The Daily Beacon

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Turnovers crush Vols in 41-14 lopsided loss to Georgia

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Monday, October 11, 2010 Issue 36

E D I T O R I A L L Y

‘Woyzeck’ moving, beautifully-constructed stage craft PUBLISHED SINCE 1906

I N D E P E N D E N T

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Vol. 115

N E W S P A P E R

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T H E

U N I V E R S I T Y

O F

T E N N E S S E E

National Coming Out Day Three students work to promote LGBT leadership, visibility on campus “It’s not really different from being a regular student,” Porter said. “I have a lot of straight friends. I have yet to be discriminated against or antagonized. I guess it is mostly because I am The suicide of Rutgers University freshman not the type of person to walk in the room and Tyler Clementi last month brought much nationmake a big deal out of being gay. al attention to the struggles of LGBT issues in “I feel like people should just come to that on the college atmosphere, especially those regardtheir own terms. If someone asks me, I’ll admit ing discrimination and harassment, as well as the it, but that has helped people be comfortable alienated atmosphere many out students claim around me. They have gotten to know me first they face because of their sexual orientation. rather than associate my identity with my sexuOctober is LGBT History Month, a month ality.” devoted to raising awareness of LGBT rights Porter, however, noted the uniqueness of and issues. In honor of National Coming Out being an out African-American, a community Day, which is celebrated today, three students that often seems to go unacknowledged shared their experiences of being out on cambecause of stereotypes. pus. “People have the preconceived notion that Elliott DeVore, senior in psychology and there are no gay black people, and it makes it member of the Chancellor’s Commission for kind of challenging for most AfricanLGBT Leadership, has been out since high Americans to come out,” Porter said. “There school but has found that college is a more aren’t very many African-American gay peochallenging atmosphere for finding acceptple on campus who are out. ance and tolerance. “Sometimes it feels like I am this little “I remember freshman year, living in the species. It’s never really bad — in fact I am dorms, I would get on the elevator with a working with the (Chancellor's Commission handful of jerks, who just made it extremely for LGBT issues) to try and encourage more uncomfortable for me,” DeVore said. “They African Americans to be more openly would call me ‘fag’ and ‘cupcake’ as I got off involved with gay-related issues on campus. the elevator. I was harassed by guys that lived It’s not a bad thing; it’s just unique.” on my floor, which was weird, because being Porter said a lot of the lack of LGBT visiout in high school, everyone knew, and it was bility on campus has to do with the preconmore accepted then than it was in college. ceived notions of those within the communi“I thought college was going to open up all ty. sorts of doors for me, and I would get a “A lot of people come here having the prechance to grow and be myself, and yet here I conceived notion that I don’t want to be assowas, feeling uncomfortable and constantly ciated with ‘those kinds’ of gay people, and expecting it to get better, and yet it wasn’t.” then there are those who are too afraid to DeVore said that feeling uncomfortable come to things,” Porter said. “That is why I speaking up for LGBT issues in class and feelencourage people to come to Lambda.” ing self-conscious about being out only added Porter is a member of Lambda leadership, to what he theorized are the campus’s main George Richardson • The Daily Beacon as well as a resident assistant, the latter of issues regarding acceptance and tolerance. “We are the flagship institution for the state, Jess Hurd, junior in history, Chris Porter, sophomore in psychology, and Elliott DeVore, which he said helped steer him in the direcand we have people coming from all over the senior in psychology, chat in the OUTreach Center in Melrose Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 5. The tion of his future career aspirations. “I am looking towards applying to grad place, some with very little diversity,” he said. “For a lot of people, their backgrounds are Commission for LGBT People will be conducting a flash mob as part of National Coming school for higher education administration or something related to health,” Porter said. “If I white, Christian, in very small places where Out Day on Monday, Oct. 11, on the Pedestrian Mall. do higher education administration, I want to everyone is seemingly the same. It’s very diffiwork towards being a hall director or working in cult for a lot of these people to accept things tion administration. He is also a regional officer to promote people being comfortable.” Hurd has faced a unique experience in being student affairs. I like working with students and for his fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. unlike themselves, and so they lash out.” out on campus but said it isn’t something she being involved in student affairs. I see the people “I just enjoy giving back,” DeVore said. DeVore adds that it isn’t just LGBT students I have encountered, especially in housing, seem Jess Hurd, junior in history and president of pays much attention to. who face discrimination. “Apparently I get weird looks,” Hurd said. really satisfied with their jobs. They get a lot out “There is a coming-out experience for allies the Lambda Student Union, experienced a differof it.” (those who promote LGBT rights but are not of ent out experience at UT but echoed many of “But it’s something I don’t really try to notice.” Anyone interested may attend the National Lambda Student Union meets at 6 p.m. on LGBT orientation) as well,” he said. “We very DeVore’s sentiments on the state of LGBT affairs Coming Out Day flash mob, a rally held to proMondays in UC Room 227. much live in a closet culture, where people act on campus. Chris Porter, sophomore in psychology, said mote the visibility of LGBT rights and issues, “UT is not a very comfortable place to be out,” like it is easier just to not talk about it and have an attitude that if we ignore it, it will just go Hurd said. “We go to a public, southern universi- that being out on campus is no different from today on the Pedestrian Mall at noon. The rally away. There isn’t really an example set forth on ty. UT hasn’t been very proactive in making sure being a regular student, but a lot of that has to do is not exclusive to LGBT students and allies and is open to all.--with attitude. people from diverse backgrounds are welcome. what to do.”

Brandi Panter

Managing Editor

DeVore has been involved with several initiatives on campus to help make it more inclusive for LGBT students, including working to have “Straight Talk,” a gender-segregated portion of the student-orientation process renamed “Vol-toVol.” He is also a recipient of the Chancellor’s Student Leadership Award for his efforts to promote LGBT visibility on campus. In his spare time, DeVore enjoys exercising and looking for graduate schools. He is interested in pursuing a master’s degree in higher educa-

Gubernatorial race draws contributions

Bill Haslam

Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Gubernatorial candidate Bill Haslam will report third-quarter contributions of $3.15 million plus an injection of $2.8 million of his own money, the Republican’s campaign told The Associated Press on Sunday. The reporting period straddles the Aug. 5 primary. The campaign didn’t immediately have a breakdown of how much of the money was contributed before or since Haslam won the GOP nomination, and didn’t have a final figure on how much cash remained on hand. Haslam captured 47 percent of the vote in the spirited GOP primary, compared with U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp’s 29 percent and state Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey’s 22 percent. Spokesman David Smith said Haslam wasn’t hesitant about tapping his personal wealth. “We had a contentious primary, and Bill always maintained that he would put in what he deemed necessary to get his message out,” Smith said. Haslam had given $1.45 million to his bid through earlier

reports, meaning his total personal contributions have reached about $4.25 million. The campaign has since paid back about $760,000, said Smith. Haslam was president of the family-founded Pilot truck stop chain before he was elected Knoxville mayor in 2003. His rivals charged that that they could never match Haslam's personal wealth, and that he was trying to buy the election. Smith noted that the third quarter contributions bring Haslam's totals to $12.5 million from 10,500 outside donors since he joined the race in January 2009 — considerably more than any other candidate seeking to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen. A spokesman for Democratic nominee Mike McWherter did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Sunday afternoon. McWherter, a Jackson beer distributor and son of former Gov. Ned McWherter, gave his bid $1 million this spring but managed to raise only $1.6 million from outside sources through the report filed before the primary. McWherter told the AP late last month that he was prepared to pour more of his own money into his campaign, though he didn’t say how much. “I’m committed to putting in whatever funds are necessary to be sure we can get our message out,” McWherter said at the time. The two-week early voting period for the Nov. 2 election begins on Wednesday.

“They’ve tried, but every time diversity is mentioned, all that anyone ever sees included are ethnic minorities and women. There are never any mentions of the LGBT community on campus. People need to understand that diversity is not just about race and gender.” Hurd said this leads to an atmosphere of isolation, which makes students feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. “Visibility matters,” Hurd said. “I always do my best to mention gay things and Lamba. I try

Neurosurgeon to share experiences deals with racism by his superiors at the hospital, where he worked and by some of his teachers in school. Carson’s grades were poor at an early age, and he grew to become The groundbreaking neurosurgeon, Dr. Ben Carson, will speak very ill-tempered. However, he changed his mannerisms and let nothing hinder him tonight as the highlight for this year’s Legends Lecture Series sponfrom improving. Race was another obstacle he sored by the Black Cultural Programming continuously had to rise above. Committee. Carson was the first doctor to sucAmber Ingram, senior in industrial engineercessfully complete a separation of conjoined ing and member of the Black Cultural twins at the head. Programming Committee, said Carson’s mothCorbin Carpenter, member of the Black er’s drive and strong will had a lot to do with Cultural Programming Committee and senior in him looking past those who scorned him for his political science, said it is important for all sturace. dents, especially minorities, to meet a figure like “His mom played a vital role in his success, Carson. because she supported him always, even when “Carson relates to minorities, because even he was defiant,” she said. “Carson had all odds though he is a successful doctor, he comes from a against him.” background that most minorities can identify And even with all odds against him, Carson with,” Carpenter said. “He was raised in poverBen Carson graduated from Yale and attendty and was headed down a troued medical school at the bled road.” University of Michigan. He then Carpenter said he considered It shows that if you work hard, you can began his residency at the prestiCarson a hero. gious John Hopkins Hospital, “For him to be the first to comachieve your dreams. He’s the first person to specializing in pediatrics in plete the (separation of conjoined Baltimore. twins) operation successfully, it His mother pushed him to aided and changed the views and successfully complete that operation. study hard, because she herself perceptions some Caucasians had had only received a third-grade on African-Americans,” he said. That No. 1 means something. education in school and knew Carson’s life story was made the first-hand struggles of an into a TNT film, entitled “Gifted – Sonya Carson, uneducated African-American. Hands: The Ben Carson Story,” on her son’s success Carson’s mother limited his starring Cuba Gooding Jr. as television time and required him Carson and Kimberly Elise as his mother. The movie displayed Carson’s hardships and bleak child- to read library books and write reports every week. “It shows if you work hard, you can achieve your dreams,” she hood. He has written four books including “Gifted Hands: The Ben said. “He’s the first person to successfully complete that operation. Carson Story,” “THINK BIG,” “The Big Picture” and “Take the That No. 1 means something.” The event will take place at the UC Auditorium at 7 p.m. A recepRisk: Learning to Identify, Choose and Live with Acceptable Risk.” The movie of Carson’s life depicts several moments where he tion will follow the program at the Black Cultural Center.

Donesha Aldridge Staff Writer


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