The green space on the Georgia State campus is a beautiful spot. When the weather is good, you’ll see tons of students sitting and enjoying each other’s company out in the open.
You can hear the birds chirping, students laughing and some evangelical Christian yelling about abortion through a megaphone.
Amidst the bustle of the students having fun, there is almost always someone trying to sell something or push some agenda.
Whether this constant soliciting is religiously or financially motivated, it’s awful and needs to stop.
College students are a very poor demographic, so it’s hilarious that people constantly try to sell things to us.
I am struggling to buy myself lunch. Therefore, I do not have the funds to spend on whatever they are trying to sell.
You’d think they’d move onto a more lucrative group of possible consumers. They can’t possibly be making much money selling to college kids.
The soliciting is annoying and can sometimes push offensive and hurtful rhetoric.
Georgia State senior Priya Kaali remembers when she was spoken to in a derogatory manner by a few evangelicals in the green.
“They came up to me trying to preach about Jesus, so I told them I was Hindu. The man got really disrespectful and started saying mean and ignorant stuff about Hinduism,” Kaali said
She says the man started asking her what gods she worships, but in a manner that was mocking her religion. He wondered if she worshiped a “pizza god” or a “car god.”
How can you expect people to take your religion seriously while simultaneously disrespecting theirs? It’s silly, especially when you preach a faith about love and kindness.
I don’t think Jesus would be happy to see his followers bullying people with different beliefs.
Students are stressed out enough with endless assignments and tests. We don’t need the extra stress of worrying about being belittled in the green space when we are just trying to vibe.
Several soliciting groups have made a home in the green these days, much to our dismay.
It is almost impossible nowadays to relax in the green without someone coming up to you and disturbing your peace with some gimmick.
It’s become an everyday thing, and it’s unacceptable. As the weather gets nicer, more salespeople will appear.
My plea to the salespeople and preachers in the green space is to please leave the students alone. We are not interested in whatever it is you are selling. Let us lay in the grass in peace, please.
