a Little Light

This past week has been a difficult one for members of the WSU community and it’s not simply because of the slaughter we call a “game” played against USC. This week our town was the setting of three separate – though presumably related – hate crimes.

Hate crimes are the most frustrating and disappointing of the possible offences to commit in the wide spectrum of crimes, because there is no motive or gain for the aggressor.

There is no reward for the violent act committed toward the victim. No money or possession to gain, no economic or personal benefit, save for a possible sick and twisted satisfaction I could not possibly begin to understand.

In the same regard, there is no motive for hate crimes. Very rarely should violence be the solution for any situation. If violence is the answer for your circumstances, then I don’t want to know the problem. But the victims in hate crimes did not partake in any action which would justify violence. It’s disturbing to know that there are individuals capable of aggression onto other groups when the targets have done nothing to deserve such treatment.

And although you may not personally indentify with the group targeted by the criminals, imagine if you were violated for being Hispanic, a women, a democrat, from California or even for liking the color red. That’s how ridiculous targeting a nonthreatening demographic is.

If members of the GLBTQ are being violently targeted and the criminals evade prosecution unscathed, it won’t be long before our relatively safe and tranquil town becomes uneasy as various other communities and demographics anticipate hate crimes levied onto them.

We now have an opportunity to come together as Cougs for more than supporting athletics, going green or getting fit. You and I have the chance to prevent further hate crime tragedies from happening in the community we value and treasure by coming together and taking action.

Encourage your friends and peers to utilize resources available to them as a better alternative to traveling alone. The WSU police and Cougar Security Program were created and funded for your safety. In times like these, accepting assistance from these programs may be one of the wiser decisions possible.

In addition, you and I are key surveillance cogs for our law enforcement groups on campus. By reporting any suspicious or violent activity, you won’t be labeled a snitch, and you may actually help save a life from being disastrously scarred. It takes courage, but your small inconvenience may be the difference in recreating a safe campus for everyone involved.

We have come a long way as a society. It wasn’t that long ago when we began treating women with equality and respect, something many of us take for granted today. More recently, we have become accepting and encouraging to individuals of various ethnicities. Even to the point where we’re on the verge of electing a president of African-American decent.

The next frontier for us will be the acceptance of members in our community whom identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. Regardless of your ethical or moral values, we must appreciate and accept every individual for who they are. Judging and condemnation of others should be reserved for those who are perfect and blameless. And since none of us are, let us respect and recognize one another.

At the core, we are all the same. We are all people entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. So let us practice what we preach and follow the golden rule of treating others the way you want to be treated.