Miami Student

Issue date: 3/23/07 Section: Campus

Students, faculty and community members participate during the anti-hate demonstration Thursday evening in Uptown park.

A group of about 30 people - students, staff and community members alike - wearing "silence is acceptance, speak loudly" pins and carrying candles, looked slightly out of place gathered against the background of Brick Street Bar and the rest of uptown Thursday night.

The crowd was participating in one of the last events of A.W.E.S.O.M.E. week, a Stop the Hate Rally.

A.W.E.S.O.M.E week (A Week for Every Student to Open their Minds and Eyes), put on by the diversity affairs council (DAC) of Associated Student Government (ASG), included many different activities during the week aimed at increasing acceptance on campus.

"This year we were lucky enough to incorporate (the rally) into the larger initiative, A.W.E.S.O.M.E week, which is a week intended to raise awareness about diversity issues," said Whittney Barth, who is a co-president of Interfaith Circle, which is a Miami University student organization created to foster tolerance for various religions and faiths.

The rally began at 7 p.m. Thursday at Uptown Park. Rachel Stern, co-president of Interfaith Circle, opened with welcoming remarks explaining that the rally was being held to promote religious tolerance, as a peaceful demonstration of peace and respect, and lastly as a "small step in the right direction" for the climate of culture at Miami.

Barth and Stern paired up with Lights on Campus, MU Hillel, and Faith Lutheran Church and sent out e-mails to religious organizations in hopes of getting them to participate in the rally.

"We (didn't) want to exclude anyone, we (wanted) people to come, everyone (was) welcome … the Miami community and the community at large has been supportive and it's really exciting," Barth said.

First-year Laura Heins who was participating in the rally said she was attending for simple reasons.

"I consider myself anti-hate, any opportunity to oppose oppression is what I'm after," Heins said.

The marchers walked through the Phi Delta gates, down the Slant Walk, across Spring Street to the Tri Delta sundial, then to the Shriver Center reflecting pool and ended at the Hub.

Along the way the group made five stops for five different readings. The people who spoke were Aaron Friedberg, Whittney Barth, Brian Urell, Lisa Armour and Angie Chan. Reverend Logan Dysart of the Faith Lutheran Church and Campus Ministry gave a closing prayer.

Continued...

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