United in Support rally attracts large crowd

United in Support was the theme around Idaho State University Monday as members of the community held a support rally for international students.

The university estimates more than 1,000 people showed up. The rally comes after hate DVDs and reports of crimes against international students surfaced earlier this month.

The goal of the United in Support rally was to show support for cultural diversity and to show the need for more tolerance. City officials, ISU students and faculty, and many community members all turned out for the event.

There were 10 different speakers including Pocatello’s mayor, the police chief, ISU’s president and other faculty members. Each speaker emphasized the same key message.

“Do not paint us with one white brush of who we are not,” said Fahim Rahim, a local Muslim leader who kicked off the rally. “We’re not all racists, bigots. Yeah there are a few bad apples on both ends but that doesn’t reflect on the masses.”

Those who attended the rally hoped it would do just that: show that the majority supports diversity. Community members and officials all thought it was a great first step toward changing what’s happening. Reactions to the rally were very positive.

“I thought the rally was fantastic,” said ISU President Arthur Vailas. “It was really celebrating solidarity, love, unification, globalization; all the things that the community and the university believe in, and have believed in, and will continue to believe in.”

One community member, Carly Beebe, who helped organize a march afterward, was very pleased with how it all went.

“I’m so proud to be a part of Pocatello right now,” she said. “This was a beautiful day.”

“It’s so amazing,” said Turki Lhutayah, an ISU international student. “This is always the beautiful ISU. It’s always like this: support, peace and love. We are like family here.”

“This is the reason why I love Pocatello and I want the world to know that this is what Pocatello is all about,” said Shaela Litzau, an ISU faculty member. “This showing of people in support of our friends, our loved ones, this is why people are here and this is why they stay.”

Supporters hope the message of unity and acceptance won’t end with the rally. They hope it will continue to spread, and they say it can start anywhere.

“It can start at a small place like a coffee shop, it could start in a class,” said Alma Gonzalez, a community member. “It takes two minutes to greet someone with respect and also to understand that everybody has different perceptions but in the end we’re all humans.”

A lot of people had signs at the rally and many students and community members took the signs after the rally and marched around campus to further show their support.

It was announced at the rally there will be a block party April 30 at 1 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to come wearing their cultural attire to continue showing diversity and unity.