The Hutchinson Collegian

Personal beliefs and public issues met head to head as members of the Hutchinson community recently came together to discuss the role of hate crimes in America.

The Hate Crimes Forum was held on Sep. 22 at the Stringer Fine Arts Building in the B.J. Warner Recital Hall. The forum, which was sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa, consisted of a six-member panel that evaluated a number of topics ranging from accurately defining a hate crime to protecting freedom of speech.

Panelists included Natasha Russell, a member of the local NAACP chapter and representative of HCC; Josh Ford, representative of the gay and lesbian community; Greg Halling, managing editor of The Hutchinson News; Tom Barry, representative for the HCC social science department; Bryan Stephen, representative for the Hutchinson Police Department and John Tracy, a lieutenant from the HPD.

Each member gave a brief introduction and then allowed the audience to ask questions about the specifics of hate crimes. The discussion lasted almost an hour and a half and focused primarily on the issue of raising awareness in the local community.

Charlene Widener is the faculty advisor for Phi Theta Kappa and also the director of the upcoming production of “The Laramie Project,” which is about a particular hate crime that occurred in Wyoming five years ago. Her hope is that people will come forward and openly discuss these issues because they directly affect the society they are a part of.

“It’s important for us to have a dialogue in our community about these types of concepts and ideas,” she said. “We need to be thinking about these things and challenging our students.”

She says that even if some students disagree with what they hear, it’s important they understand the issues they face. An event like an open forum gives students the ability to talk and even debate in a safe and cordial environment.

Widener realizes that discussion alone can’t bring about change, but enough open minds can begin to have an influence over the people that could potentially discriminate against a minority or even commit a hate crime.

“What I like about forums is all the people who were there can now take the ideas that we discussed into their classes and into the community,” she said. “I think that can definitely deter hate crimes.”

Hutchinson Community College - 1300 N Plum, Hutchinson KS 67501
Lockman Hall Room 29 - Phone: 316-728-8159 - Email: montgomerya@hutchcc.edu
This page maintained by the Collegian Online Staff - collegianstaff@yahoo.com
Site Designed by Jerod Wannamaker- Copyright © The Hutchinson Collegian