Anti-gay e-mail source of fear, anger

By Jack Gillum

A profanity-laced e-mail sent to several Santa Clara undergraduates last November has created an outpouring of support for the letter's recipients and has some students calling on the university to do more to promote diversity.

The letter, which denounced the university's Gay and Lesbian Alliance (GALA) and harshly attacked gays, lesbians and blacks, was sent to at least one student's GroupWise account days before Thanksgiving.

"God doesn't acknowledge you and will continue to deny your existence as a whole," the letter, dated Nov. 25, 2003, stated. "I know if I had kids who were gay, I would deny I ever created such a beast [...] Thanks for AIDS."

Sophomore Josh Crosson, who said he was referred to in the letter, took the message as a physical blow. "I feel like I was assaulted," he said.

Crosson, GALA's spokesman and a recipient of the e-mail, said he appreciates support from some administrators but feels unsure that the university would do much if they found those responsible.

"They're going to cover it up," Crosson said, who felt that the school would place a higher priority in maintaining a positive public relations image and would do little publicly if and when investigations turn up a suspect.

The university, however, reaffirmed its "responsibility" to find the student or students accountable for sending the letter, Dean for Student Life Jeanne Rosenberger said.

"We can never stop educating about tolerance," she said. "There's never a time when our work is done."

Senior Noel Fonseca, another recipient, expressed concern for his safety in a letter sent to university administrators dated Nov. 26, 2003.

"Never before have I been afraid to walk alone or wanted to walk just a little bit faster to get to my car," he said.

In an interview, Fonseca said the problem of anti-gay hate is "bigger than the e-mail" and points to larger problems, including spray-painted messages on grates and sidewalks stating "war is gay" - referring to the U.S. invasion of Iraq last March. He said administrators took too long to clean up the wording.

The e-mail, entitled "GALA: Parasite of the Human Race," appears to have originated from an undergraduate's Hotmail account. Sources say the account's owner, however, sent an apology to the initial recipients, explaining that the original e-mail had been hijacked.

A family member of the Hotmail subscriber, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, was shocked by accusations that her relative was involved and blames a malicious hacker for playing jokes and "jeopardizing" the relative's education.

"Now I know how people feel who are in prison for crimes they didn't commit," the family member said, adding that her relative has been "a wreck" since word of the e-mail spread.

Citing an ongoing investigation, an Information Technology analyst refused to address specifics of the e-mail. IT director Carl Fussell would only confirm that an investigation is ongoing.

The family member confirmed that the university had questioned the owner, who had a used cyber cafe in a foreign country at least once around the time that the e-mail was sent. When asked if the Office of Student Life has questioned any students regarding this issue, Rosenberger declined comment.

Santa Clara's Student Code of Conduct prohibits "unlawful harassment and unlawful discrimination" defined by federal and California law. If the letter was sent using Santa Clara's network or from a computer on campus, a student could face an additional charge of misusing university technology, Rosenberger said.

The Santa Clara County district attorney's office would not comment if any charges were brought, citing a lack of details. The family member did not believe authorities contacted the account's owner.

Multicultural Center (MCC) organizers responded last week by distributing purple armbands to "bring awareness" to hate crimes, Fonseca said. A similar orange armband, unrelated to the e-mail incident, highlighted what the group sees as a deadlock with administrators in acquiring more space for the Arab Cultural Society in the Shapell Lounge, the MCC's home.

All of the students who received the letter had their addresses listed on GALA's Web site, Crosson said.

The university would not voluntarily press charges but may assist victims who choose to bring civil or criminal action against the e-mail's sender on their own, Rosenberger said, who spoke on behalf of the university.

"Often, you never find out who does this stuff," Rose Gabaeff, an assistant director of the national Anti-Defamation League, said.

But, she said, incidents that target specific individuals go largely unreported.

"The university has to make all of the students feel safe," MCC Director Manuel Perez said. "We need more education, and it's obviously not happening."

Perez and others are pushing for a series of classes on hate crimes and discrimination.

Santa Clara President Paul Locatelli, S.J., referred to the letter in a December holiday e-mail, saying that the university "cannot tolerate such words and actions."

Locatelli, however, warned against forwarding the e-mail, arguing that the message "only perpetuates bigotry."

The letter surfaced weeks after students pressed administrators to allow the eponymous title of "drag show" for their third annual sponsored event. Previously, the university had given the show the green light but had stopped short of sanctioning its title in years past.

» Contact Jack Gillum at (408) 554-4849 or jgillum@scu.edu.