Free Speech Seminar

“I had to fake an illness, just to get away from it.”, Cory Warren, Gay, Straight Alliance (G.S.A.) student coordinator, said during the Free Speech Seminar.  “I asked my teachers to help me, but they just stood by and did nothing.”

The Free Speech Seminar began at noon on April 22 in the Diversity Achievement Center and they had a panel consisting of four speakers which were G.S.A. members Newmie Wilson, Liz Davis, Cory Warren, with the last speaker being Art Bervin, a former teacher at LBCC and is a member of the Luther House Council for campus ministry.

Anyone that has been bullied throughout their life knows what Warren had to go through.  Warren, like many other people, never said anything to anyone about what these kids were saying and/or doing to him and just let it slip by, but that is the worst thing that can be done.  Throughout the seminar, Warren often said that people need to learn to speak up and defend themselves.

The Luther House, which is located a block away from the O.S.U campus, is a gay-friendly community sponsored by the Lutheran Church (ELCA). 

“The Old Testament prophets often addressed issues of right and wrong, but did not touch upon the rightness or wrongness of same-sex relationships.”, Bervin said. 


“I had to hide it.”, whispered Wilson.  “It was very difficult being bullied and having to relive it every day.  My goal for this school is I want everyone to be able to say what they want, whenever they want, and to be able to love whom they want, without it being questioned.”

Bervin often repeated that faith and identity can’t be meshed together, but then why are they?  Is it because today’s society doesn’t approve of what our generation is capable of doing?  We are supposedly a free country and can say whatever we want and do whatever we want, so why can we not marry whomever we want?  Isn’t that taking away our rights as a free citizen? 

There are millions of people in America alone that are often bullied for no reason and will then commit suicide because they can’t escape it and 20% of suicides in America are gay people.   If we stop bullying people than we ourselves will be happier, healthier people and can find other things to fill our time up with.  Don’t drive someone to kill themselves, because you will feel bad about it once you find out what happened.

“The phrase I often think back to is the one we use to always say in elementary school.  Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.  But words do hurt and we need to watch what we say around each other.”, stated Bervin.

The Free Speech Seminar was a safe place for students to go and talk about their past experiences with bullies, whether it was because they were gay, a lesbian, or there was just something about them that someone didn’t like.

At a glance:
What: Free Speech Seminar
When: April 22, 2011
Where: Diversity Achievement Center
G.S.A. advisor: Karelia Stetz-Waters 541-917-4556
For more information: Visit the D.A.C.

Jay Widmer: Beginning Ceramics Instructor

Ceramics I and  II instructor Jay Widmer poses April 18 with a one of his fully glazed vases and one of his vases that has been removed from the kiln and is ready to begin glazing.

Ceramics instructor Jay Widmer demonstrates how to properly raise the clay and how to smooth out the clay to create a vase at the LBCC Benton Center on April 18.

Jay Widmer, ceramics instructor, sells most of the pots that he throws. Those who would like to see what he has or if they would like to buy some of them, can stop by his office at the LBCC Benton Center, room BC 140.

SILENCE!

Photo courtesy of www.dayofsilence.com

Have you ever been called a fat ass or queer?  What about a homo? 

Millions of people everyday are made fun of for being too fat, too gay, too ugly, etc and every day millions of people never step up for the people that are being bullied.

The National Day of Silence is a way to promote harassment awareness.   It is a way to provide opportunity about what millions of people have to suffer through each and everyday because they are silenced by harassment and to quote Martin Luther King Jr, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

“We’re not here saying, ‘we’re here, we’re queer, we’re not going anywhere…get use to it'.”, smiled Cory Warren, GSA (Gay, Straight Alliance) student coordinator.  “We just want the campus community to know that we’re here to help you and that we have answers and all we’re doing is trying to create a positive experience.”

Harassment begins at an early age and the percentage of teen suicides keeps going up.  The teenagers that have committed, or tried to commit, suicide were bullied even if they weren’t gay.  Statistics show that harassment begins in elementary school and usually starts with a phrase such as “that’s so gay.”  People need to remember to keep in mind that harassment doesn’t just hurt the people being bullied, but the people that surround them as well.

Photo courtesy of www.flickr.com

On Friday, April 22, originally on Friday, April 15, GSA  club is promoting the National Day of Silence and will be selling red humanity wristbands for $2 each on Wednesday, April 20 and Thursday, April 21 and have a limited supply.  There will also be signs and banners up in the courtyard promoting students to get involved and they will also have a pride panel hosted by a LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi, transgender) community and will be talking about their experiences.   The GSA just wants the LBCC campus to unite and to be here for the rights of all the students.  This is also the first time in three years that LBCC has been involved in the National Day of Silence.

“Having people wear the wristbands is a more subtle way for people on the fence about the issue, to be able to voice their opinion in a more broad way.” said Warren.

“We’re just reminding people what others have been through and to remind them to be good citizens in their community.” said Karelia Stetz-Waters, GSA advisor.

If people want to support this cause than they can do so by wearing the wristbands, wearing a red shirt, or by wearing a white shirt.  A red shirt means that you are going to fully participate and not talk at all throughout the day.  A white shirt means that you fully support this cause, but are able to speak.  

Photo courtesy of www.dayofsilence.org

At a Glance:

What: The National Day of Silence
Why: To bring awareness for bulling of nay kind to any body
Advisors: Greg Mulder and Karelia Stetz-Waters
Meeting place: Diversity Achievement Center  (D.A.C)
More info: The GSA Club

What is the Black Curtain Society?

Annnnnnd...ACTION!

For the first time in about a year and a half, LBCC has a drama club again. Performing arts teacher Dan Stone has taken the place of Brian Newberg as the drama club advisor.

"The 'Black Curtain Society (formerly known as Theater Club) is in its infant stage," said Stone.  "We have around 15-20 members and we're trying to get the drama club back on track."

For the most part, Stone is focusing on doing improv and will be doing an improv traveling play that is produced during the summer. Right now the club is focused on raising money for the drama department.

Sean Brown was a film major and first started a film club and later, along with several other students, went to Newberg and asked if he would be their club advisor. When Brown was in the club there were around 8-12 active members.

Newberg, former drama club advisor and former performing arts instructor, was was asked in 2007 and would remain the advisor until 2009. During each of those years he would direct three plays and during the winter term he directed a children's story play to help raise money.

"I really think it's important to have a place where students can be open and social," Newberg said.  " Drama is a place where you can grow and be social."

When Newberg left (he eventually moved on to teach at Kent State University), some of the students kept drama club open and one of those students was Brown, one of the core students who created the drama club.

Newberg often told his students that they aren't just putting on a show, but learning as well. He was always there for his students and supported them throughout their decisions with the club. He made sure that there was a place for them to work in the theater and made sure it was open for them to use whenever they wanted, whether it was to act out or to just eat lunch and chill with their friends in a friendly environment.

Stone is also trying to create the same atmosphere.

Russell Tripp Performance Center.
Photo courtesy of LBCC .

"You guys are the future. All of the student government leaders, the journalists, and the theater crowd will be running the country one day. You guys keep us informed of what is happening in the world." Newberg said with a laugh. "The student government leaders create it. The journalists write about it and the theater crowd acts it out. I don't even want to think what would happen if we didn't have you guys around!"

Anyone that is interested, or wants to see what the drama club is about, can join. They often meet in the theater and hold weekly and/or bi-weekly meetings.

For more information contact Dan Stone, 541-917-4566.

At a glance:

What: The Black Curtain Society
 Advisor:  Dan Stone
Where: The Russell Trip Performance Center
Contact: Dan Stone, 541-917-4566
For more info: Facebook fan page