The Dartmouth Rainbow Alliance last night discussed how to address a recent rash of what they term "homophobic attacks" directed at residents of Lord residence hall, the most recent of which occurred early Wednesday morning.
"At two o'clock in the morning on Wednesday, I was awakened by yelling and people throwing dirt at my first-floor window," said a woman, who did not wish to be named.
The woman, who is a member of the alliance, said the dirt broke the screen of her window, where a Dartmouth Rainbow Alliance flag hangs.
"I was really shaken up," she said. "Now more than anything, I am angry."
The woman said this incident is the second homophobic attack directed at her within the past three weeks, and just one of an escalating series of acts of homophobia that have occurred in Lord residence hall this term.
About three weeks ago, a rainbow flag and a pink triangle sticker were torn off of her car, she said.
And two weeks ago, someone wrote "Kill the faggots" over a gay-friendly sticker on the fourth-floor hallway window of Lord, according to the woman.
The woman said when she reported the three incidents to Safety and Security, they said, "Sorry, there is nothing we can do."
Earl Plante '94, the alliance's secretary, described the incidents as "hurtful and appalling."
"We are outraged, but not surprised," he said. "This is the kind of situation we dread."
Herlena Harris '96, one of the alliance's co-chairs, also said she was not surprised by the incidents. "I am shocked but I am not that shocked," she said. "This is Dartmouth."
The alliance hopes to meet with Dean of the College Lee Pelton today to organize a formal response to the attacks, Plante said. Alliance members said the response will be more educational than disciplinary.
"People need to say, 'This is morally wrong,' " Plante said. "That is why we are working with Safety and Security, the deans and Area Coordinators to make this as positive an experience as possible."
Harris said, "There needs to be more education as far as hate crimes and the actions that will be taken against those that commit hate crimes."
Timothy Young '96, who lives on the fourth floor of Lord, said there has been a continual problem with anti-gay attacks in the residence hall.
Young said three weeks ago, someone scrawled "What the fuck is this?" over a gay-rights sticker on his door. The sticker read "Eliminate Heterosexualism."
Young, who said he is not a member of the alliance but supports many of their causes, said the sticker was one of four stickers, including two for the College radio station and one Clinton-Gore support sticker, he had on his door.
Four days after the message was written on the gay-rights sticker, Young said the gay-rights sticker and the Clinton-Gore sticker were removed from his door and a Dartmouth Rainbow Alliance poster was hung in their place.
"For the past month a lot of stuff has been going on in this dorm," Young said.
People have removed alliance posters from the residence hall's message boards throughout the term, he said.
"Whenever anything DRA related gets put up, it comes down very quickly," he said.
Young, who was not present at the alliance meeting last night, said he is not that surprised by the incidents.
"Maybe if I were a freshman, I would be surprised," he said. "I am a senior, so I am not surprised. I have seen this kind of crap for over three years."
In February, the Dartmouth Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Organization received a flier in the organization's Hinman Box informing the group of a discussion titled "Let's talk about faggots."
No one attended the discussion, which was supposed to discuss such topics as "Is it OK to shoot gays? Do we have to accept homosexuality?"
DaGLO was renamed the Dartmouth Rainbow Alliance in the spring.
DRA response
Plante said the alliance has requested a meeting tomorrow with Pelton to discuss these acts and the appropriate way to respond to them.
Plante said he plans to contact Gold Coast Area Coordinator Maggie Chang '96 to schedule a cluster-wide meeting on Monday or Tuesday to discuss the acts and what resources are available to students who are the victims of such acts.
Chang declined to comment on the incidents.
The alliance also contacted Student Assembly President Jim Rich '96 and Assembly Vice President Kelii Opulauoho '96 to discuss potential student responses to such acts, Plante said.
Harris said she thinks the events may have occurred as backlash to the widespread showing of support generated by National Coming Out Week at the College.
Plante said, "For gay students on this campus, this serves as an example of how oppressive this campus can be."
Young echoed Plante's sentiments. "This incident shows that ignorance and bigotry are alive and well at the campus," he said.
