A Letter to Gryboski

By Rebecca Walter

I don't know how to begin to answer this, but to say this is an opportunity to engage in dialogue while at the same time acknowledge that your opinion piece on the pride alliance is a repeat from last year's article. Perhaps you felt as though you were not listened to or heard?

I want to acknowledge a particular pattern of your writing, subjects, and topics, Mr. Gryboski. You speak from a white heterosexual male voice who is trying to speak as an unmarked and normal voice, and it appears that you have a lot of space in the paper for which to do so; In this particular piece you are claiming that you are merely representing what you deem as science without explaining why you support this particular science and while trying to make the claim that science is separate from politics, somehow "neutral" much like your perspective. I looked at discourse you are having on facebook with others about this piece and you claim to "want to put your voice out there". I want to acknowledge that there is accountability for these opinions.

Your writing relies on a lot of rhetoric that goes undefined, expecting readers to share the definitions of this rhetoric and language. This coincides with the anti-intellectual perspectives in mainstream media that frequently posit: "I'm just offering an opinion, I'm not a journalist!"

Mr. Gryboski, you certainly belong to many identity groups but somehow do not connect them to your own opinions. They are never clearly marked or indicated in your language, but your language is very clear about marking "others" who you target as having agendas or creating divisiveness. I'm wondering if you are interested in dialogue or merely a debate where there are winners & losers and competition versus meaning making, understanding, empathy and learning. Thank you.

Rebecca A. Walter, Associate Director
Faculty Partnerships & Curriculum Development
Multicultural Research & Resource Center
Adjunct Faculty, Department of Communication