The best awareness is given on a daily basis

Dear editor:

Last week was Coming Out Week, this week is Ability Unlimited’s disAbility Awareness Week. Just how unaware do some people think everyone is? If you’re gay, you’re aware of it. If your friend is gay, you’re usually aware of it. It’s great to have a week for coming out and feeling safe, but there are 51 other weeks of the year in which a homosexual or any other non-heterosexual type of person is made to feel afraid. Does anyone think that those people aren’t aware that they’re gay? I love that PRIDE and QLF help individuals not to feel isolated and alone, but if your goal isn’t going to the club or fighting injustice/for equality, is anyone aware of them?

For the disabled, one is always aware that he/she is different. My wheelchair-bound friends are dumbfounded at the fact that anyone is amazed at the mundane things they do, especially my friend with cerebral palsy who just became a grad student (proud of you “Hot Wheels!”). It’s OK to respect people with disabilities like you would anybody else, but to make a big deal out of their problem just to make you feel like you’re doing something is ridiculous. And it’s no easier for a person who doesn’t have a physical disability. Individuals with mental disorders of any type have to live with hidden shame every day of their lives, but to spread awareness about it would only make life even harder, because so few people even want to understand those with mental disorders, in spite of most people having one in some form or other.

Truthfully, we have to become a society that is aware that there is nothing in this world that makes anyone not as good as the next.

I’m proud to live on a campus that tries to accept people of all types, but there’s a certain point where you have to wonder if it isn’t done just to avoid being sued, or having another pointless protest that could erupt if the wrong group of conservative Christians shows up, let alone that ranter with the cowboy pistol.

Just how much more aware do people have to be made? And is it really so effective by making it only a week?

The best awareness is given on a daily basis, not to the effect of people needing to explain what sexuality they are or what disability they have, but to the point where there’s no need to ask, because it doesn’t matter. For some, it is minimalized along with their opinion of the person in question; this is a cop out, and a weak one at that. And it’s cheap to just forget about the person, or to let some facet of them define who they are on the whole. Denial, distraction and degradation of/from one’s sexuality or a disability is bull crap.

Karl Hopkins-Lutz

Senior German Major

Interior design majors upset at Stater coverage

Dear editor:

We are senior interior design majors who helped with the set-up for the Beaux Arts Ball that took place on Friday. After reading the front page article Monday, I was extremely upset that nothing was mentioned about what Architecture and Interior Design did for the Ball. The event is not just about the fashion show but about all design majors exhibiting their talents and creativity. To go along with the culture shock theme, Architecture and ID developed their ideas around the concept of sustainability and reusing everything we could find to create what was at the event. The installation art that was on display took weeks to design and construct and they were quite impressive. The largest of the installations was constructed simply of string and carpet tubes, a feat in itself that it could stand alone. There was a large bottle and light display in the hall made entirely of bottles found on campus within just a few days. Recycled cans and newspapers were used on the tables as tablecloths and centerpieces. There was also an interactive piece which could be used either as a bar surface or a seating element. The time and effort that was put into the installation art for Beaux Arts deserves just as much coverage from the Kent Stater as the fashion show does. The fact that we are one of the largest colleges on this campus and we still have to fight for recognition from the Stater and the university is appalling. We hope that in the future when an event takes place you will look at all aspects of it and who was involved, and give credit where it is needed!

Stephanie Geary, Kelly Bower, Lindsey Shepherd, Megan Schiltz

Senior interior design majors