The Silent Treatment: Day of Silence Comes to Austin Peay

By James Butler | April 17, 2007 |

This Wednesday, April 18 2007 the Austin Peay Gay Straight Alliance will bring GLSEN’s Day of Silence to the campus followed by a Breaking the Silence Rally that evening at 6:00PM in the Morgan University Center Ball Room. The day’s main events revolve around participants in the even being completely silent for the day handing out speaking cards when questioned about their silence.  Afterwards, participants and the community are invited to “break the silence” with the GSA and guest speakers David Shelton and Dr. Marisa Richmond as well as a screening of the movie The Average American provided by Mr. Bill Larson.

A video dedicated to the Day of Silence. A day dedicated to those who have been silenced over the years. Not the Average American

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The Silent Treatment: Day of Silence enters its eleventh year

By David W. Shelton | April 17, 2007 |

Hopefully, you’ll notice that schools across America are a little more quiet than usual this Wednesday. There’s good reason for that. As I write this, it’s Tuesday evening, just hours before the beginning of the 11th annual Day of Silence.

All across America, in middle and high schools as well as colleges, students have pledged to remain silent for the entire school day. The event was spearheaded by GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network) in order to promote a better understanding and tolerance for GLBT students. The day was organized first in 1996 at the University of Virginia and grew exponentially every following year. «Read the rest of this article»

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Book Signing at University an Unqualified Success

By James Butler | April 17, 2007 |

David Shelton’s presentation of his book The Rainbow Kingdom: Christianity and the Homosexual Reconciled was a major success for the Austin Peay Gay-Straight Alliance. According to the official count some 43 people attended the event making it the largest event the GSA has hosted on its own this semester and competing well with its partnered venture with Clarksville Pride, Inc.

Shelton’s performance began with an introductory speech by Miss Amber Gaulden, vice-president of the GSA which started off the night’s pattern of somewhat offbeat humor with Miss Gaulden making slight jabs at the potential controversial nature. That was followed by Shelton doing a brief presentation on the upcoming Day of Silence to warm up the audience before beginning his presentation with an analysis of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, before then proceeding to read from his book.

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Prayers for Virginia Tech students and their families

By David W. Shelton | April 17, 2007 |

In a what is violent reminder of the high school shootings of the 1990s, a single “Asian male” student locked himself into a room in Norris Hall along with about 30 or so others and began to open fire. Like the massacre at Columbine High School, where Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold opened fire on their classmates and teachers, students at Virginia Tech “played dead” in order to survive.

He was described as dressed “almost like a Boy Scout,” and was very “methodical” and “thorough” in his shootings. In the end, more than 30 people were killed, including the gunman. Sources say he killed himself. Surviving students then tried to get into another room and barricade the door, but he started shooting through the door. “Blood was everywhere,” one person said. «Read the rest of this article»

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