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Show 8 THE DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE MARCH 28, 2001 WEDNESDAY, Droppings Aren't Even Worth The Shovel Used to Pick Them Up Bigoti-y'- THE CHRONICLE'S VIEW Scratching the Surface on A Monster of Problems Today on the A. Ray Olpin Union patio, professors and bean of Students direction. The new legislation would include language regarding Any "bias-motivat- That's "chicken shit!" Although it's not scholarly language, those are the words that slipped from my mouth upon first learning of the cowardly behavior of some insensitive person(s) who wrote homophobic slurs and racial slogans on the campaign posters of several outstanding University of Utah students. e farmer My father was a in Oakley, Utah, and the phrase "chicken shit" was used to describe offensive and thoughtiess activities, like those of a passing motorist who with a .22 pistol at took the farm animals or the wannabe cowboys who roped the mailbox and dragged it down the lane under the cover of darkness. I now reserve the phrase for cowardly behavior that harms others like lacing a woman's drink with an illegal drug, or taking financial advantage of the elderly. It also includes the unthinking and insensitive behavior of those who write racial, sexist, religious or homophobic slurs on student campaign posters and bathroom walls, or post notices on car windshields under the cloak of anonymity. This is just plain "chicken shit." Why? Because the targets of these slurs bear psychological scars more devastating than a punch to the behavior." ed student convicted of committing a hate crime on campus would be subject to suspension from the university. As the dean champions this legislation, and in the aftermath of today's raliy, perhaps the discussion will burst wide open. A particularly important point that should come to the forefront is the understanding that hate crimes are indeed very seri- crimes across campus. While there have been only d two reported crimes on campus this year, others have occurred in the past. Besides, statistics show that many hate crimes go unreported, due to intimidation or legal misunderstanding. Also, many acts fueled by hate aren't always necessarily overt. Often, intimidation can take on the form of a gesture, a dirty look, a brief comment or whisper in a classroom. bias-motivat- ul part-tim- ous. After all, such actions don't simply make a victim of a single individual. Instead, a hate crime sends out a message whether it's conscious or notto an entire targeted group, The message conveys to all those who belong to that group that they are not welcome, that they should not feel comfortable or safe. While such a vibe obviously It's obvious that there is a has no place anywhere, it's par' problem on campus, and it has ticularly disconcerting to find it been ignored for far too long. Sc present at an institution of highit's heartening to see that ASUU er learning. and others are anxious to tackle Hopefully, as this matter h the issue. officially brought into tfce aiena Dean of Students Stayner of public dialogue cm campus, Landward's proposal for aix. this negative vibe viH sooa be amendment to the Code of Stu oa its way out. hate-oricnte- pot-sho- grounds, cultural environments and values, members of our university community may have occasional racist, sexist or homophobic thoughts. But what better place than a university campus to challenge these thoughts and feelings? Open discussion of differences in small groups, forums designed to enlighten or awaken sensitivity, and an exploration into one's own biases are all appropriate means and avenues to address bigotry. Also, learning to live with others of different cultural and religious backgrounds, or those whose sexual orientations are different, is clearly as important as the acquired skills of reading, writing and thinking. The university's commitment to free speech guarantees all members of our community the right to express their views, whether they be liberal or conservative, radical or traditional. It is expected, however, that this be done openly to allow honest discourse and a respectful exchange of views, rather than expression in a cowardly manner that sh,amefully allows slogans or to without exist notes anonymous authorship. Dante said, "All that it takes for evil to flourish is for good people to do nothing." Thus, I call on all members of the university community to engage efforts to celebrate difference and to discourage acts of bigotry. To do less is what I used to shovel from the floor of the chicken ribs. Fear and trauma are created, and the act can terrorize a whole segment of our population while the attacker sneaks away unscathed in the dark of night. Unfortunately, our campus is not alone in experiencing incidents of bigotry. According to the National Institute Against Prejudice and Violence, 250 of the nations 3,400 colleges and universities have reported serious acts of crimes this year. Swastikas, cross burnings, arson, date rape, KKK slogans and homophobic slurs tear at the heart of human decency and interrupt an otherwise-peacefcampus. Kenneth Stern, Chair of the American Jewish Committee on Human Relations, states, "The real sadness is that some of our students finish their education without learning to respect each others' differences while cherishing their own values STAYNER LANDWARD dent Rights and Responsibilities is yet another step in the right administrators will join in a rally to speak out against hate crimes. The event is part of a campus-wid- e campaign titled, "Not on Our Campus: Zero Tolerance for Crimes of Bias." Jointly conceived by The Associated Students of the University of Utah, the Women's Resource Center, and the Center for Ethnic Student Affairs, the campaign is a response to the recent spread of overt hate s ts and backgrounds." He also feels that prejudice on campus may be related to the notion that students are coming to college less prepared to accept students from different cultures and backgrounds. This thought is shared by Dr. Robert Hess, President of Brooklyn College. He states, "Universities owe their students a comfortable and safe bias-motivat- environment without the traumatic distractions of bigotry. Unfortunately, many of our students have not been taught the skills needed to live in a soci- multi-ethnic-cultu- ety." It is understandable that, with our diverse educational back ed coop. Struggles With Unfamiliar Communities Shouldn't Evolve Into Hate Flynn for naively trying to participate in both and then filing a lawsuit in when she found that she couldn't. But before we cast stones (and I might have been among the first to do so), we ought to consider how common this dilemma is. DAN MCCONKIE ASUU Elections Registar Before left Salt Lake to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-da- y Saints, I was taking care of some details at a University of Utah office when one of the employees overheard where I was going and took the liberty of informing me that it wasn't wise to miss two years of school. I was annoyed that a complete a decision that I stranger would second-gues- s had made very carefully. Being on scholarship, I knew very well the sacrifice of getting two years behind in school. The lawsuit of Christina Axson-Flyn- n has struck me as a similar situation. I can empathize with her plight. She believes strongly in a religion which is demanding and affects every aspect of her daily life. She also loves drama, which is not only a but a medium powerful form of which has historically served to question socichose to folety's moral strictures. Axson-Flyn- n low the standards of her religion rather than the standards of the artistic community. The conflict between religion and art is ages old, and we may be tempted to criticize Axson- - HATE CRIMES continued from page 7 hate. Periodically, LGSU will hang 4 rainbow flag in the union to repre- sent gay pride. The flag has been stolen five times this year. "Each time I tell them to buy a new one, U say, 'Buy them by the tens.' I don't want the thefts to deter LGSU," Landward said. . Ths most recent hate-base- val- ues and allegiances in connection with the ous groups to which we belong. Few people vote strictly along party lines, and many citizens support political parties with whose platforms they do not entirely agree (e.g. the Log Cabin Republie cans and the Southern Democrats). The movement is a famous exam-pi- e of a community internally divided. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. both wanted greater freedom and opportunities for blacks, but they had very different ideas of how to achieve those goals. Some followers of Malcolm X unfairly accused black Christians of not really supporting the movement because they ascribed to a "slave religion." The fact is that we all belong to a number of communities whose values do not always perfectly harmonize. There is disagreement in our families, friends, clubs, political parties, churches and schools. No one is necessarily expected to renounce membership in one group because it conflicts in some small way with another. Instead, we make choices and do the best we can. The Mormons on campus face this same vari- I ; of us have had to consider our own Many d civil-righ- ts dilemma. Every day I have to deal with the differences paigru Supporters covered carpus sidewalks with "Do you "agree with Jcssef written in chalk. Just outside the union, Women's Resource Center Counselor Brenda . Voisard noticed extra chalked remarks. "It read 'Do you agree with Jesse?" and thsn underneath, 'No, becsus " he's a fag.' Then by aiiofher door, 'No he's a Voissxd said. Jesse Davison, a U student who is not gay, is the figurehead of a religious campaign sponsored by the Salt Company; the Canipus Crusai3 for Christ ar:d the Cleft Votaard feels such crimes 2nd. : cock-sucke- r, Axon-Flynn- -- remarks creatf. a "hostile" feeling on campus. "Personally, because I am a lesbian, it really hits me hard," Voisard said. "It reminds me there are people who hate rne enough to write that 'in chalk on the ddewalk." Voisard feels such remarks sile nce the voice of the minority. "It's a total dismissal cf the. victim's humanity," Voisard said. , inci- dent took place last week during the religiously affiliated ""Jisst" cans- Pro-lif- civil-righ- ts between my personal religious beliefs and the ideas taught in my classes. Of course the university challenges our ideas for the money "we pay, it had better do so! Every student must establish his or her own standards of judging these ideas. This can lead to some difficult decisions (like Ms. 's decision to file a lawsuit), and the harsh judgments of others do not help. We would do better to try to understand other people than to judge them. I was saddened to learn of the recent hate messages that were found on the posters of ASUU Assembly candidate Francis X. Lilly. This graffiti ought to anger and sadden even the most conservative people on this campus, who surely realize that hate only breeds more hate and closes off the lines of constructive communication between people of different ideas. If people disagree with homosexuality, let. them say so. But if they hate homosexuals and act on that hatred in any way, they have not only forgotten those Christian principles which they ostensibly espouse, but they have tarnished the same First Amendment which allows them to preach their own messages. This morning, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the A. Ray Olpin University Union patio, there will be a special gathering called to address hate speech, that childish and un Christian behavior which embarrasses our whole campus from time to time. Here is a chance for students to unite behind a . . ' Statistical Uprising Dismissals of humanity have been on a rise the last four years. In 1997, one hate crime was reported to the UUPD. hi 1998, the number increfisrd to tliree and then climbed set of shared principles: (1) we need to respect each other as fellow human beings, (2) we need to work together in what we have in common, and (3) we can'respectfully and constructively disagree with each other. In a world of variety, our commitment to this last point may measure our commitment to the first two. How can we respectfully disagree like religion and politics? This column can help serve that purpose if we are responsible about our right to free speech, instead of resorting to and gross generalizations, barbs at people we don't even know. Often we talk about these issues, but only within the safe confines of our narrow social circles. Our friends already agree with us that's why they're our friends. It is difficult, but very productive, to leave our comfort zones to talk about these issues face to face with other people. This means broadening our social circles and making new friends. It means talking to the stranger sitting next to us before class starts. It means buying a person a soda after class and asking him to further explain what he meant in the class discussion. It may mean joining a new student group. More than anything, it means spending less time judging and condemning, and more time making new friends and trying to understand. Dan welcomes at: feedback dmcconkieasuu.utah.edu or send a letter to the editor to: letterschronicle.utah.edu. on-issu- es name-callin- g, to eight La 1999. In 2000, four hate crimes were reported. "In 2060, two of the crimes refer- enced sexual preference, three wtre notes, one was a disturbance that was racially targeted, and one was religious,' Lt. Ben Lemmon said. "In order for it to be a hate , ; . crime, it has to focus ou sexu;il preference, gender, ethnicity, or be or religiously biased." Thus far in 2001, approximately five hate crimes, not all of which were reported to police, have targeted the U community. These incidents have sparked today's rally. "We encourage any educational racc-orient- ed -- ' ; self-servi- process, Lemmon said. "We won't tolerate this kind of behavior." Lemmon said police are excited about the active student interest in unifying the campus against such injustice. KI know that it's traumatic; we take it very seriously here," he said. Lemmon also feels the recent increase in reported hate crimes stems from an increase in public awareness. But he knows many crimes still go unreported. "A lot of people may receive notes on their cars or office doors and it goes unreported, but we want to know anytime anyone is targeting any group," Lemmon said. - |
