Thirty-four students received hate mail with anti-queer messages

IOWA, Grinnell College: Thirty-four students received hate mail with anti-queer messages in their student mailboxes at Grinnell College. The incident occurred just five days after a streak of anti-gay vandalism on campus property on Feb. 23. Most of the students who received the hate mail were active in the campus queer community.

Messages were printed on the inside of each letter in large, bold font. "Fear God, not Fags" and "You can't stop us fag-go and get some pussy" were some of the written insults.

"It was clearly somebody who had access to a directory, and it was somebody who was on campus or could come on campus," Associate Dean and Director of Student Life Sheree Andrews told Scarlet & Black, Grinnell's student newspaper. "It was someone who knew, who was associated the LGBTQ community."

"In response to the hate mail, the most beautiful thing we've come up with is love mail," Philosophy Professor Bernal Meehan, said. More than 300 students attended the event and made love letters for their friends and peers with paper and art supplies supplied by the college. He also said that despite the incidents, Grinnell is an accepting community.

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