Editor,
On Monday, it was conference day, and I was running late. I was racing to meet my creative writing teacher. To make the students comfortable and at ease, she was holding conferences at the SUB. I raced across the quad, ran up the steps, and the uniform shouted, "You can't go in there."
I'm a 68-year-old non-degree student. The main reason I am taking classes is to challenge myself and to keep my brain alive. Fine art and creative writing classes keep my creative juices flowing. I make artistic walking sticks that I have on display at the Weyrich Gallery. I'm a show-off, so I was carrying one of my sticks with me when I approached the SUB. I was unaware of the John McCain rally being held in the building, so I was taken by surprise when a man in uniform stopped me and said I could not enter the SUB with my walking stick.
Out of breath from running up the steps, I explain that I am late for a conference and that this is one of my walking sticks. He still said I couldn't enter the SUB with it.
I told him I would leave the stick with him, and he said I couldn't do that.
At that point, we were joined by a man in a suit who confirmed I couldn't enter the building with my walking stick. I told him it was just a walking stick, and he asked why couldn't I carry a smaller stick.
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When it finally became apparent that I was not a threat and I was not going to the rally, I was allowed to enter the building.
I suppose I look like an old hippie with my long hair and beard, but it takes living in the age of paranoia to see me with my art stick as a threat. Besides, the hippie motto was "Make love, not war."
Lenny Krosinsky
UNM student
