Outspoken.Last semester se·mes·ter n. One of two divisions of 15 to 18 weeks each of an academic year. [German, from Latin (cursus) s at Stetson University Stetson University is a private, co-educational, liberal arts university that consistently earns high rankings in national college guides. In the 2007 U.S. News and World Report guide, Stetson ranks 2nd (tied with Elon) in the category of Southern Masters-granting institutions.. in Florida a conservative campus magazine called Common Sense featured a picture on its back cover of a rainbow flag rainbow flag rainbow n → Regenbogenfahne f or -flagge f with a question mark superimposed su·per·im·pose tr.v. su·per·im·posed, su·per·im·pos·ing, su·per·im·pos·es 1. To lay or place (something) on or over something else. 2. on it. To my surprise, it was a digitally altered photo of my dorm room window, which has a pride flag hanging in it. When later confronted, the magazine staff said they wanted to "start a discussion," and they certainly got what they were asking for. The photo sparked a campuswide controversy, which resulted in an investigation by administrators. Questions were raised about whether the magazine had violated vi·o·late tr.v. vi·o·lat·ed, vi·o·lat·ing, vi·o·lates 1. To break or disregard (a law or promise, for example). 2. To assault (a person) sexually. 3. any school policies. Shelley Wilson, director of the Cross Cultural Center at Stetson, wrote a scathing letter to the magazine's advertisers, attacking them on the grounds that their funds were being used to support a magazine that attacks diversity. Others on campus, gay and straight, were angry and demanded an apology. They didn't get one. Many conversations were had on whether the back cover image was a use of free expression or an attack on what my flag represented. I pointed out that as gay people we must be careful when we talk of silencing anyone. We celebrate the Day of Silence to remember how our community was silenced for speaking our minds and harming the status quo [Latin, The existing state of things at any given date.] Status quo ante bellum means the state of things before the war. The status quo to be preserved by a preliminary injunction is the last actual, peaceable, uncontested status which preceded the pending controversy. . We should beware that we in turn could become the silencers and destroy the freedoms of others. As the chaos that surrounded the magazine photo begins to settle, I don't see any drastic changes at Stetson. The school continues to vow support of diversity and is still investigating the matter--as far as I know. My flag is still waving from Stetson Hall, and Common Sense is expected to publish more issues. But the matter has created a fulcrum fulcrum: see lever. with which gay students can pursue recognition of who they are. It's not the topics being discussed as much as the fact that the conversations are taking place. From the scenic quad in the middle of campus to the classrooms in Davis Hall, students are actually talking about gay issues. Wasser is 21 and lives in DeLand, Fla. |
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