Acorn

Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Kelsi Bitgood

Let me start this with a personal statement: As a victim of assault, I was sickened by the words of Jim Rossi ('10) at Mr. Drew last Thursday. It hurts me to believe that someone who lives right upstairs in my building could feel this way and treat women with such utter disregard and disrespect. However, what sickened me more than Jim's "talent" was the reaction of the crowd in response to his jokes. As the words started adding up and became more and more offensive, I looked around to see my peers laughing and enjoying Jim's discriminatory "comedy."

Even today I can't decide what was more hurtful, what he said or the fact that so many Drew students found him to be funny and anything but inappropriate. To me, this clearly reflects the larger problem at Drew University that we have been talking about for years. If Jim was just one person onstage spouting his hate speech and hurting his peers, that would be one thing. But he was supported by his fans in the crowd encouraging him to continue with their laughter.

I expected that the students at Drew would know the difference between poking fun at people and being blatantly sexist and racist. To me, this means that the curriculum at Drew is lacking when it comes to teaching tolerance and acceptance. Since we are already on the topic this year of changing general education requirements and requirements for first-year students, why not incorporate tolerance into the lessons every student should learn. If Jim Rossi's "talent" isn't evidence enough that these programs are necessary, then I don't know what further discrimination is needed before something is done.

Regarding the Student Activities and Athletics Committee who created and ran the Mr. Drew event, it makes me sorry to call myself a member of SAAC, and it makes me wonder who made Jim give that disclaimer before his talent. I suspect it was most likely some or all of the board of SAAC. Regardless of who it was, those people are just as guilty as Jim for allowing hate like that to be spoken with the confidence and support of their approval. Regardless of intent, Jim and the members of SAAC should have thought about how those "jokes" were going to be received. I do not care what Jim's intent was-it doesn't matter. What matters is what happened because of what he did. Intent doesn't change what happened, and intent should not make Jim Rossi incapable of public and personal apologies. I also do not care what SAAC thought it was doing by forcing Jim to state a disclaimer before his "talent." It was their responsibility, especially members of the board, to approve all talents, including Jim's. Their intent does not matter and should not affect their ability to publicly apologize to all the people who came to support their event that were mentally and emotionally harmed. Don't even get me started about SAAC's complete hypocrisy in allowing Jim to make light of rape while donating all their proceeds to the local women's shelter.

Continued...

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