DINA MOSKOWITZ

Students rallied outside the Campus Center during lunch on Monday to promote the safety of minority groups on campus.

By Sudhin Thanawala
News Editor

About 60 students braced the fierce wind Monday afternoon to hear Dean of the College Freddye Hill, University Protestant Chaplain Gary Comstock, coordinator of Queer Alliance (QA) Michael Polson ’01, and Winsor Schmidt ’01, community service chair for the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity (DKE), speak about homophobia, sexism and racism on campus.

The speak-out sprung from an incident last Tuesday in which members of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity (DKE) allegedly chanted "We hate faggots" in the Butterfield courtyard during their initiation event.

One of the students who made the allegations, who wished to remain anonymous, said she will file charges against DKE with the Student Judicial Board. All of the DKE brothers will be defendants in the case.

She said the other student who accused the DKE brothers will serve as a witness.

Queer Alliance (QA) organized the speak out in the wake of last week’s alleged incident.

"We kind of wanted to use the alleged incident as a springboard to show that [homophobia] is present, whoever was responsible," said Marc Mayer ’02, one of the organizers of the event.

Students wandered by the podium in front of the campus center Monday afternoon until Hill began speaking.

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"What worries me right now is that I have seen over the last couple of weekends [things] that have led me to question whether or not our community really believes in respect," Hill said in her brief speech.

She called on students to continue discussing what it means to live in a community "where we all feel valued and safe."

Schmidt, who spoke after Hill, said he did not want to discuss the alleged incident.

"Condemning and punishing individuals who exhibit racist, sexist, or homophobic behavior, while appropriate and necessary, are only smaller pieces of a much larger issue," he said. "We must put aside our animosities and prejudices, however warranted, and work together for a community of true tolerance."

Schmidt later said in a telephone interview that he did not wish to discuss the allegations because he did not think that was the purpose of the speak-out.

The speak-out, he said, was meant to address homophobia, racism, and sexism.

He said he also refrained from discussing the allegations out of respect for the girl who made them. He said many campus groups forget the emotional suffering she has endured.

"At the same time, [the alleged incident] is what I think a lot of people came to hear [about], unfortunately," he said.

Schmidt said he was "surprised" that Polson focused on the incident in his speech.

Polson said last week’s alleged incident was the reason the speak-out occurred, so he had to refer to it.

"I don’t think I was placing blame anywhere," Polson said. "The incident itself has highlighted a number of issues... which I think pretty much came out in my speech."

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For example, he said while Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgendered Awareness workshops remain optional, multicultural workshops are mandatory.

"I wanted people to know where I’ve been and what I have to show for it, what I can highlight for the campus about larger issues that are going on," Polson added in a later telephone interview.

But many students who attended the event said they felt it was directed against DKE.

Shuang Wang ’01 said the emails announcing the speak-out and some of what was said before the speeches had anti-DKE tones.

"I think you should deal with the issues and individuals who perpetrate these crime more that just condemning an organization," Wang said.

Mayer said he was, in fact, trying to show DKE that it could change its reputation.

Henry Choi ’01 said he was disappointed that DKE did not defend itself at the speak out.

"DKE has just not clearly responded to the allegations against them, which Monday was a perfect opportunity to do," he said.

Comstock spoke about his experience as a homosexual for the last thirty years.

Comstock said it was important for all campus groups to unite to combat homophobia and racial and sexual bigotry.

Like Dean Hill, he stressed the need for a continuing forum about these problems so that a true community is created at Wesleyan to fight them.

"I’m glad that we had [the speak out] in order to start a dialogue, and I think it’s the footwork for some more activism on campus," Mayer said.

He added that he was disappointed that other campus groups did not extend the speak-out to issues beyond homophobia.

Mayer said Asian Pacific American Alliance (APAA), UJAMAA, the Black and Latino Brotherhood and Students Against Racism (SAR) were a few of the groups that sent representatives to the event.

No one from these groups, however, gave a speech. The entire event lasted from 12:00 to 12:30 p.m.