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| CASEY SUGLIA |
It doesn't seem like something that could happen in Boone.
On Saturday, Feb. 11, Sarabeth Nordstrom and junior exercise science major Erin Johnston were attacked verbally and physically and sent to the hospital. Both believe the incident occurred on the basis of their perceived sexual orientation.
"It's almost crazy, because it's like - is there any other aspect to the story?" Johnston told The Appalachian Feb. 14. "Like, what provoked him? But there's not, so it's really hard for me and Sarabeth to wrap our heads around."
It shouldn't have happened in Boone. Or anywhere.
In the wake of this incident, the Appalachian community must band together and practice acceptance.
There is no excuse for hate left in this world. There is no excuse for hate to exist at Appalachian. We are a community, one made great by the diversity you can see while walking to class, in Central, in the student union or on King Street. There's no reason anyone should feel threatened or rattled or unsafe here.
Many have started to apply the term "hate crime" to the incident. Johnston and Nordstrom have started a petition to amend N.C. hate crime law and plan to speak on the issue March 2 in Plemmons Student Union's Grandfather Ballroom.
Whether it was truly a hate crime or not, the words uttered from the perpetrator's mouth were inexcusable. What followed was a disgrace.
We have to learn to coexist with one another and respect the decisions of others. You don't have to like people. You don't have to get along. You don't have to agree. But you do have to learn to coexist peacefully and respect decisions that aren't yours to make.
The choices Nordstrom, Johnston and anyone else make have absolutely no effect on you. So why so much hate? Why punish someone for a decision they've made for themselves? Why draw unhappiness from the choices of others, which have no material impact on your life?
It is unacceptable that to this day, we can't accept people for what and who they are. It's time to take a good look at ourselves and consider the damage we're doing to each other and to ourselves when we refuse to accept other people.
It's time to stop talking about respect and toleration and put those concepts into action. It's time to show real, lasting tolerance for the diverse viewpoints and backgrounds on our campus.
It's time to do away with hate and learn, instead, to embrace and accept.
Suglia, a freshman journalism major from Pinehurst, is an opinion columnist. |
