Bigotry and hate groups that intrude on our own college campuses are recognized and perceived in a negative light because of the hateful messages and ideologies that are targeted at segregating us from each other. Often time these groups enter college communities with the idea that they are going to “help” us by trying to have us accept their intolerant ideas. College students are often young and often thought of as impressionable and this is why college campuses can be the perfect place for a hate group to set up shop. Nationwide, however, students fight back against intolerance. Counter protests, diversity celebrations, gay pride weeks, and social action projects, are just some of the tools students are using to fight back against bigotry. Acceptance has become an important part of this younger generation’s culture, more so than ever before. Brother Michah is an example of what our group would define as a “bigot”. Brother Micha travels all over the east coast attending college campuses telling students why they are hell bound. Within his speeches he says harmful, prejudicial, and sexist things such as: “women have two places: In front of the sink and behind the vacuum.” (1) These ideas are not generally accepted by the students and are normally fought back with signs and counter protests that share ideas of respect for women, homosexuals, and all people in general. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community is prominent among most universities throughout the United States and many high schools as well, however, according to the 2009 national school climate survey, nearly 9 out of 10 LGBTQ students experienced harassment in school within the year. (2) The harassment that the students are facing is a direct form of bigotry against homosexuals and in many circumstances is not being tolerated. Among many anti-homosexual hate groups, the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) is perhaps one of the most well known for their extreme anti-homosexuality stance. In fact, the WBC made a visit to Mason’s campus in 2009 during Mason’s gay pride week and picketed with their hateful messages. Many students organized through facebook and actually counter protested the group to drown out their messages of hate. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) there are 29 hate groups within the state of Virginia, many of which are located in our own local communities in Northern Virginia and can have a direct impact on local college campuses such as Mason. (3) The SPLC monitors and tracks these groups and many of them are white supremacists with extreme views that do have a history of violence. The SPLC exists to help victims of these hate groups through giving them justice through litigation and “other forms of advocacy.” (3) Through some of these examples and tactics, it is easy to see that standing up as a community and denouncing the message that hate groups portray through counter protests and community building is the best way to eliminate hate from our society.
Bigotry and hate groups that intrude on our own college campuses are recognized and perceived in a negative light because of the hateful messages and ideologies that are targeted at segregating us from each other. Often time these groups enter college communities with the idea that they are going to “help” us by trying to have us accept their intolerant ideas. College students are often young and often thought of as impressionable and this is why college campuses can be the perfect place for a hate group to set up shop. Nationwide, however, students fight back against intolerance. Counter protests, diversity celebrations, gay pride weeks, and social action projects, are just some of the tools students are using to fight back against bigotry. Acceptance has become an important part of this younger generation’s culture, more so than ever before.
ReplyDeleteBrother Michah is an example of what our group would define as a “bigot”. Brother Micha travels all over the east coast attending college campuses telling students why they are hell bound. Within his speeches he says harmful, prejudicial, and sexist things such as: “women have two places: In front of the sink and behind the vacuum.” (1) These ideas are not generally accepted by the students and are normally fought back with signs and counter protests that share ideas of respect for women, homosexuals, and all people in general.
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community is prominent among most universities throughout the United States and many high schools as well, however, according to the 2009 national school climate survey, nearly 9 out of 10 LGBTQ students experienced harassment in school within the year. (2) The harassment that the students are facing is a direct form of bigotry against homosexuals and in many circumstances is not being tolerated. Among many anti-homosexual hate groups, the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) is perhaps one of the most well known for their extreme anti-homosexuality stance. In fact, the WBC made a visit to Mason’s campus in 2009 during Mason’s gay pride week and picketed with their hateful messages. Many students organized through facebook and actually counter protested the group to drown out their messages of hate.
According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) there are 29 hate groups within the state of Virginia, many of which are located in our own local communities in Northern Virginia and can have a direct impact on local college campuses such as Mason. (3) The SPLC monitors and tracks these groups and many of them are white supremacists with extreme views that do have a history of violence. The SPLC exists to help victims of these hate groups through giving them justice through litigation and “other forms of advocacy.” (3) Through some of these examples and tactics, it is easy to see that standing up as a community and denouncing the message that hate groups portray through counter protests and community building is the best way to eliminate hate from our society.