LETTER: Expect more from USU

Editor,

I look forward to receiving The Statesman e-mails every other day. They provide me with the opportunity to reconnect with my alma mater, and the wonderful years that I spent at USU.

The recent coverage of the gay marriage issue has horrified me. It paints a picture of USU that is quite contrary to my experience there.

I had lived in Tehran, West Berlin, and London before arriving in Logan. I had been around so many diverse cultures all my life; and yet it was in Logan that I came to fully appreciate and respect diversity. Realizing that I really did not know very much about the LDS religion, I took a couple of classes at the Institute to broaden my knowledge. I was not interested in converting. It was simply an effort to learn more, and in that process, I was afforded a chance to educate others about my background and beliefs.

Both sides of the issue on gay marriage have shown a lot less tact than I would have imagined possible on a university campus. I am not sure what the Pride! Alliance was hoping to accomplish from showing “Mormon Erotica” other than alienating people who might have otherwise at least been open to some dialogue. I also do not understand how the College Republicans could desecrate marriage by their behavior at the rally a few weeks ago.

Since graduating from USU, I have come out of the closet to my family and friends. To help with shedding stereotypes, my most devout LDS friends and all of my fraternity brothers have been some of the most supportive ones through this process. They recognize me as a person, and therefore my rights and needs being equal to their own. By the same token, I make sure that I stay respectful of their beliefs which may be different to mine.

It quite honestly boils down to the ability to put aside the barriers and consider the human being regardless of politics and religion. I hope both sides of this issue will learn to work better together.

Ara Serjoie