love who you love

Hi friends. I'm typing this on a library computer. Not even one in Trumper. One on the main floor. I don't know. I was checking my mail. I meant to post yesterday whenever I was in the dining hall w/ internet (dinner?) but LJ was down, but now I can add random things that have happened since then. But MAINLY:

I was randomly checking Twitter, and I clicked on one of the articles Jessica Valenti linked to about the rape culture in colleges (one of her articles). Here's the link: http://www.thedaily.com/page/2011/03/19/031911-opinions-column-campus-rape-valenti-1-2/ But this is what really affected me:

"This past September, college freshman Lizzy Seeberg killed herself after accusing a Notre Dame football player of sexual assault. Her parents say the campus police didn’t conduct a thorough investigation; it took the police two weeks after Lizzy came forward to interview the player, even after she received a threatening text message warning her against “messing with” football players."


Do you know why they say "college freshman" instead of ND freshman? Because Lizzy was a Saint Mary's student. My school. My school that is right across the street and totally, totally intertwined with ND. The article does mention the culture of the college campus, and that football players are "gods" that you don't mess with, etc. But that's not why this was striking to me. I went to Loyal Daughters and Sons. I know rape happens to ND/SMC students. I know we're working on making that not true or scary.

But this happened the semester I was abroad. I was in Australia when I got an email that a SMC student had died. A freshman, named Lizzy. The email(s) expressed the college's sorrow, President Dr. Mooney sent out an email expressing how this affected the college and how sad it was, one of the emails told me that counseling would be offered. I felt terrible, and sad, but I knew since she was a first year that I didn't know her. I was in a different country. But it said that she died in a hospital. It didn't say anything else.

But she was raped and killed herself. She got threatening texts. What sort of place am I living in if that isn't acknowledged? If her death isn't also met with a self-love atmosphere, and the campus believing when people say they've been raped?  I'm just entirely flabbergasted. Maybe it is because I wasn't on campus. Maybe people here did know. I just don't know how to ask my friends that were here about it. :/



ON A HAPPIER NOTE:

( room picks, workshopping and classes )

 

Oh, and if any of you HAVE read the novella excerpt I posted here on LJ and did not tell me about it/ comment on it - you really, really should. I take criticism super, super well. Tell me if I suck.


ETA: Also, I got a Tumblr, but I am not telling you what the name is, because I never plan on using it. Eventually I might go looking to where you guys put what your names are, because I am following Nikki.