The Marcolian Online

Feb. 15, 2007

Diversity disrespected on campus
Kayla Reiland
klr001@marietta.edu

February 8, you may have been walking through Gilman like any other day--but something was different. That difference was an impromptu demonstration that took place in the Gilman stairwell. The message to convey? Hate exists on this campus and should not be tolerated. It does not matter whether the hate exists because of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. Charles Sumner Harrison and the Rainbow Alliance are just two organizations that work to emphasize diversity on this campus. Both organizations have had problems with disrespectful and ignorant students destroying advertisements this semester.

Charles Sumner Harrison has brought great events to this school, especially during Black Awareness Month. Martin Luther King Jr. made an enormous impact during the Civil Rights Movement. That impact is still being felt today. And yet members of the group found posters where MLK Jr’s face had been torn. This is the 21st Century. Things like that should not be happening.

Rainbow Alliance has also worked very hard this semester to bring in the “Let’s Talk About It” speaker series, which is designed to inform people about various topics that specifically relate to various gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues, including family, healthy relationships, gender identity, politics and rights, and religion.

Within 9 hours of advertisements going up Wednesday for the event that would take place the following day, more than 30 posters were completely destroyed and crumpled and left as a mess in areas such as Gilman. These posters showed pictures of a mother and her baby or a father and his son. They asked, “Would you still love him if you knew he is gay?” Other posters simply spoke of having respect for families, and still others revealed personal family stories. They were in no way presented in an inappropriate manner. There was no public display of affection between same-sex individuals. The messages were about love, family, and respect.

Rainbow Alliance had expected to have a few posters torn down, and they tried to prepare for that with “stunner messages.” Stunner messages are designed to stun those people who choose to rip down the posters. Stunner messages were placed beneath the advertisements so that if they were ripped down, those individuals who had ripped them down would immediately see messages that included: “You have just committed an act of HATE” (which the individual had done by ripping the posters off the wall); “Hate is Easy, Love Takes Courage”; and finally another that mentioned that a poster used to exist in that spot and challenged stereotypes and supported youth empowerment, but someone ripped it down. It then asked, “What are you doing to STOP THE HATE??” If you saw these stunner posters in various locations (including right outside of the Gilman doors) it is because someone had previously ripped down the poster on top of it and had left that one behind.

Disappointed in the hate shown by some students here on campus, a few individuals took it upon themselves to reveal to the campus that “[they] would/will not be silenced.” The fact is: they should not have to be. As a result of not wanting to back down to those individuals who were bullying the group, a few students decided to “recycle” all of the ripped, torn, and crumpled advertisements. They placed them back on the wall inside the Gilman stairwell and took it a step further. The stunner posters that had been behind the original advertisements were placed up along with the ruined posters and signs that asked you what you were doing to stop the hate. It was explained that the event was not staged but was impromptu based on the hate that had been revealed on this campus the day prior. It is sad to reveal that even parts of the demonstration had been ripped down-- but it only proved a point: that ignorance and disrespect for diversity need to be addressed here on campus.

The demonstration was in no way to suggest that all or most members of this campus are haters or commit acts of hate. It is understood that it is a single few rather than the campus as a whole that ruins the environment for all. As students who should be proud to go to Marietta College, however, we all need to buy into our Nine Core Values, one of which includes an appreciation for diversity. While not everyone needs to agree on various forms of diversity, everyone should still be expected to show respect for diversity. We need to hold our peers and our friends accountable for their words and actions. If we see someone doing something we do not agree with, then we need to speak up rather than be silent. We have the power.


• Campus News • Viewpoints • Sports • Arts & Living • Greek wrap-up • Ask Marc • Spotlight • New faces at MC • Meet our staff • Staff profiles • Letters to the editor policy • History of the newspaper • Benefits of advertising • Ad rates		Feb. 15, 2007 Diversity disrespected on campus Kayla Reiland klr001@marietta.edu February 8, you may have been walking through Gilman like any other day--but something was different. That difference was an impromptu demonstration that took place in the Gilman stairwell. The message to convey? Hate exists on this campus and should not be tolerated. It does not matter whether the hate exists because of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. Charles Sumner Harrison and the Rainbow Alliance are just two organizations that work to emphasize diversity on this campus. Both organizations have had problems with disrespectful and ignorant students destroying advertisements this semester. Charles Sumner Harrison has brought great events to this school, especially during Black Awareness Month. Martin Luther King Jr. made an enormous impact during the Civil Rights Movement. That impact is still being felt today. And yet members of the group found posters where MLK Jr’s face had been torn. This is the 21st Century. Things like that should not be happening. Rainbow Alliance has also worked very hard this semester to bring in the “Let’s Talk About It” speaker series, which is designed to inform people about various topics that specifically relate to various gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues, including family, healthy relationships, gender identity, politics and rights, and religion. Within 9 hours of advertisements going up Wednesday for the event that would take place the following day, more than 30 posters were completely destroyed and crumpled and left as a mess in areas such as Gilman. These posters showed pictures of a mother and her baby or a father and his son. They asked, “Would you still love him if you knew he is gay?” Other posters simply spoke of having respect for families, and still others revealed personal family stories. They were in no way presented in an inappropriate manner. There was no public display of affection between same-sex individuals. The messages were about love, family, and respect. Rainbow Alliance had expected to have a few posters torn down, and they tried to prepare for that with “stunner messages.” Stunner messages are designed to stun those people who choose to rip down the posters. Stunner messages were placed beneath the advertisements so that if they were ripped down, those individuals who had ripped them down would immediately see messages that included: “You have just committed an act of HATE” (which the individual had done by ripping the posters off the wall); “Hate is Easy, Love Takes Courage”; and finally another that mentioned that a poster used to exist in that spot and challenged stereotypes and supported youth empowerment, but someone ripped it down. It then asked, “What are you doing to STOP THE HATE??” If you saw these stunner posters in various locations (including right outside of the Gilman doors) it is because someone had previously ripped down the poster on top of it and had left that one behind. Disappointed in the hate shown by some students here on campus, a few individuals took it upon themselves to reveal to the campus that “[they] would/will not be silenced.” The fact is: they should not have to be. As a result of not wanting to back down to those individuals who were bullying the group, a few students decided to “recycle” all of the ripped, torn, and crumpled advertisements. They placed them back on the wall inside the Gilman stairwell and took it a step further. The stunner posters that had been behind the original advertisements were placed up along with the ruined posters and signs that asked you what you were doing to stop the hate. It was explained that the event was not staged but was impromptu based on the hate that had been revealed on this campus the day prior. It is sad to reveal that even parts of the demonstration had been ripped down-- but it only proved a point: that ignorance and disrespect for diversity need to be addressed here on campus. The demonstration was in no way to suggest that all or most members of this campus are haters or commit acts of hate. It is understood that it is a single few rather than the campus as a whole that ruins the environment for all. As students who should be proud to go to Marietta College, however, we all need to buy into our Nine Core Values, one of which includes an appreciation for diversity. While not everyone needs to agree on various forms of diversity, everyone should still be expected to show respect for diversity. We need to hold our peers and our friends accountable for their words and actions. If we see someone doing something we do not agree with, then we need to speak up rather than be silent. We have the power.
Mailing address: Marietta College Box A-20, Marietta, Ohio 45750-4000 Physical address: McKinney Media Center, 508 Putnam St, Marietta, Ohio Phone: (740) 376-4555 E-mail: marc@marietta.edu