So there I was, walking toward the parking lot from my last class on Wednesday afternoon, when I see a crowd gathered in an area outside the Hub. Being of a generally curious nature, I had to check out what was going on. As I got closer I saw a man at the center of all the commotion. I heard him yelling something, so I turned down my radio and moved in for a closer look. That was when I learned he was preaching.

Speaking like a true televangelist, he was “enlightening” the crowd of students with his “truths” about God. Now this occurrence seems to be in complete contradiction with the wide diversity of students on campus, and the fact that more diversity is wanted. When you have students from many nations, you have students of many different religions. Those students come here to get an education, and should not have to be bombarded by some militant Christians trying to recruit. I am all for any religious group setting up events or having speakers, but these activities should be scheduled and held in private places where the general public is free of it. It seems slightly hypocritical to vastly encourage diversity among the student population, and yet allow certain people to impose their close-minded views on those who are different. I assume diversity includes religion.

The bottom line here is that those of us who are Jewish, Hindu, atheist, Buddhist, agnostic, pagan or any other religion have a right to go to class and get the education we paid for without having to pass through a fog of Christian theology. Random evangelists were not on my bill. We try so hard to avoid the church tables at events such as Clubfest, ducking by quickly and never, never making eye contact, only to find that our efforts were wasted when we get outside and run into a guy handing out Bibles. So I must ultimately go with the words of George Carlin on his beliefs on the last commandment: “Keep thy religion to thyself.” I personally would like to be able to walk through the campus freely without worrying about avoiding the preacher or the Gideon.

We just want some peace. Is that really too much to ask?

Erin Blasdel

Freshman

Pre-Business