Melony Louise's Natural Habitat

I go to a rather infamous school, as I've mentioned. American River College in Suckacramento, CA.

This is a school that I'm proud of for many reasons. It really produces great artists, designers, and chefs. Our designers come together every year, churn out the American River Review, and then beat out schools like Harvard for top national awards. It's the third largest community college in California. And, when you figure out how to immerse yourself in it, it has a culture unlike anything else and it's amazing.

But it's a school that also shames me for reasons that to many may be known. Our current Student Government.

Now, I see no need to get too deep into the conspiracy theories that get discussed on my campus regularly. The rumors that decree, "this group is trying to make the school a Christian college!" It's personal choice as to whether or not it's true; I fail to see what would make such a scheme worthwhile.

I can, however, get into what sort of things it's done as a unit. And let's start with the infamous.

Google "american river college prop 8". Look around, and you'll most likely get a pretty well-fleshed out story. Student council doesn't get much attention, student council endorses a gay marriage ban, suddenly about a thousand people care; group tries to recall student council, it fails due to bad voter turnout, group feels defeated; most people stop caring, student council goes back to not getting much attention; but never again as little as before.

Things had gotten calm again in the eyes of those of us who continued to pay attention. Still as dumb as ever, but no more controversy. Until this week.

Now, google "american river college day of silence."

This is a touch newer, so the stories aren't so fleshed out yet. So I will, to the best of my ability.

Day of Silence, nationwide, is April 17th. If you go to American River College, it will be Wednesday the 22nd. Day of Silence is a day-long moment of silence devoted to victims of hate crimes. A little more specifically, LGBT victims of hate crime. Why? Because many states still don't have LGBT society factored into their hate crime laws.

Student Association, as of today, opposes this. It, to paraphrase one of it's many poorly thought out reasons, "silences intellectual conversation on the topic of homosexuality."

It wasn't a full win for them though. See, the meeting was to be declared illegal, such a thing had been decided since Tuesday. Then, local news showed up.

So hey, we thought, let's play along. See what happens. Give the news a story. And, I think we did.

When I talk about today, even though it didn't neccesarily work in my favor, I want to summarize it as intense and beautiful. I forgot what it was like to have so many people who give a shit in one room. For the first time in a long time, I saw people and thought, "this is the correct reaction," even though I didn't see it in everybody, if I saw it in most people present.

Before and after me, people gave such great speeches. Those who came prepared, I think each of us truly caught the emotions we were looking for. And it all came back to, "this is not about the nature vs nuture of homosexuality debate; this is about whether or not its okay for people to die in the name of that debate."

I don't think I have ever experienced so much tension and emotion in one room; but maybe I was simply reflecting my own fears onto everybody else around me. For the first time in my life, I had harsh words ready and waiting. I knew, I had to look these people straight in the eye, and tell them exactly what I thought, the moment I knew this was happening again. The anger, the disappointment, the heartache, the bitterness. Praying it would be some sort of slap in the face. Praying that it would change the mind of even one person, to realize this step was the step too far for anybody, even though I knew there would be no changing their minds.

When they spoke, the more vocal ones, things came out of their mouth that broke my heart. I cannot bring you exact quotes yet, for these videos aren't yet making the youtube rounds, but let me give you some pretty close quotes.

"Gay teenagers are not four times more likely to kill themselves because of society around them teasing and assaulting them; it's because they know they lead a sinful, disgusting life." - Victor Choban

"We, as being many people from Former Soviet Russia, are against this 'Day of Silence' because attempts to silence the population existed like this in the USSR." - Yuriy 'George' Popko

"I am not texting, I just keep recieving texts." - Victor Choban (after texting ... mid speech)

"Me and fifty other students were given detention for wearing these bible quoting shirts ... therefore this is the fault of the students participating in Day of Silence and the day itself" - A student from the audience

But maybe we did get through to them. Or maybe the past experiences taught them something.

Either way, where the numbers last semester were about 2 no, 3 abstains, 9 yes in favor of the resolution to endorse proposition eight; this time, was 5 no to 11 yes. They still won, but it's closer to not being the two-third's vote needed to pass such things.

And when the vote was declared not in our favor, I pulled the card we all had held up our sleeves, and let the audience know that the meeting was in fact illegal. Within fifteen minutes, it was over and done. And overridden, or about to be.

I'm sure to those who were for the bill, it seemed like a weak move. To let it go to see if maybe we'd get what we got, and if we didn't ... demand a recount. But the way I see it, they play the rules in their favor all the time, manipulating each other to get what they want, and dammit we get a turn.

I hope I have summarized what this was like today, as somebody who was present. If you're finding this stuff through whatever sort of searches, and you would like more details, feel free to comment and ask me. I love talking about my school, even the shittier parts.