On Tuesday, September 6th, students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, were returning from a relaxing Labor Day weekend. Hopefully, most of them well rested and ready to take on the rest of the school week. Many students would find this day to be just the same, but for others, not so much.

It came to my attention that early that morning, the Diversity Center, particularly focusing on students who identify as LGBTQIA+, had been vandalized. Their rainbow striped flag, that flies proudly in the front of the building, had been torn down. There was also a message left on a piece of paper stating, "Fags get AIDS more often." These acts were left for LGBTQIA+ students to find, sadly, in the one place where they should feel safe.

This really made my blood pressure increase. Equality and has always been something I believe in. The fact that somebody had the nerve to commit yet such another hateful act, or even a hate crime, makes me extremely frustrated.

Before I continue, I want to point out that you don't have to agree with a certain lifestyle, such as being LGBTQIA+ or partaking in a homosexual relationship. If you morally believe that, then fine. However, not agreeing with something that's different from your own lifestyle doesn't condone demeaning actions such as these. Also, if you are using the excuse that this is a display of "freedom of speech," I'm sorry, but in my opinion, that's a very poor use of your right.

I understand that we go to a school in the south, where it's highly conservative and doesn't support LGBTQIA+ by any means. However, we are also a public state university with thousands of students, many whom are very different from others. An issue like this shouldn't be overlooked simply because we may have more students who are heterosexual or don't support LGBTQIA+. These actions have no justification; they are rude, derogatory, and makes those who are LGBTQIA+ feel as if they don't matter.

One of our mottoes here at UT is "vols help vols." I find this hard to believe when I see something as terrible and embarrassing as this. It really isn't hard to just simply be kind to one another. Although I think it's great we have a center for diversity, it also makes me sad knowing that this is the one place some students have to resort to to feel accepted, and even that's been negatively looked upon.

The hate has to come to an end. I'm not afraid to state that I'm a proud LGBTQIA+ rights supporter. Even though I grew up in a Catholic household, I was also taught that God doesn't hate anyone, no matter the sin you commit. Even if I didn't agree with homosexual actions, I would never take it upon myself to so-called state that they are "disgusting, wrong, etc."

Everyone deserves to have equal opportunities, no matter who they are or what they practice in their lives. All lives, no matter race, sexual orientation, gender, etc. deserve respect, dignity, and kindness.

Finally, I'll leave you with a thought: if a homophobe personally focused on their own life, rather than worrying if two men or two women are dating, I'm positive they'd be better off and our society could possibly know peace.