The first time I read Steve Markle's letter, I was shocked. The second time I was angry. Markle presumes that by not supporting Pride Week whether monetarily or nominally, USG is not erroneous on some level. But I ask, how are these actions just if USG does not acknowledge an endeavor that simply aims to highlight a section of the population that is degraded and oppressed?

Markle suggests that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community should merely create anti-violence groups, and easily pass laws to prevent harassment or intimidation. If the lack of awareness were so effortlessly fixed by these tactics, wouldn't they have been implemented long ago?

And imagine how much more effective these measures would be with the backing from the group that is to govern us, represent us, and as Markle stated, support and protect us.

Pride Week will not create divisions among the students. Unfortunately there are already divisions in place.

Programs that try to show the uniqueness of different kinds of people combat the social problems (homophobia, for example) that plague this country, this state, this campus.

And yes, Markle, we are fighting for equality. The acknowledgement that yes, we are all created equal. Yes, we all deserve the same rights whether we are straight, gay, black, white or anything in between.

Upon subsequent readings I became saddened. If Markle is truly concerned with the lack of a "straight week" perhaps he should look just a bit closer at the other fifty-one weeks of the year.