In the wake of last Wednesday's bias incident in which Tufts' cannon was smeared with the word 'smut' when painted for National Coming Out Day, members of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) community organized a rally to promote tolerance.
Members of the Tufts community were invited to sign a banner to show their support during the open block yesterday.
"Initial turnout was huge," freshman Sabina Carlson, who was helping to paint the cannon at 5:30, said. "Professors and students stopped and signed."
By 5:30 the bedsheet banner was covered in colorful drawings and signatures, including University President Lawrence Bacow's.
Another incident on Oct. 13 also sparked concern. The Bias Education and Awareness Team (BEAT) and Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) received reports of lighted fireworks, or "sparklers" thrown into the common room of the Rainbow House, the LGBT special interest housing unit in Hillside Apartments.
"The incident is still being investigated," sophomore Sofia Nelson, who works for the LGBT center, said. "People in the community are treating it as a bias incident."
According to Nelson, yesterday's rally and cannon painting "was a campus-wide response to all forms of bias" that was not in direct response to the two incidents.
Queer Straight Alliance (QSA) co-coordinator senior Daniel Katz said he was excited that Bacow was one of the first people to sign the banner. "Bacow and Reitman were there early, and it was terrific to get such support." Dean Reitman stayed at the rally for the entire open block.
"Bacow signed the banner, and that was important for us because of the general silence from the administration on these recent incidents," Carlson said.
"This university is about tolerance," said Katz. "Hopefully with the cannon the message will get out."
The painting session was organized jointly by BEAT and the QSA. First the cannon was painted a base of green, this year's BEAT color. On top of the green, hand prints of multiple colors were added.
"The hand is a symbol of 'STOP,'" said Katz. "It is personal, vital and unique."
According to Nelson, painting the cannon is a symbolic gesture of unity. "We are trying to reclaim the cannon as a symbol of campus unity," she said.
"I think it is a strong positive response to the recent bias incidents," senior Alex Kelston said, who helped paint the cannon green last night.
-James Bologna
