Despite boycott, U. students ski

When going on vacation, sometimes the baggage gets lost in transit. Several University students spent winter break on the slopes of Colorado and either deliberately or unconsciously left political baggage behind, saying they were unaffected by the so-called "anti-gay" referendum passed in that state in November. The referendum, which was passed by Colorado residents on Election Day last year, forbade Colorado's cities and its state legislature from passing anti-discrimination protection laws for homosexuals. It also voided existing protective legislation in Aspen, Boulder and Denver. The referendum has generated a number of boycotts of Colorado by entertainment figures and conventions -- but apparently not by University students. "It didn't affect my decision [to go there]," College senior Andy Lazerow said. "I didn't go out there with a chip on my shoulder." College sophomore Laura Frank said that while she did not agree with the referendum, her family had planned their trip to Aspen months before it was passed. "A lot of businesses [in Colorado] are going to lose business because of the boycott, and I think there's no way that that referendum can stand up," she said. Several students said that they did not feel any repercussions of the referendum during their time in Colorado. "I did not even hear one thing about it, or anyone talking about it, while I was there," College freshman Josh Leitner said. "People did talk about [the referendum] while I was there," College sophomore Josefa Kaufman said about her trip to Breckinridge, a ski resort. "It seemed like most people were against it, but it didn't deter anyone from going there." "The small towns are very family-oriented, so people tend to shy away from talking about homosexuals and the ban," she added. "It's more the celebrities who are taking the stand than anyone else." Wharton freshman Colby Goff, who is from Colorado, said his trip home was untouched by any contention over the bill, adding that he feels the referendum is a confusing one. "The bill was written with a lot of double negatives, and it was difficult to understand," Goff said. "It supported gay rights, but it may have over-supported them, giving prejudice in favor of gays." "I wouldn't be angry at students who went to Colorado," Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Alliance board member Jim Walsh said. "When large organizations boycott Colorado, it makes a bigger difference than individuals boycotting Colorado." But Robert Schoenberg, assistant director of Student Life Programs, said he feels that individual support against the legislation can be a relevant force. "As far as student travel goes, I hope that those students who went there were at least thoughtful about what they were doing before they went," Schoenberg said.