Anti-Gay Graffiti Resurfaces In Mather

For the second time this year,

K. Kyriell Muhammad, a tutor in religion, came home to find homophobic graffiti scrawled across his Mather House door on Wednesday afternoon.

Muhammad, who is also a Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender and Supporters Association (BGLTSA) adviser, was the victim of the first homophobic act since the House publicly endorsed a pledge supporting non-discrimination in October.

"I find it profoundly disturbing," said Mather House Co-Master Sandra A. Naddaff '75. "We had hoped we had seen the last of these incidents."

House administrators registered a formal complaint with the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) in addition to an official report detailing the various incidents this fall has been filed.

HUPD spokesperson Peggy A. McNamara said officers are investigating the graffiti, which she termed "a vandalism incident motivated by hate."

To her knowledge, no one has ever been arrested for a hate crime on

campus.

"We're following the processes for an investigation," she said. "We take

this very seriously."

University officials spoke out immediately against this latest act of homophobic graffiti.

"This latest incident is deplorable and the Police have been called in to

assist in the investigation," Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 wrote in an e-mail message. "This behavior is unacceptable and most regrettable."

House Co-Masters Naddaff and Leigh G. Haffrey '73 circulated an e-mail on Thursday to all residents of Mather House condemning the incident and urging all students to report any information that they may have.

The vandalism comes in the wake of a rash of homophobic incidents in Mather House and in other Houses. In October, Winthrop House residents found homophobic graffiti on their doors, and posters advertising the Mather House Queer Film Series and the BGLTSA Safe Zone were torn down about the same time.

After last week's incident, students have stepped up efforts to create an atmosphere free of discrimination and bigotry.

Members of both the Mather House Council and individual House residents had drafted a pledge earlier this year in response to the previous acts of homophobia.

Over 300 House residents signed the Mather House Creed, which stresses inclusiveness and the need for compassion and unity in the house community and is now posted in the house's dining hall.

"It was meant to be a statement on how we should permanently live, a formulation of the values of this community," Naddaff said. "That has not changed."

"Mather students and staff went to great lengths to make a strong statement about what constitutes acceptable behavior in our community," Kyriell added. "To be honest, I think we all thought it was over."

The latest incident has caused students to once again speak out against acts of homophobia on campus.

David B. Orr '01, a member of the Undergraduate Council as well as the joint Student-Faculty Safety Committee, has been working to bring the incident to the attention of the campus, meeting with several University officials over the weekend.

"We talked about the different ways that the university can eliminate homophobia on campus," Orr said. "We want to make sure students feel safe and are safe."

Orr also spearheaded an initiative to pass a resolution expressing the council's dedication to the principles of non-discrimination. The council's Anti-Homophobia Task Force met yesterday and drafted a resolution titled "A Commitment to Unity, Safety, and Respect in the Harvard Community" which was endorsed unanimously at last night's council meeting.

"We commit to acting in a manner which allows all Harvard students, gay and straight, to live honestly and openly without fear," the text reads.

The next step, Orr said, is to reach out to the whole campus community.

"The main goal is to initiate dialogue on campus, especially with religious and conservative groups," Orr said. "I think that all Harvard students can agree that no student should fear violence or bigotry."

Other students are less optimistic. "We've tried posters, rallies, everything, and nothing seems to be working," said Michael A. Hill '00, co-chair of the BGLTSA. "Right now, we are completely at a loss."