One Voice

IUP has been consumed over the past several weeks by accusations of bigotry, intolerance, and outright hate. Obviously, to most of us, the idea that IUP is like that seems laughable; however, for those who live it, these things can be very real. My initial feeling was to write about the things that the faculty, staff, administration, and student leadership could and will do to try and restore IUP's status as a safe place for all, no matter who they are, but then I realized it wasn't really what was important.

What is important is that, at the end of the day, we are all here for the same reason: to be educated. Anything that interferes with that is, and should be, unwelcome on this campus. However, this begins with individuals, not organizations. Nobody can come down from on high and require acceptance, no matter how much we might like it to be so easy. Nobody can change minds, or hearts, or opinions without first being allowed to do so. Instead what we must do is step out and step up. Embrace the differences, empower our classmates, peers and friends, and, most importantly, call out those who would challenge that.

We cannot legislate, but we can clean out our own corner of the world. Part of that is knowing your rights, part of that is being unafraid to challenge those who will not be open, part of that is to understand that standing together, we are far stronger than when we stand apart. It is never easy, but in reality a challenge to one group's security is a challenge to all of our security. Whether you be GLBTQ, Jewish, Christian, black, white, Asian, or any one of the hundreds or thousands of other categories that people try and stuff you into as a convenience, remember two things. First, you are a human being just as much as they are, and second, you are at IUP to get an education, and nothing should stand in the way of that, especially somebody else who is here for that same reason.

So, what's the point? Most of my friends will probably read this and wonder who wrote it, because I'm not generally a believer in trusting in the goodness of man, but on this I have no other choice. Student Government is working to make IUP a safer and better place, the administration is working to make IUP a safer and better place, hundreds of others are working to that same goal, individually or collectively, and with some effect. What is missing though, is the recognition of that fact, and the realization that in order to achieve change it must start with you. Yes. You.

So speak up, speak out and remember as President Obama once said: "One voice can change a room. And if a voice can change a room, it can change a city. And if it can change a city, it can change a state. And if it can change a state, it can change a nation. And if it can change a nation, it can change the world." But that's what it takes. One voice, respectfully, insistently, and incessantly.

Zack Stayman (senior, political science/pre-law) is president of the Student Government Association.