School officials work
to stem series
of anti-gay incidents
Southern Oregon
University will provide diversity training
after reports of five
incidents in four weeks
BETH QUINN,
OregonLive.com from the Web, May 28, 2005
ASHLAND -- After someone
distributed threatening fliers aimed at gays and lesbians, Southern Oregon
University officials said Friday that they'll provide diversity training, speed
up plans to improve the campus climate and make sure university advertisements
explicitly demand respect for all communities.
Ashland police are investigating five incidents since April 30, including a gay
student who said a group of male students called him names and spit on him.
The others involved distribution of a total of 10 to 20 fliers around campus
since May 9 that contain threatening language about homosexuals.
Two of the fliers include a woman's name and are being investigated as possible
hate crimes because the woman appears to have been singled out for her sexual
orientation, said police Master Sgt. Teresa Selby. The other incidents are
being investigated as intimidation or harassment.
"There are some in our community who are experiencing great fear right now and
great hurt right now," said Southern Oregon President Elizabeth Zinser.
"This university does not tolerate anything that even resembles hate."
Zinser was the first of 15 speakers at a news conference at the 5,000-student
campus to denounce the acts. Other speakers included members of city
government, local state legislators and university staff, faculty and students.
Eric Rodriguez, university security director, said his office would supply
escorts to fearful students and assign additional foot patrols to monitor
locations where the fliers were found.
Most of the fliers were left near the Queer Resource Center at the student union
and contained lyrics from rap songs, police said. "The Bible says that
homosexual offenders should be put to death," one flier read.
Hate crimes are rare in Ashland, Selby said. Five years ago, Jackson
County prosecutors declined to press charges against a Southern Oregon student
accused of assaulting three gay men because of their sexual orientation, saying
the alleged crime was simply a barroom brawl.
Beth Quinn: 541-474-5926;
bquinn@terragon.com
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