I spent my summer in Europe gaining experience through an internship for my criminal justice minor.

The experiences I gained were greater than anything I could’ve learned in a classroom, from a book or from a newspaper.

One thing I observed while going to Cambridge was there are no laws protecting people of different races, colors, genders, religious affiliation and sexual orientation.

The discrimination that would be faced by these individuals in the United States just didn’t seem to take place in England, unless you were on the American military installations. Not saying that it didn’t take place without me noticing, but I’m pretty good at picking those little things out.

Does this mean England is superior to the United States in how it treats all people? Not in the slightest.

Although the discrimination didn’t take place in the normal forms seen here, it was still alive in every walk of life.

So how did discrimination take place if it didn’t occur to the people it normally happens to?

Because British Nationals don’t have a big hatred for those aspects of your life but, a lot of them do have a HUGE problem if you’re an American.

At the July 4 celebration held at RAF Feltwell, I watched a young airman attempt to win a little South Park Kenny doll at the ring toss.

When he finally succeeded at winning the cute little prize, he asked to receive it. The young British National behind the counter refused to give it up stating that he hadn’t won when clearly he had.

They bickered back and forth about it for about 30 seconds when suddenly she blurted out that he should “go back to America.”

I was shocked and yet still a little delighted by what had taken place before me. So, before anyone gets angry with me about being delighted with the situation, let me explain my stance.

I’ve observed many cases of discrimination and experienced even more in my lifetime, so I know that discrimination of any kind is unacceptable anywhere.

What I hadn’t told you was the the young men I had watched that evening attempt to win the little doll at the ring toss were the same young men I’d observed before using racial and homosexual slurs as insults towards individuals they didn’t know and didn’t care to know as people.

When the tables turned on them, and they experienced the intolerance, a realization hit them about what it was like to be discriminated against and how much it sucked.

I agree with Mr. Kelly that nobody should have to be forced to approve of something they don’t agree with.

Even though opinions might be changed if you’d only listen to the facts and not place so much emphasis on irrational fears and unjustifiable myths taught to many of us from childhood in this society.

My twin sister serves in the United States Air Force and I serve in the Iowa Army National Guard to protect the rights of ALL people, regardless of how I feel about them.

It’s obvious to me that Mr. Kelly does not understand the rights he has been given in this country.

He doesn’t respect them either. Your rights end the second they start infringing on other people’s’ rights and discrimination goes above and beyond your right to an opinion. Which is why the laws being used by the Queer Rights Activists exist and are actually winning cases, finally.

If we should have a right to discriminate against homosexuals because of the fact that we just don’t like what “they are,” then where does it end?

According to your logic, we then should be able to discriminate against others because of their gender, race, color, religious affiliation, etc., based on myths and fairy tales that were created out of ignorance and fear.

Instead of having a country where everybody has a right to be free, we’d have a country where nobody would have a right to be free. In short, Mr. Kelly, if you want the right to discriminate, move to Europe.

I hope everybody here at Iowa State takes the chance to drop some of their fears of the unknown and to experience “real life.”

Not every activist is angry. Homosexuals don’t recruit. If you get to know people, you might catch yourself making some of the best friends you’ll ever have.

Angie Chipman

Senior

Psychology and history