Student Government President Cody Wells’ decision not to sign legislation creating a month to commemorate lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history sparked a reasonable amount of hubbub last week.
Though the legislation urging University administration to create such a month will pass without Wells’ signature, members of the LGBT community and SG saw his decision not to sign the legislation as a slap in the face.
My first impression is that the non-signing means little to nothing and the ensuing bickering and back-stepping has created cycles of silliness. A superficial judgement of the situation begs the question: What does one do differently during a month of recognition?
Perhaps we are exposed to a slight increase in news stories and other media entries regarding the month, but do your day-to-day activities differ at all?
Will you wake up every morning raging at the oppression of gays and lesbians in our state? Will you take any more interest in the history of homosexuality?
Unfortunately, I doubt many will.
Further, SG is a toothless organization with its stars carrying less name recognition with the student body than the custodians who clean our bathrooms.
Aside from free Scantrons — which you compensate for via a $10 annual fee to SG — what do you know about SG?
It’s hard to understand the angst of those assailing Wells because he didn’t veto it. But looking at Wells’ winding explanations reveals greater absurdity.
Wells chose not to veto the bill, thus electing to take the noncommittal approach to a potentially polarizing situation. His reasoning was that he wanted to respect the voice of the Student Government Senate as representative of the student body.
So if he chooses to always quell his own voice in respect of the Senate, why ever sign a bill?
If he wasn’t elected to represent the student body, what is he doing as president?
As an aside: It wouldn’t be the first time SG tried to accomplish something without the backing of the student body — see the class gift project from 2010.
So what does he fear here? Misrepresenting those who wouldn’t back an agenda that includes LBGT support? Did he make his decision in deference to those in the student body who would not support the agenda or greater recognition of the LBGT plight?
While bigotry may be the norm in Louisiana and may permeate our own student body, it was spineless to sidestep supporting such a measure, whatever the motivation.
Wells further danced around the situation, offering the rationale that he didn’t want to give preference to one group lest others pop up and start wanting recognition.
So we shouldn’t recognize and raise awareness for one oppressed group because other groups might start feeling like they rightfully deserve recognition?
This isn’t sound judgement. I’m not accusing Wells of bigotry — just poor decisions and subsequent explanations.
It’s here I can sympathize with LGBT complaints. Homosexuals live in a state rife with thinly veiled bigotry and can’t even enjoy the basic right to marry like everyone else. So Wells’ explanation is probably fairly irritating.
 Not only campus, but Louisiana in general, could benefit from a month recognizing gay history. Perhaps then some of the more extreme members of society and state government will realize gay people are exactly like the rest of the population aside from one aspect of their private life.
 
Xerxes Wilson is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Lucedale, Miss. Follow him on Twitter @Ber_Xerxes.
 
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Contact Xerxes A. Wilson at [email protected]