I just got cable. After not having cable, I was stoked to sit down Wednesday night and watch a little MTV. Instead of TRL or Real World, there was a documentary on hate crimes. My first thought was to change the channel.

But I just sat and watched. The show was about Matthew Shepard, the man who was beaten to death in 1998. There was discussion of hate crimes and hate speech afterwards. The reason I thought about writing to the Exponent is because I learned something, and I was wondering if anyone else did too. I guess I never really think about what I say and who I am around. As a straight, senior, male student I run into lots of people on a day-to-day basis in my own perfect little world. But one thing I never realize is who I am interacting with. I never think that I might be talking to someone who is lonely, gay, straight, discriminated against, etc. As I enter the real world this spring, I made a conscious decision to think about the things I say when I am interacting with people.

I usually don't think at all — and let the jokes fly. But after hearing the people like us talk on TV ... I think I might think a little more before I speak.