Tunnel of Oppression

Brian Howe
Special to the Critic

Students are required to go through the Tunnel of Oppression, though it proved haunting to some.

Racism, sexism, and domestic violence can be very hard for anyone to deal with.

The tunnel of oppression dealt with not only hate crimes but other types of violence. Students and community members had the chance to experience the tunnel. The tour features different rooms and each room deals with a type of violence.

“It hit pretty close to home because I grew up in a military family. I have been around people from all over the world”, said Micheal Smith, a freshmen and graphic design major. He had the chance to visit the tunnel but had to leave because it brought back too many memories of the past. He says that part of it brought back memories from when pow's (prisoner of war) came back from the Vietnam war.

“Our staff of peer leaders are each given a room to research”, said Donna Keely, the director of the first year experience. They put the tunnel together with the research they get and portray what would really happen in different situations when it came to different types of violence.

“Students don't know what to expect so they don't sign up but their friends go through and then tell them about it. Then we see students wanting to go through”, said Keely. By the last day they have to squeeze in students because they want to experience the tunnel; the tunnel only runs every fall semester.

“Monday in INT class some said it was ridiculous. They didn't think it was worth their time and students around campus said the same thing and it angered me,” said Smith. The tunnel was set up for students to learn about the different types of violence so they can do something about it if they see it happening.

This is a requirement for INT-1020 students and they must go through.

“My professor said that it was a requirement for us to go through and we didn't have an option,” says Smith. Some students might be too emotionally sensitive to handle this type of confrontation, says Smith.

“It is still my opinion that students either need to be told what they may find in this activity or be given the option to do something else for their INT course”, Smith said.