[Vision2020] Daily Evergreen: Pullman: A culture of violence

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Pullman: A culture of violence 
Violently targeting others because of differences is terrorism
Nickolas Conrad

The Daily Evergreen


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Violence is the basest, crudest, most primal and animalistic of acts. Collectively, there is a consensus that violence is criminal. Thus, when I hear about violent hate crimes committed against a targeted group in Pullman, I can only feel the perpetrators have debased our humanity. They have degraded our university and violated its values of diversity and tolerance. 

The Gender Identity/Expression and Sexual Orientation Resource Center is committed to gender equality at WSU. Heidi Stanton, interim assistant dean of students and director of GIESORC, said there have been five documented cases of hate crimes in Moscow and Pullman in the past month against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied community. The vilest act in my mind was when a student was physically assaulted by three men wearing masks. This crime in particular was a premeditated act of domestic terrorism. It is a rearguard and reactionary act made to preserve an oppressive culture of heteronormativity ? the marginalization and oppression of non-heterosexuals. The perpetrators show they will use any means necessary to maintain a brutish and simplified understanding of the world. 

Some of these crimes were committed by men, which leads me to conclude that repressed homophobes are afraid the tyranny of masculinity is crumbling. The good ol? boys club that has dominated and oppressed the world is coming undone. To come to terms with their insecure identities, the perpetrators have reverted to the lowest form of human persuasion ? physical violence. In a university that teaches us to use reason and rational debate, this brutality is despicable and the lowest, most visceral element of our brains ? something even lizards possess. 

But this is not the whole story. 

The truth is, Pullman is creating a culture of violence. The Pullman City Council had to issue a special ordinance in April to deal with the increasing level of violence over the last four years. We are not improving, we are degenerating. Violence is becoming normalized, almost as a way to socialize in the city of Pullman. 

Again, most of the fights I have heard about in Pullman involve men. To watch one muscle-bound male attempt to assert his dominance among other muscle-bound males is to watch one hairy ape challenge another ape for the alpha male position. Because they lack self-esteem and confidence in their own personality, they lash out to hide their insecurities. If they cannot socialize by wit, they will socialize by brute force. Uncomfortable with themselves, they have to hurt others to feel good. 

I call it the caveman complex. It is a barbaric way to fit in with other barbaric males. To use violence against another because of intolerance is primitive and ignorant. The perpetrators are cavemen walking among the civilized. Dominating others with fear and intimidation is something fascists and totalitarians do ? it is quite simply, terrorism. Violent hate acts are the utter depravity of all that is rational and humane. 

Pullman, we need to ask ourselves what kind of people we want to be and how we want to represent our university. Right now we are an embarrassment. It is up to us to make our university a place that tolerates, welcomes and embraces diversity. We have to be the change. We have to confront our friends when they act violently or preach intolerance. We have to let them know it is not acceptable. Violence and intolerance do not belong here.
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