It is 8:00 a.m. Saturday, October 9, 1999. My alarm sounds to its normal irritating beep and I am torn between sleeping in, as
is my normal routine, or actually getting out of bed and attending a Stop The Hate rally. It takes me all but ten seconds to
realize that the dedicated and most rational decision I could make at such an early hour is to go support a cause I firmly believe
in. It is 9:45 a.m. now and I meet up with some friends and we head towards the Wesley Foundation, the site of where the
march was to begin. The hour approaches 10:15 a.m. and more and more people are beginning to show up for the rally. Then
all of a sudden it hit me. I cannot stop thinking about the fact that so few people showed up, yet at the same time I stood there
in the parking lot emotionally captivated by those individuals who stood in my presence. As we march down Green Street I am
spiritually moved because I know in my heart that what I am doing means a great deal to those who lost their lives, victims of a hate crime. I feel a rush come over me and I then join others by proclaiming " Stop the violence, Stop the hate." A passenger in
a car yells out of the window at the crowd " I hate you." I stop to ask myself why? I immediately think back to the notion that if
people mock and scorn you for a just cause, then you must have some kind of power which threatens them. And that's what
we had out there that Saturday afternoon. Power to effect change in a world that seems to shrug off hate crimes as isolated
occurrences. Every day someone else is victimized. We must make sure people who commit acts of violence against other
human beings because of their race, gender or sexual orientation realize they will not be tolerated. I implore all students, faculty
and staff at the University of Illinois to take the time to remember those who no longer have a voice. How will you use your
voice on this day? Will it be to make someone laugh or smile? Will you allow your words to dehumanize another person on the
basis of who they are, what they say or wear? I would like to end this message by saying thank you to all those organizations
on campus who struggle each day to make sure that ALL individuals have a voice and deserve respect, dignity and pride.

I immediately think back to the notion that if people mock and scorn you for a just cause, then you must have some kind of power which threatens them.