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Editorial  |
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Letter to the Editor:
Campus demonstrates that it is not as open-minded as it might think
Instructor of speech communication/Director of forensics
Dear Editor,
The votes are in. The 2009 ASG election is over. Congratulations to Bradley Best
and John King on their victory.
However, while I should be celebrating the election of new leadership who will carry on the great work that is done by the Associated Students of Mt. Hood Community College, I find myself with a deep sense of sadness and disappointment.
This election was not our brightest, shining moment . . . for it was tarnished with intolerance and discrimination.
This is the first time in many years that I have witnessed with my own eyes, overheard with my own ears, and had relayed to me by other students, outright acts of intolerance toward students candidates — in this case, the ticket of Danielle Pannell and Rae Peres.
I thought in 2009 that a woman’s sexuality need not be associated with her ability to lead. Yet, I overheard conversations that included phrases such as “. . . they would not vote for those LESBIANS.” That’s right, I said the “L” word. When I stopped and asked the individual who uttered this sentence why their sexuality mattered, they had no response for me. Unfortunately, this was not the only time I heard these strong, independent women have the “L” word tossed about in reference to them.
My heart ached every time I had a student approach me asking me if it was true that Mrs. Pannell and Mrs. Nichelle-Peres were lesbians or relayed stories of individuals telling anyone who would listen to not vote for the “lesbians.” Again, I am left with “Who cares if they were straight or gay?” (The fact is, they are bothhappily married – Danielle to her husband Kevin and Rae to her wife Heather.)
Since a candidate’s sexuality was such a lightning rod of conversation - instead of the issues that truly impact the majority of students at MHCC (rising tuition rates, book prices skyrocketing, a need for more state support for community colleges, etc.) – I am left with one question: Do our students feel safe at MHCC? Have all the efforts to encourage diversity and tolerance inside and outside our classrooms been in vain?
I think it’s time for the staff, students, administrators and faculty at Mt. Hood Community College to take a moment and reflect on the past few weeks. I am calling it out – and it is my hope that others will join me and re-commit to making diversity more than just a word or a week that we celebrate once a year – and make it part of everything we do here. We can have NO COMMUNITY in Mt. Hood Community College if ANYONE doesn’t feel safe.