It seems to me that rather than protesting racism, sexism, and homophobia, we should try supporting the real downtrodden people. We should protest the fact that so many people of every race get picked on, mocked and degraded by insecure bullies every day. Maybe we should stand up for the people who are menaced to the point where they find no outlet but to go on a rampage – the “monsters” of society who would kill so many innocent people at Columbine and Virginia Tech. I see a LGBT, I see a NAACP, but where’s their support group? Where’s their day of silence?

If we want to fix the problem, we should fight it where it starts. Stop the bullying. Defend the people who get hassled every day for being different, before they reach the point where they feel they must defend themselves. Promote true diversity and tolerance that allows everyone, no matter how different they may be, to feel accepted and welcome in our schools and in our society.

Marc Rutzen

freshman in FAA