Everyone wants to be treated equally and accepted. It's a great thing that a group like SpeakOUT wants to spread awareness about the members' beliefs. However, the means by which they attempt to gain acceptance is intolerable. Twelve students isolating themselves in front of a thousand fans, athletes and coaches is not the way to gain acceptance. Everyone knows why you showed up to the women's basketball game, and it's not to support LGBT athletes (not once did I see one of those 12 cheer for our team). Otherwise, there would be a rainbow flag at every sporting event.

SpeakOUT members have overstepped their bounds and are treading on thin ice. It's hard to gain acceptance when the means of gaining respect are so childish. You don't see the Black Caucus showing up for a football game and only cheering for black athletes or a Christian organization only praising the singers in the choir who joined them for Bible study last Wednesday. These groups are accepted and respected because they care about the Penn State community and work hard to reach out to students in positive, endearing ways.

Malicious attacks against the university and its community are entirely unacceptable and just widening the gap that you are trying to close. So, feel free to speak out, but remember that actions speak louder than words.