Columbia Dining Hall Worker Charges Gay Harassment

Two weeks after a Columbia football coach allegedly instigated harassment of a dining hall employee, gay groups are charging that athletes are the main source of homphobia on campus.

The Columbia Gay and Lesbian Alliance (CGLA) complained after the dining hall employee received an anonymous note that read, "Get the homos out of the kitchen. You are encouraging AIDS. Die!" The employee, James S. Mukherjee, said football players later harassed him with hoots, cat calls, and derogatory references to his sexual orientation.

The CGLA sponsored a "kiss-in" two nights ago to draw attention to the incident and to homophobia among athletes. The administration has promised an investigation, but Columbia officials declined comment on the situation.

The controversy began on October 19 when Mukherjee was making sandwiches on a food service line in Columbia's main dining hall. He was working during "training tables," a designated time during which the dining hall serves only football players because of the late practices.

Assistant Football Coach Tom Gilmore, who was eating with his players, got upset after seeing Mukherjee engage in "unsanitary" behavior while preparing food, and complained to the dining hall manager.

"[Mukherjee's] hair is very long and it was hanging in his face," said Gilmore. "He was wearing dirty and ripped clothing, and he rubbed his nose and mouth with his bare hands while making the sandwiches."

"Then, another [male] employee came over and kissed him on top of the food," Gilmore continued. "This was unsanitary and inappropriate." Gilmore criticized Mukherjee for being kissed by his friend.

But Mukherjee yesterday challenged Gilmore's account of the incident, saying he never acted unsanitarily near the food. Mukherjee said, "When my friend Matt said goodbye, Gilmore was looking chagrined. The next thing I knew, he went to talk to my crew leader. I was not dressed unsanitarily, and if a girl had kissed me goodbye, I don't think he would have called that inappropriate."

Mukherjee said that the day after Gilmore complained to the manager, football players harassed him. The dining hall employee said he believes the players were encouraged by the actions of their coach.

"[Gilmore] was obviously homophobic. The CGLA and I feel the coach instigated the players' actions--either intentionally or unintentionally, it doesn't matter," he said.

Though the note was anonymous, the CGLA charged that it was left by football players. "At the time the card was found, only football players were left in the dining hall," said Margarita M. Suarez, co-chair CGLA. "We believe that Gilmore is a role model for his players. How could AIDS death threats come out of complaints only directed at someone's cleanliness?"

Gilmore said he merely was trying to clean up the dining hall and he mentioned nothing about the kiss to members of the team. "I am not homophobic. I wanted the dining hall cleaned up so that students could eat the food. I did my job," said Gilmore.

Four hundred students signed a petition last week calling on Gilmore to apologize publicly to Mukherjee. The petition, sponsored by the CGLA, also calls for a multi-cultural sensitivities program to be instituted in the athletic department.

"We are not trying to target only one group [athletes]," said Suarez. "Unfortunately, the majority of reported homophobia incidents involve athletes and frats. We want to solve the problem."

The incident also promoted the Columbia Student Senate to consider an anti-homophicia measure that would define procedures in harassment cases.

Gilmore said he won't apologize because "I did nothing wrong. I was only doing my job. [The CGLA] can fabricate all they want." He said an investigation of the incident is also scheduled to begin next week. Gilmore said the investigation will "prove that I did nothing wrong."

"I don't blame [the CGLA] for bringing attention to their cause," said Gilmore, "but it is wrong when this is done at the expense of others."