My growth and understanding of the idea of Pro Humanitate has been manifested in the fact that this small-town southern girl from Shelby, N.C. actually became roommates and best friends with someone from New York City.

As tolerant as I hope that I have become over the years here, I recently have been shocked at several instances on and around this campus that cause me to question just how Pro Humanitate everyone else around here truly is.

Homophobia is rampant at this university, kids. On the front page of the Oct. 24 edition of the Old Gold and Black, two students were featured in a color photograph with the caption "Out and Proud" to mark National Coming Out Day. Although the ceremony was worthy of a front-page photograph, the paper didn't feature anything about the origin of National Coming Out Day or how it was celebrated here at Wake Forest. The OGB was negligent in not providing gay and lesbian students a forum through which the Coming Out day could be explained, or how various members of both the gay and straight community came together to mark a day that is important in the history of the gay and lesbian liberation movement.

Another instance happened more recently after the Gay-Straight Student Alliance carved a pumpkin that read "Gay = Straight" and placed it on the front step of Huffman Residence Hall. Some idiot out there had the bright idea to carve the "gay" from the pumpkin and place it on the front door of Huffman in a blatant attempt to humiliate and antagonize the gay community here at Wake Forest. I don't even know where to begin as I express my disappointment with the perpetrator of this event.

How can this university say that it actually stands for Pro Humanitate when events like this are still occurring around campus? And if you're the one who did it, I really, truly feel sorry for you. You may be a student at Wake Forest, but you have a lot more learning to do, buddy.

And finally, there is the bar scene. Yes, homophobia has even approached one of the most sacred establishments to the college student ¯ the bar. Which bar? Well, to be honest, I am not allowed to say in print, but why don't you just send me an e-mail and I'll gladly let you know. While a group of homosexual female students were hanging out at the bar, just having a beer or 10, a few managers didn't overtly ask these girls to leave, but they made their sentiments very clear when they loudly voiced their disapproval that these girls were at their bar.

Here's the bottom line ¯ don't give those idiots your hard-saved beer money. Go somewhere that's friendly to all Wake Forest students (Jill at Daytona's quickly comes to mind.)

Something needs to change. We need to change. All students here at Wake Forest deserve the right to drink a few beers, decorate pumpkins and celebrate holidays, regardless of their sexual orientation. There is a world out there, one that stretches beyond the confines of University Parkway and Reynolda Road. I know, it's hard to believe, but it's true. Don't be ignorant. Stand up for what you believe. Keep off the bandwagon. And as my second grade Sunday School teacher taught me, treat others as you would have them treat you.

I normally don't get on my high horse and preach, but kids, we've got to do something about this problem. There is no reason for discrimination to be so rampant. I would hate to graduate from Wake Forest without leaving my mark (okay, so maybe my mark might be that Poncho Villa's has had it's best year ever, and it's not from the amount of burritos that I've consumed) and I would hate to sit back and not say something to y'all. It's just disappointing to know that at Wake Forest, these things are happening.

We're a community here ¯ a family ¯ or at least we should be.