Letter from Bernard Muir

[casualhoya]

What did the sign in question say?
....................................................

Dear Season Ticket Holders:

I write to you today to address some concerns that have been raised
regarding a photograph displayed on the cover of the 2006-2007 Men's
Basketball season ticket package. It has been brought to my attention
that the photograph, which was taken during the Georgetown/Duke game
last year, includes an individual holding a sign that contains language
that could be perceived as a homophobic message. For this, I sincerely
apologize.

Athletic department officials noticed the sign in question at the event
and discussed it with its owner at that time. Its owner told us that
the message was not intended to be offensive or derogatory. Even so,
appearances can have unintended implications and we should have selected
a different image for use on the cover of our season ticket package. We
will certainly be more vigilant in the future.

The Georgetown Department of Athletics takes very seriously our
commitment to diversity and to building a respectful, inclusive
community. We hold the very highest expectations for all of our staff,
coaches and student athletes. We expect our supporters to demonstrate
good sportsmanship and to behave in an appropriate manner during
athletic events. Please know that in the future we will take great care
in furthering these important goals.

Sincerely,

Bernard

Bernard Muir
Director of Athletics

[Deleted]

"Charlie Daniels 4 Life"

[ColumbiaHeightsHoya]

There were only a couple legible letters and you could see DCUOSY on line one, GAY on line Two, JJ! on line three.

I would have never noticed without this letter. Some letters are in light ink and you can't make out the entire thing.

On an ironic note, Being homophobiac and catholic kind of goes with the doctrine of the Vatican though, right (no gay marriage, no gay priests, homosexuality is an abomination, etc.etc.)

[theexorcist]

The sign said "JJ is Redickulously Gay" (it was the pink one). Not all of it was visible - I only noticed it because I had heard the sign referenced previously. I can't believe it took someone this long to notice - it took me fifteen seconds upon opening the package.

With the ironic note - the standard Catholic document on this issue is attached - it came from Ratzinger (now Benedict) and was approved by Pope John Paul II. See the first two lines of #10 for why the sign would be condemned.

www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19861001_homosexual-persons_en.html

[KeysPlaceHoya]

I remember that sign from the game AND it was the first thing I noticed when I got my season ticket package this year. I had a good laugh that it made the cover. One sign from the game that did NOT make the cover was somethign that said "Brokeback Reddick." The "Ridiculously Gay JJ" sign, though, is on a bright pink piece of cardstock and is the first thing your eye is drawn to when you look at the image.

However, I was more offended by the number of Duke fans in the picture...way too many people with Duke Blue shirts on in the lower bowl. Maybe I should write a compalint letter.

[Deleted]

theexorcist said:

The sign said "JJ is Redickulously Gay" (it was the pink one).

Whomever it was that actually took that sign to the game should be banned from all future Hoya basketball events for lifting their repertoire from UMCP fans.

Talk about weak sauce...

[greenmachine]

Actually, I think it was an NC State fan who came up with it. It was swirling around the internet because he put "ly gay" up against a dookie sign that said Redickulous. I thought the idea was clever but homophobic remarks are classless and should be left up to ACC fans. It is even worse that one of our fans made their own sign because it was a complete rip off.

[HealyHoya]

I hate Redick. I hae Coach K. I hate Duke. I hate lamp.

[HoyaSinceBirth]

do you really hate the lamp or are you just saying you do?

[aggypryd]

I HATE LAMP!!

[casualhoya]

Solid 'Anchorman' reference.

Casually.

[RusskyHoya]

It took them this long to notice/address this? Hahahaha

The real question I have is: "When will Bernard, whoever is in charge of the season ticket package, et. al. be required to do some community service/sensitivity training/penance/etc.?" What other steps will be taken to continue obscuring the underlying paradox of Georgetown's official relationship and stance toward those outside of the Catholic line?

Does anyone really think some girl, not even in the student section, holding a Reddickulously Gay JJ sign (or an e-mail with an attempt at a Seinfeld joke, for that matter) are the real offenses here?

[HoyaDestroya]

i remember this floating around a while back - from Maryland game - filebox.vt.edu/users/drdepoy/jj_is_redickulously_gay.w492.jpg

think this is where it started.

[ColumbiaHeightsHoya]

The ex, I read it. They need to practice what they preach. If it is consistently delivered, albeit subtle, in sermons and actions of the church, then you can say what you want but your actions speak louder then words. If the words are, "... we must be guided by a vision of the person untainted by ideological and cultural prejudices or by political and economic interests which can instil hatred and violence", then the church needs to stop being so hypocritical when it comes to its actions.

[williambraskyiii]

i think everyone is a little more sensitive these days after the prolonged Isaiah Washington - T.R. Knight fiasco.

I will now kill myself for knowing those two names and the issue in dispute.

[vcjack]

williambraskyiii said:

i think everyone is a little more sensitive these days after the prolonged Isaiah Washington - T.R. Knight fiasco.

I will now kill myself for knowing those two names and the issue in dispute.

Don't be ashamed, I'm sure there are plenty of grown men who have a thing for Grey's, Just make sure to balance it out with some 24

[theexorcist]

vcjack said:

williambraskyiii said:

i think everyone is a little more sensitive these days after the prolonged Isaiah Washington - T.R. Knight fiasco.

I will now kill myself for knowing those two names and the issue in dispute.

Don't be ashamed, I'm sure there are plenty of grown men who have a thing for Grey's, Just make sure to balance it out with some 24

Basically every single problem Georgetown has right now would be solved if we had Jack Bauer in the starting lineup (so said because Jack Bauer never comes off the bench).

[Dhall]

Brings me back to the 1989 home game against Duke where one student section would yell "Hurley Scks" and the other student section across the court would respond "Laettner Swallows" along the lines of "Tastes Great - Less Filling" or "Hoya - Saxa". That was good stuff.

[kchoya]

vcjack said:

williambraskyiii said:

i think everyone is a little more sensitive these days after the prolonged Isaiah Washington - T.R. Knight fiasco.

I will now kill myself for knowing those two names and the issue in dispute.

Don't be ashamed, I'm sure there are plenty of grown men who have a thing for Grey's, Just make sure to balance it out with some 24

I have to watch so I can relate to my wife when she comes home and talks about her surgery residency. 'Cause you know the show is just like real life.

[StPetersburgHoya (Inactive)]

When I got the letter I was actually stunned that it was about the sign. I noticed the sign at the Duke game and then was pretty amused that it was ok to put it on the season ticket package cover. I am sure the apology was sincere but as Russky alluded to there seems to be a discrepancy between the reaction to this and the comment that appeared in a Hoya Blue e-mail last year that could have been construed as homophobic or supporting those who are homophobic. Something tells me that the institutional response to the athletic department's error in judgment was not the same as it was to a student group's error in judgment. That may or may not reflect a double standard - there could be lots of good policy reasons for coming down harder on student groups - such as wanting to teach a lesson to students and not wanting to rock the boat in institutional relationships between LGBTQ advocates and the athletic department. What is for sure is that I would hope that in the future there is tighter control of the quality and messages that come out of the actions and products of the athletic department. I'm pretty sure that the letter reflects that desire.