Junior Phillip Ensler, a Hatchet columnist, calls for an end to homophobic violence, saying students need to address individual opposition to the gay community.

I had a very pleasant dream this week. I dreamt that being gay no longer made a person a subject of hateful acts and feelings of inferiority. But that was not the reality I woke up to. Recent events across the country reminded me of the terror lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals still face.

In case you missed them, here is a recap of the most despicable incidents that have happened recently: A freshman from Rutgers University killed himself after his roommate streamed online footage of him kissing another male; three gay men were mercilessly tortured in the Bronx simply because of their sexual orientation; individuals have been taunted and physically attacked in D.C. since June.

What is most concerning about these events is that many of the attackers are young, college-age students. This challenges the notion that our generation has transcended such hatred.