In response to: Jibberish Volume 75 Issue 3

I am writing in response to the content in the last issue’s “Jibberish” section. What the Jibsheet offers is a public service to our community. That said, it’s vital that some explanation of context is included here. There are many members of the BCC community who are also members of the LGBTQ Community. Additionally, several people outside of the LGBTQ Community at BCC are allies and friends. Some of these folks are offended by the material and feel that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning people are being represented in a way that is seen as exceedingly negative. This is not about intent, but about outcome.
This is not a formal complaint, but a chance for you to participate in open dialogue with folks who care deeply about the community here, on all levels.
In the words of Michael Franti: “Every box got a right to be boomin’, every flower got a right to be bloomin’.”
In that regard, when someone in the community is hurt, be it a student from the Campus Crusade for Christ, a student from the Student Pride Alliance, a student from the Black Student Union, or a staff or faculty member, it’s all of our responsibility to make sure it doesn’t happen again, and to understand why it happened in the first place. On a community level, we needn’t like one another, nor should we be “tolerating” one another – but we do have to figure out how to live together. Sometimes that means we have to be held accountable for our social blunders. I believe that you have made one with this “Jibberish” page.
That said, I invite you to discuss this openly with the campus community as soon as possible.
Sarah Sutler-Cohen, Ph.D. Chair, Department of Sociology Bellevue Community College