The University of Michigan is still making headlines this summer. With the Chris Webber case over with and the affirmative action policy lawsuits out of the way, there is now a "traditional family organization" that wants to get rid of one of the university's offered courses.

The course is an English class titled "How to Be Gay: Homosexuality and Initiation," and the American Family Association of Michigan wants the class banned because, to organization President Gary Glenn, the class admits homosexuality is a learned behavior.

The class is supposed to help homosexuals identify with themselves, said David Halperin, the class instructor. Its intent is to teach students how to build their own identity.

Glenn said U-M should stop forcing taxpayers to support the class. It sounds as if Glenn is against educating people on current alternative issues, favoring only the norm.

If there were a group of artists who wanted the university to ban a sociology course, saying they didn't want their money to support it, that idea would sound ridiculous.

So does this one.

This course is not forced upon students. If they wish to take the class they can, and if they don't, they don't have to.

We are in a time when homosexuality is no longer a taboo subject. The U.S. Supreme Court striking down anti-sodomy laws prove that society is opening its eyes to differences in the world.

College is a place where you learn new things about the world and all the people in it. There shouldn't be a restriction against a subject that doesn't follow the norm, and the only way for people to let go of ignorance is through knowledge.

People such as Glenn and the American Family Association could learn and benefit from taking this class.