truth’ ignores group
Re: Jake Kelly’s Sept. 17 letter, “Full-on assault on parental rights”:
Mr. Kelly states, “Gallagher’s view of human sexuality is in line with biological truth; we are all born with either male or female attributes.” Is Mr. Kelly unaware of or is he ignoring that group of people born with attributes of both sexes, hermaphrodites?
They are most often surgically altered shortly after birth, so their outward sexual attributes resemble one or the other, most commonly female, as that is the easier surgical path.
They are usually given hormones to promote physical characteristics of that sex.
But who is to say that as this child matures, they may feel/identify more closely with the other sex? Who could say, at that point, they are not that “sex?”
This is not intended to answer the question fully, just to point out Mr. Kelly’s statement is factually wrong and that there may be other forces at work as well which currently are beyond our knowledge.
John Snyder, Newbury Park
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Letters: CLU needs to right a wrong; forgetting hermaphrodites
