Unfounded Discrimination

I had quite the experience last night at a ward function. I'll share what I can with you...

I went to ward prayer, a fairly normal evening activity for single Latter Day Saints. Because of all the boundary changes that have been happening lately, I am still meeting new people on a regular basis. There was a person I didn't know sitting next to one of my friends (T.), and he overheard me telling T. that I am from Riverton. Immediately he had a disgusted look on his face and a haughty tone in his voice as he said, "Oh." Puzzled, I asked where he was from, and he proudly told me that he was from West Jordan, and attended West Jordan High School.

Last time I was in school, I was unaware that there was a big rivalry between Riverton and West Jordan. I had always been under the impression that our big rivals were Bingham, Copper Hills, and Alta. AND...the fact that it still bothered him now that we are both in college seemed slightly ridiculous.

Just wait, it gets better...



Through more discussion with T. and other people at this function, it came out that I'm a member of the Aggie Marching Band. This person matter-of-factly told me that he hated me. Again, puzzled, I asked why he could already hate someone he had just barely met.

It wasn't the color of my skin, it wasn't my sexual orientation, it wasn't my religion, it wasn't my political stance. He hates me for the sole reason that I am a member of the Aggie Marching Band.



I asked him what in the world he had against the band, and he promptly explained that he is one of the people who takes care of the football fields, and that we constantly tear holes in them. Reflecting on my marching band experience at Utah State, I informed him that we rehearse on a parking lot outside of the stadium, and therefore could not possibly be committing the crime that he accused us of. He said very quickly, "Not on Friday". Friday was our dress rehearsal, if you will. We had been allowed ONE DAY to march on something besides asphalt before our performance for the homecoming game. When I tried to explain this, he interjected with even more hatred that he also hated that we march in the same spots for every pregame and half time show, and that he gets "chewed out" because of us.



Needless to say, I wanted nothing more to do with this person who had so rudely expressed his contempt for someone he had just met for two ridiculous reasons - where I attended high school and the organization that I am proud to be a member of.



As I was reflecting on this, I remembered many students being shocked to learn that USU actually had a marching band. I also remembered some things I have learned over the years about the athletics program here - such as the fact that my tuition and student fees are being used to feed, transport, house, and "educate" the athletes of this institution. In thinking of this, I remembered that I had to fight to get a single dollar of student fees to go toward the marching band fund so that we could function and so we could get new instruments and uniforms. When I was a freshman, we wore uniforms that had been purchased in the 1980's that were falling apart and smelled like a nursing home, and had instruments that were in just as bad, if not worse shape.

Something is wrong with this picture.



I wanted to take a moment and express that I am proud to be from Riverton, UT, and I am also VERY proud to be a member of the Aggie Marching Band. Being a member of that organization has taught me more than any other class I have taken on this campus about how to deal with people, solve problems, and discipline myself to become better. I have also met some of my dearest and closest friends, had invaluable leadership opportunities, and more because of this group that many people don't realize exists.

To those who have never experienced the comradery and satisfaction that comes from being a part of a musical organization, I am so sorry. You have missed out on more than you will ever know.

To those who are still stuck in high school rivalries now that you are a returned missionary and employed by a university, I am also sorry. I hope that one day you can move beyond that.

To those who tell someone you hate them before you even learn their name, I am the most sorry. Soon you will be friendless, lonely, and will continue to be ignorant and uneducated when it comes to things that really matter.

That is all for now.

Meaningless Musings

It's been a while, so I thought I should play a little bit of catch-up...

August: Much of August was spent with family, friends, and paint. Yep, you heard right. I went on a few weekend trips with some friends of mine over the summer (and had a blast) up to Bear Lake, and also went on a week-long vacation with my family out to Midway and areas surrounding it. It is absolutely beautiful, and I have convinced myself that I will live there someday. Small town in the middle of a gorgeous canyon. Ah, amazing! When I got home from that trip, I spent time with my mom at my place in Logan packing boxes, repainting some walls, scrubbing anything I could, and trying yet again to get this place to sell. I also started band camp for my last time here at Utah State. There were some mixed feelings that came with this - I'm glad I'm nearing the end, but I've been doing it for so long it will be weird to not come back to it.



September: I spent a little bit more quality time painting a few doors and other things, and my mom came and spent a weekend with me while she was doing respite care for a couple of autistic boys from Tremonton. I won't go into detail about that here, but it was quite an experience - one I would rather not repeat. A couple of my friends helped me move furniture back after we got NEW CARPET ( :) ) and one of my Brian friends helped with some general maintenance and putting things back together. I began to find that this year's drumline (and band as a whole, for that matter) was harder to handle than those we had had in the past - plus school and work were not quite balancing out the way I had hoped for them to. I began prepping for my senior recital, which is scheduled for November 13th. I also attended a toga party for my KKY brothers and helped with a TBS carwash. :)









October: Of course, it's the best month ever. :) Conference weekend was great - I really enjoyed so much of what was said! It was refreshing. And, of course, the Argentine food added to that fantastic weekend. The next weekend was my birthday, which I also celebrated with my family. It was nice to get away from Logan for a while and sort out a lot of things that were floating in my head, kind of away from the site. I found out, though, that the University never assigned me an accompanist for my recital...So I have been trying to find another, with little to no success. I'm not quite sure how this will all work out, but I hope to make it so...

I really should be practicing or doing homework, but I'm just passing time for right now - one of my friends is meeting me here in a few minutes to go for ice cream. :)

Last week a couple of the girls in Tau Beta Sigma (and Mike from Kappa Kappa Psi) helped Dr. Rohrer's wife with a project out at an elementary school. During our lunch break we discovered a room with toys in it...so we of course took some photos... :P











I learned how to drive a stick shift today! It was a little rough, but my friend Ryan said that I was doing exceptionally well. Even though I killed it a lot... You know me, the perfectionist... Maybe I'll get some more practice when I move back to Salt Lake and can borrow Steven's little truck.

I don't really know what else to write about, so that is all for now.