Whoa... write a bad review on a production and the world hunts you down. That is what it was – a review, not a story or an article.

I reviewed the production, which according to Webster’s Dictionary is to write or give a critical report on (a new work or performance, for example).

If you open a copy of USA Today, you will find reviews in the Life section of the paper and opinions in the News section. The review I wrote belonged right where it should, in the Features section where Arts and Entertainment belong.

I thought the one-man production by Jocardo Edward Ralston was interesting, humorous and he did embrace some aspects of diversity.

Yes, it did show the student body the differences in others, but the aspect of the production that I did not like about it was that it added more to the stereotype that gays already have.

It doesn’t help the gay population’s image when a gay man comes to a small town and talks about gay sex, having an inner drama queen and shouting out his sexuality to a closed-minded community.

Small-town people are unsure of what to think because it is a small town. Look at what happened with Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyo.

The “closed-minded” society already believes that all gays are drama queens anyways. The production, in my opinion, added to that stereotype... yes, it was amusing to those who have walked in his shoes (either because of gender, race or sexual orientation), because we know the truth about not being accepted just because we are different.

Before watching the production, I thought it would be somewhat of a serious nature, to show to the students on campus the issues concerning acceptance for those who are different, not adding to the stereotype.

A good production that I have seen and urge everyone else to see, no matter how you feel about diversity, is The Laramie Project. In this production, now made into film, you are able to follow the tragic events that led to Matthew Shepard’s death.

The reason I call this a good production is because it shows society that even in the smallest towns, tragedy can occur anywhere, no matter who you are.

Shepard was just a normal college student who just happened to be killed because he was different from everyone else – he was gay.

After talking to many students after the show, that was the basis for stating that it did not completely achieve its goals of showing acceptance to the gay population – or to those who were different.

Speaking to several students after the production, I got great feedback from those who already believed in trying to end discrimination, those who felt the harassment just for being different from the “norm.”

Yet, there were still those who came out as closed-minded as before.

I, personally, do know what it feels like to be treated differently just because of my differences. My main goal in life is to end discrimination around me. Calling me a biased person when you don’t even know me … isn’t that discrimination just because of the words I write?

“Greg is a vigilante for diversity and tolerance, which empowers him to disagree with those who supposedly fight to the same end.” This statement was made by one of my friends who will stick by my side no matter what happens to me.

I have educated both my friends and many professors on diversity and tolerance. We are all different in some form or another, but that is what makes all of us unique. I will always and plan on always fighting to end discrimination based on age, gender, race, sexual orientation and both physical and mental differences.

For more information on who I am and what I stand for, before calling me a biased person and a bad critic, visit my homepage at www.geocities.com/chaosboi_1981.