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Show The Signpost 7 Are ignorance and fear of difference to blame? Mate Crimes do occur on WSU's campus Wednesday, January 29, 1992 By TYSON MATT AssL Signature editor of The Signpost Crimes against students at WSU for race or sexual preference are occurring at a more regular rate than one might think according to WSU faculty and students. Eric E. Mitchell, a WSU gay student majoring in psychology said he has personally experienced some physical abuse and intimidation at WSU two weeks ago while he was putting up flyers for a gay lesbian support group in the social science building. He said he went in to the bathroom on the third floor and was cornered by three students and threatened seriously. "They followed me around the building calling me faggot and queer," he said. "I went in to use the bathroom and when I turned around from the stall there they were. Then they said 'we should kill all you-f faggots.' Fortunately I was able to get myself out of that situation." Dr. Larry Helmbrecht, psychologist at WSU counseling service said he counsels many gays and lesbians who have suffered verbal or physical abuse. "Every gay and lesbian client I've had, have come to me with complaints of verbal or physical abuse in or out of the classroom," Helmbrecht said. He said many of the students who come to him feel like the world is unsafe for them and some of them feel powerless and anxious. "It is important for these students to realize is not their fault and that they didn't bring it on intentionally," he said. WSU professor Patti O'Neal, an African American who came to WSU from Hartford Conn, as a visiting professor in the department of dance, related an incident of a racial hate crime that happened to her daughter in New York while A WORD FROM THE EDITOR . ,,H lib working at a community center in a upperclass white Jewish neighborhood"Eighty-ninth Street and Columbus Ave. is considered by most people to be a quote 'good neighborhood.' I think that means the majority of the people there are not of color," she said. O'Neal said her daughter was on her way home and was struck by a middle-aged, white woman. "My daughter was on her way home, crossing the street. When she got to the other side a white Jewish-American woman about 55, who was dressed impeccably WSU PROFESSOR OF dance, Patti t funtiJJt. 'irf - ,i.Nf: --., i l .!". .: with beautiful jewelry punched my daughter in the stomach, knocks her down to the ground and calls "...when I turned around from the stall there they were. They said 'we should kill all you f faggots'..." -Eric E. Mitchell, WSU student her a black whore b." O'Neal said. O'Neal said that her daughter was stunned and she grabbed her O'Neal, depicts life through dance.and says"thls society Is based on WSU student says nobody is exempt from racial intolerance By JENNIFER HARDING Signature editor of The Signpost The media is full force on the issue of racism and hate crimes, particularly on the advent of the Martin Luther King jr. holiday last month. The talk shows are having a hay-day: Oprah Winfrey, Geraldo Rivera and Maury Povich all had their spiels. One student at WSU says that the bottom line is that everyone is racist in our society and to say that you are exempt from being a racist is totally unfounded.That students name is Ron Stewart, he is a senior at WSU who is majoring in psychology. He also is a minority coming from a Chilean and German background, yet says the issue racism is being centralized mainly on white against black. "My whole point is that everyone is racist and prejudice, if you say you are exempt from racism or being a racist that is ridiculous." He discussed a recent ex stomach and didn't want to move her hand because she thought she had been stabbed. Both O'Neal and Mitchell said they felt that there were still many hate crime injustices in society today both on and off campus. ample on the talk show Geraldo. On Jan. 15 of this year the topic exploded with rappers Sister Souljah and Luther Campbell of 2 Live Crew. An excerpt of Souljah's video "Slavery's Back in Effect" documents her feelings. He asks her "Are you a racist?" Souljah replies "You can't call me or any black person any place in the world a racist. We don't have the power to do what white people have done to us and even if we did, we don't have that low down dirty nature." "Are there any good white people," he asks. "If there are, I have not met them. ..where are they?" From this point a hypothetical vice president David Duke announces that slavery is back into effect. Then Souljah is shown loading a gun. "If she commits acts of violence, says derogatory statements or other things against whites, it is not considered racist because she hides behind the color of her skin that's a total scapegoat," said Stewart.An example Stewart gave of O'Neal said she felt as if the civil right's movement of the 60s had never happened. "I think that the perpetuation of sexism, racism and class elitism might be more subtle and more sophisticated, but I think it is the same," O'Neal said. "Even now, I can't buy a house where you can get a house," she continued. She said this was a practice everywhere, not just in Utah. "The bigotry or heterosex-isim is really out there, it's in my face," said Mitchell. "I encounter it in class all the time.Mitchell said (See CRIMES page 9) v. f PHOTO COURTESYMAURICE D. ROBERTSON sexism, racism and social elitism." the double standard of racism is the case of rap group Public Enemy's back up singer Flavor Flav who beat up his girlfriend and has missed some child-support payments. At the same time his group has a song diatribing police brutality against blacks. "It is inconsistent to say all these things in their videos and then on the other hand have members of the group committing outright brutalities of their own against women'Stewart said. He said such videos by 2 Live Crew show women being degraded and treated as second class, and then the lead singer Luther Campbell crys racism against blacks. "Don't get me wrong here, I believe that there is racism- but discrimination is all around us," he said. "What concerns me is that people buy into a certain message from the media without looking into what is really going on." He asked, if we are so against racism, do we not hear the loud outcry when other minorities such as Asians, Native Amercians and (See RACISM paae 9) |