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OPINION & EDITORIAL

Students must make effort to stop hate on campus

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by Guest Columnist

Thursday, February 2, 2006

The act of hate that was allegedly committed in Ogg Hall right before winter break has sparked a lot of commentary, concern and controversy. The alleged crime consisted of four students, two of them from the University of Wisconsin, vandalizing a bulletin board with information and resources for LGBT students and writing threatening messages directed toward the LGBT housing liaison outside of his room. Viewing this incident from a campus safety-minded perspective, I see it as being indicative of something that is a tremendous threat to the safety of our campus community members here at the University of Wisconsin. That threat is hate.

Hatred has its roots in ignorance, misunderstanding and fear of that which is different from you. While everyone has a right to disagree with others' views and behaviors and to express that disagreement in appropriate ways, hateful acts that terrorize others and/or threaten the physical safety of another cannot be tolerated. The University of Wisconsin has high expectations for students. We have tremendous opportunities for learning and growing right in front of us. The expectation is that we are able to express our opinions through speech and writing in a way that is intellectual and articulate rather than in ways that are threatening, intimidating and hateful.

Hate is often the driving force behind many acts — from verbal harassment to genocide — that leave a devastating effect. Such ignorant and dangerous acts of hatred put the safety of fellow human beings at serious risk. On our campus, the presence of hate and intolerance are very real threats of which we should be ashamed; threats we should all be committed to eradicate.

In Ogg Hall, a student was targeted because of his sexual orientation. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to be open and honest about one's sexual orientation when it is regarded to be outside the realm of what is considered mainstream. On our very campus, one such display of courage was met with vandalism and hateful, threatening messages. How are other members of the LGBT community supposed to feel safe after such an aggressive attack was made against part of their identity? Once an act of hate is committed against one group, it changes the climate and creates fear and frustration among all marginalized groups.

I know that there are many bright minds and well-intentioned hearts on this campus. I would like this to be a call to students to eliminate their role as passive bystanders and take an active stance against hate toward all marginalized groups. If we want a campus community where people feel — and in reality actually are — safe to express who they are, whether that be in terms of sexual orientation, religion, culture or political views, then we, as students, need to stand up to behavior and language that expresses hatred and threatens harm. We also need to look internally at our own views, which may be fueled by hatred. We need to step up and show support for others. Speak up when you hear homophobic language or jokes. Think critically about the messages that are being conveyed and the effects they have on our campus climate. Do they promote a climate in which individuals feel safe to live their lives and express who they are? Challenge faculty who may make offensive comments. Look into joining the Student Allies Program or participate in the Safe Zone training in the residence halls. Do something that sends the message that we, as students, will not tolerate any act that threatens the safety of any one of our fellow students. Do not just think of tolerance and understanding as nice ideas, but be proactive in striving to achieve these ideals.

Julia Harkins is the Campus Safety Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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Anonymous (February 2, 2006 @ 4:08pm):

Christians denounce homosexuality as "Satanic"

San Diego, CA -- Denouncing homosexual behavior as, "a perversion of one of the most intimate and beautiful acts between consenting adults" and calling it "a mental illness" and "Satanic", John Conner, author of The Resistance Manifesto offers no apologies. "I'm not homophobic. I'm a pervert-o-phobic. I'm afraid of perverts. I'm afraid of perverts destroying decency in society and in the media. I'm afraid of perverts being able to get married and ruining the meaning of marriage. I can't believe that this kind of behavior is not only accepted, but celebrated in society today. MTV, has long celebrated homosexuality and other satanic behavior. And in recent years the major networks have also introduced gay characters and gay storylines. We're calling for a return to decency. A replenishment of morals in the media." Connor insists, adding, "these queers make me want to puke."

It must be understood that homosexuality is a behavior, and in society we have standards of behavior. For example what is appropriate behavior and what is not. Queers like to quickly label people as discriminating against them, when in reality we are imposing societies sense of decency on them. We must be clear as a society what kinds of behavior we will and will not tolerate. Radical homosexuals known as the gay mafia must be resisted.

The term homophobe is a semantic distortion used to label people who are apposed to this sick behavior. The suffix "phobia" was added to imply a sense of irrationality and fear as if there is something wrong with YOU for thinking the way you do. The homosexuals imply WE have the problem. We are AFRAID they say. Let me say we're not afraid, we're DISGUSTED!

Conner with legions of others have been speaking at Churches and Bible studies for years, bringing awareness to the Orwellian influences in America and the New World Order. Stopping the homosexual agenda is also a priority of The Resistance. It is difficult to conclude how many members The Resistance has, due to the fact that there is no central leadership, official member roster, and many members have maintained anonymity to non members. Author of The Resistance Manifesto, John Conner says, "We are simply a group of Christians who analyze all facets of infrastructure, ideology, and technology involved in the New World Order including the erosion of morals and decency in society.

Don't accuse us of using hate speech either. We don't hate homosexuals. Hate speech is another semantic distortion and false label used to demonize Christians for opposing the perversions of homosexuality. The Resistance calls upon formal organization through legislation and PAC's to sustain our spiritual rights while balancing our civil ones, and to prevent the radical homosexuals from destroying marriage and morals in America.

It is time to stand together, and not let the gay mafia affect public policy! We must resist the homosexuals! Resist the propaganda perpetuating ideologies! Resist erosion of morals and the acceptance of homosexual behavior! Resist this Satanism! Power to the Resistance!

Contact:
John Conner, author

Website: www.TheResistanceManifesto.com
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Anonymous (February 2, 2006 @ 6:03pm):

Being gay isn't a choice. It's innate; people are born gay. End of story.

Anonymous (February 2, 2006 @ 6:59pm):

"Being gay isn't a choice. It's innate; people are born gay. End of story."

You mean...like...I couldn't become gay even if I wanted to? OH GOD! OH NO! I'M DOOMED! FOREVER CONDEMNED TO REPRODUCING WITH A FEMALE, GUZZLING SWILL BEER AND DRESSING LIKE AN IMMIGRANT FROM EASTERN EUROPE! I'LL NEVER BE HAPPY! HOW BEWILDERED, HOW DIMINISHED IS MY EXISTENCE! LIFE IS NO LONGER WORTH LIVING!

Anonymous (February 4, 2006 @ 2:29am):

I really think people are fully misunderstanding what happened on the night of this alleged hate crime. The "victim" was never attacked and no one wanted to hurt him. In fact, when the "victim" opened his door, the three individuals outside ran. They had no intention of waking him up or physically doing anything to him. Their loud words were not intended to wake the "victim", but rather were just them speaking to each other. They were in a hallway, and tore down a picture that was pretty much gay pornography. The only thing close to a crime was the comment on the dry erase board, only because it used the word "die", which is taking things a little too far. Regardless, just erase the damn board and put up new pictures (that aren't of men making out while on top of each other) and let this university and these four boys move on with their lives.

It is one thing to be gay, but it is completely different when you attempt to extrude your homosexuality onto others. The picture torn down was of 2 males making out while lying on top of each other. That doesn't belong up on a public wall. Whether gay or strait, PDAs or pictures of sexual actions need to be kept behind closed doors. No one cares that this alleged victim is gay or if anybody is for that matter, just like no one cares that I'm strait. If you keep your personal business to yourself, we'd all be better off.

I'm really getting tired of reading articles about this alleged hate crime. For crying out loud, a few pictures were torn down and a dry erase board was written on. These kids were drunk and stupid. It should be left at that. Prosecuting them and expulsion or whatever crazy things you people are throwing out there would be detrimental to their success as individuals. A formal apology is the extent this case should be taken. It is unbelievable that this whole case has been contorted into this massive attack of the gays vs. the straits and the liberals vs. the conservatives, when NOTHING really SERIOUS EVEN HAPPENED! Don't give me that BS that this was an attack on the gay community. It was a spontaneous thing that one drunken kid saw a picture, which very easily could be considered offensive, and tore it down. It was not a pre-meditated crime and shouldn't be up for all this scrutiny. Calm down and move on with your lives.