NEWS
UW responds to hate crime
Looking for a print version?
Simply choose ‘Print’ on your computer and a printer-friendly document will be generated.
Also by Andriy Pazuniak:
- SSFC wittles Wunk Sheek budget (October 21, 2005)
- Cieslewicz, Judge come out on top in spring election (April 9, 2007)
- Music industry serves campus (March 22, 2007)
- UW to RIAA: No way (March 21, 2007)
Related Stories:
- ASM hosts hate-crime panel (December 5, 2006)
- Student 2nd victim of recent hate crimes (September 30, 2004)
- Alleged hate crime not surprising to UW (January 20, 2006)
- Eagle heights update/safety concerns addressed (November 5, 2003)
- Madison tops list of cities reporting hate crimes (November 5, 2001)
by Andriy Pazuniak
Monday, January 23, 2006
In response to the alleged hate crimes that occurred in Ogg Hall, University of Wisconsin Interim Provost Virginia Sapiro issued a statement Friday condemning the crimes.
UW Housing representatives also said they plan to meet with dormitory residents to discuss the incident and will attempt to increase the support and educational services they provide to UW students.
In her statement, Sapiro said, "[UW] strongly opposes discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation, religion, race, ethnicity, gender or political affirmation," and added "violent behavior toward others will not be tolerated."
The statement came a day after representatives of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Campus Center called on the UW administration to denounce the alleged hate crimes involving UW students.
Two UW freshmen, along with two friends who attend different universities, face a combined 17 felony hate crime charges after allegedly defacing the dorm hall door and bulletin board of an LGBT liaison in Ogg Hall Dec. 21.
The students allegedly wrote "I hate f-cking f-ggots! Die!" on the liaison's bulletin board, spit on the door and ripped down LGBT posters placed around it.
A UW Housing representative said "two or three" similar, though less severe, incidents occurred in Ogg last October and November.
Larry Davis, the assistant director of UW Housing, said a student scribbled "fag" on a residence hall door and another LGBT poster was repeatedly ripped down.
UW Housing Director Paul Evans said no change in the UW residence halls' security measures could have prevented such an incident.
"You hope residents don't do what this group of students did," he said.
According to Evans, security measures in residence halls currently include constant rounds by house fellows and police community liaisons as well as key-operated elevators.
Since the most recent incident, Davis said UW Housing representatives have met with the entire Ogg Hall staff to discuss what happened and what will happen in the aftermath.
Representatives said they also plan to meet with all the students in the LGBT liaison's residence hall "house," and are considering meeting with all residence hall students.
"We want to have a meeting to talk through what happened and where things are at," Davis said.
During a meeting with the two campus LGBT liaisons, Davis also said they would continue to offer support to LGBT students and attempt to further integrate LGBT issues into their educational services.
Davis said in two weeks UW Housing will begin to offer a series of diversity programs that will relate to sexual identity issues.
"We want to challenge all staff to integrate [LGBT issues] into their programs," Davis said.
Collete Montoya, one of the two LGBT liaisons on campus, used an example of a house fellow organizing a pajama party where the movie of the night was one that involved "serious LGBT issues."
"We want to get students accustomed to the fact that LGBT issues are a part of everyday life," Montoya said.
Both Montoya and Davis added that one of the most difficult tasks is getting students who are not already supportive of LGBT issues involved in the programs.
"A lot of LGBT allies get backlash from students for being too supportive," Davis said. "If you're so supportive, some students accuse you of being an LGBT yourself."
It is a thought process Davis said he hopes to put an end to with the services and programming provided by UW Housing.
Anonymous (January 23, 2006 @ 3:00pm):
The fact that Wisconsin has a "Hate Crimes" statute on its books is a highly unfortunate manifestation of the fact that some people on the political "left" are as contemptuous of the United States Constitution as George W. Bush, who recently referred to it as a "goddamned piece of paper." Fact is, already existing statutes such as those penalizing destruction of private property and disorderly conduct are quite sufficient to mete out punishment to spitters and poster-rippers. And keep in mind that these young men remain ALLEGED spitters and poster-rippers.
The Hate Crimes laws criminalize THOUGHT, in violation of the First Amendment. Also being urinated upon by these Thoughtcrime statutes is the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees equal protections before the law, and is specifically opposed to making any group or groups, whether Gays, Lesbians, Transgendered, Blacks, Jews or Purple People Eaters an especially protected class. This is politcal hypocrisy and cowardice at its worst, under the guise of achieving increased public safety.
Supposedly well-intentioned laws like these only serve to pave the way to civil liberties hell. Shame on Wisconsin, and especially shame on the UW, where serious assaults on the Bill of Rights are veiled in the misleading language of sensitivity-training seminars.
Couldn't remember my password,
Dan A. Goldstein,
Madison
Anonymous (January 23, 2006 @ 4:55pm):
Hey Mr. Boldstein, too bad if minorities can't take what they've been dishing out back in the nineites. If the incident represents anything, it represents how fed up everyone is with all you left-wing extremists and your hatemongering. Minorities are the biggest hatemongers in this country right now. You would have us all think it was the other way around. Not a chance!
You reap what you sow, kiddo. What goes around comes around, and now it's payback time. Suffer.
Anonymous (January 23, 2006 @ 8:20pm):
I invite Dan to read this:
http://www.dailycardinal.com/article.php?storyid=1028302
"Nowhere in this description [of a hate crime] is the term 'minority' even mentioned"
and
"Most importantly, there is a distinct difference between holding a belief, and using that belief to justify a criminal action."
Ronald Amerson (January 23, 2006 @ 10:12pm):
Letter To The Editor:
"UW freshman face hate crime charges" --UW Daily Cardinal on January 19th. Four "men", two of them UW freshman, committed an act of vandalism. An act driven by the confusion and frustration that many people face adjusting to life in the PC world of America's " Progressive" Universities; amplified by the socialism in "The People's Republic of Madison".
Immature? Yes. But these are BOYS learning the rules of a divided society. Useless act? Yes! It won't change anything. You must "Play The Game". Was the law broken? Yes, they damaged someone else's property; for which they were charged with "Disorderly Conduct"; and, "Criminal Damage"?? (A Reach!!)
But, charging them with 17 Felonies --"HATE CRIMES"?? -- B.S. -- To use this to drive "The Agenda" -- and, coerce submission by the rest of the students. Conviction will destroy their young lives; and, will only intensify the emotions and anger.
No space here to discuss the FACT that there is no such thing as a "HATE CRIME" That these laws are only used in support of "THE AGENDA". That the term "HATE CRIME" is merely a synonym for "THOUGHT CRIME". That they are used at the "discretion" of law enforcement. (Why are "five blacks beat up a white man", or, "two gay men rape 13 year old boy", NOT "HATE CRIMES".
Nor do I have room to explain why convicting people of "Felonies" (or adding a "DOMESTIC" enhancer to even misdemeanors) is vital for many Police agencies in pushing their leftist, "social engineering" agenda!! (Specifically to bypass the second amendment)
Hopefully some organization that supports the Constitution will provide legal aid for these kids; or the Dane County DA and/or the Judges who hear these will throw out the felony and hate charges.
To close I quote from the news release out of your provost's office -- "No Place For Hate at UW-Madison"
I assure you that what has been done here will foster feelings of anger and hate among many of the students; and, create the impression that the "...climate that is welcoming to all people..." only applies to people with compliant beliefs.
Ronald A. Amerson
Sun Prairie, WI 53590
Anonymous (January 24, 2006 @ 12:15pm):
Colleges are a place of indoctrination, nor education. The LBGT posters are offensive and promote hatred of heterosexuals and traditional morals, are THEY going to be charged as well?
Don't think so.
Anonymous (January 24, 2006 @ 6:34pm):
What exactly did the LGBT posters say that supposedly promoted hatred of heterosexuals? Or is it your assumption that being gay automatically means one hates heterosexuals? Ah, yes the vague notion of "traditional morals." What exactly do you mean by that? And why do you assume that these traditional morals are somehow fixed and universal? In fact, morals evolve and change over time, and vary from society to society. It would seem that, after reviewing these posts, ignorance, intolerance and bigotry are highly regarded "traditional morals" in Wisconsin.
And in response to Mr. Amerson: if the black men had targeted the white man they beat up specifically because he was white, then certainly it could be considered a hate crime. As for the other situation, it's completely repugnant to be sure, but I'm not sure would qualify as a hate crime, because hatred is not inherent in the motive. You do however make the common assumption that pedophilia and homosexuality are synonymous. They are not.
Thoughts and actions are not equatable, and these boys are certainly free to believe what they like about other people. Once they begin to put those thoughts into actions that threaten the safety and security of others, then it becomes crime. And incidently, the ripping down of posters could certainly be deemed a constituional violation of the LGBT organization's freedom of speech. I am surprised that individuals who hold the Constitution so sacred have failed to see this.
Anonymous (January 25, 2006 @ 8:47am):
I'm not sure how someone could be "confused" or "frustrated" enough to have to take out their illogical hatred on gay students by scrawling words wishing they should die on bulletin boards, Mr. Amerson. If these kids had enough smarts to get into UW, one would hope that they would also have enough smarts to express their beliefs in a more positivem manner.
I know that, as most likely a white man who lives in mainly-white Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, that the concept of "hate crime" seems foreign and unconstitutional to you, Mr. Amerson. But let me assure you that the types of violent behavior, typified and alluded to by the antisocial behavior of these four gutless cowards in Ogg Hall, is a mere tip of the iceberg of what gays, blacks, Latinos, and even women face every day. I don't expect you to understand the concept.
If "the agenda" that the Madison Police Department has is to create a city welcoming to all, where no one is threatened, I see no harm in that. Without such "social engineering" propagated through our courts and law enforcement activities, blacks would still be riding in the back of the bus and women would still be barefoot, pregnant, and without the right to vote. If that's your vision of the Constitution, I think you'll find yourself very lonely there.
Anonymous (May 7, 2006 @ 2:28am):
I think this is freaking ridiculous if we want to talk about rights i think that the students that ripped the sign down are protecting their rights so they dont have to see things that are negative and degrading to the majority of society. Get over worry about bettering yourself and how to keep from pissing america off again. if bisexuals can post that in aschool owned building then heterosexual people should be able to post pictures of a male and female doing the same thing
