Adam Smith, the recent Emory University grad who admitted to physically removing a gay student from a Halloween party at the frat Sigma Nu, insists he’s not a homophobic douchebag, and anyone who says he is doesn’t know the whole story. Okay, Adam, why don’t you tell us what happened in between you spotting the undergrad wearing a lime-green jacket, red pants, and a wizard hat … and you calling him a faggot and dragging him out of the frat house by his neck.

Responding to the Emory Wheel story, Adam posts in the comments that he’s not a homophobic jerk, just a drunk asshole, and really, can’t we all forgive him for that?:

I do not know the individual that I kicked out of the party. If I knew his name I would have already sent him a sincere and personal apology for the incident that occurred.

I am in NO WAY at all a homophobic person. I have many friends at Emory who will vouch for me as a friendly guy and a genuinely great person.

This article paints me in an unfairly negative way. It was originally written and published without my input at all, using accounts by the Wizard and his friend(s) only. I was told earlier tonight that an article had just been posted about me online. I shockingly read it in its entirety, including that “Smith was attempted to be reached for comment but did not respond.” For the record, I received zero emails, calls/texts, Facebook messages…I am sure if anyone on the Emory Wheel staff put in any sort of honest effort to contact me they easily could have. I tracked down the editor of the Wheel’s cell phone number and called him at 2am this morning, asking how this could have happened. He talked with me briefly, wrote down a few comments, and then informed me that the hard copy of the Wheel had already been printed but agreed to add in what I had to say in the online version.

If Emory wants to bring the issue to light that the student body and/or Greek system is unfriendly toward the LGBT community, and that “instances of violence [against LGBT] have been less visible on Emory’s campus”, I think this is a cheap, irresponsible, and unfair way to go about doing it. To take this hazy, isolated incident, blow it out of proportion, and turn me into a scapegoat and slander my name is ridiculous. I think it is unprofessional reporting and would hope for some sort of apology from the Emory Wheel.

Further there was not any “approving reaction” from the crowd at the party for me putting this kid in a headlock and throwing him out, nor was I walking around bragging to other people that I just kicked “this faggot kid” out of the party, high five bro…Really?? This whole dumb event occurred because I was drunk and thought it would be funny to throw someone out to the wrath of the huge security guard at the door, and the most ridiculous person that naturally stood out to me was this Wizard dressed kid. I purposely egged him on a little bit, he snapped back at me, and I threw him out.

So chalk this up as me being a drunk asshole, a frat guy with too much testosterone, or whatever you want to call me I really don’t care. I just want everyone to know that that’s literally all it was, that’s the honest truth. I’m not some ignorant bigot looking to bash homosexuals, so please don’t think that. I hope the Wheel in the future will find better content to publish, rather than turning something small like this into an inflated and untruthful story in order to spark artificial controversy at the cost of an individual like me.

We could spend the next 2,000 words responding about how Adam purposefully picked on “the queer looking kid,” or how being drunk doesn’t excuse his behavior, or how he should really consult an attorney before posting another statement. Or we could simply print the words of a person who responded to Adam’s post:

You’re an idiot. And what you did was horribly wrong on all levels. You’re a disgrace to the community and people like you have no need to be associated with Emory at all. Being drunk is never an excuse. Grow up. Haven’t you graduated?

Oh, and this one:

Adam smith you are a complete idiot. Your claim is that you just wanted to throw someone out of the party, which I am assuming was a pathetic attempt to appeal to your peers. Why then, did you purposefully probe the victim about his sexuality before throwing him out. I am curious if he had answered differently would you have still thought it necessary to display your ignorance so aggressively? Further, if your initial intention was to throw the victim out, why talk to the victim at all, or was that some kind of f***ed up foreplay? By the way, it doesn’t matter if your a homophobe or not, although I suspect you are, your still an A**hole and I would have gladly assisted in kicking your A** had I been there. Also should the victim decide to file a police report, you have admitted in writing to premeditating the battery, which as any law student or law and order watcher knows lands you a much more serious sentence. So congrats I hope your ridiculous display of masculinity was worth it.

Although it was really tempting to title this “how many Emory students to spot the jackas*?” I realize that Adam Smith is not the only student who would or could have committed this crime. So, in all seriousness, intolerance is still a problem plaguing our campus. I have nothing against Greek life as a whole, personally, but if you are tired of getting blamed I suggest you figure out how to show the rest of us just how inclusive you can be.

EARLIER:
Emory University Student Dragged Out Of Frat Party By Sigma Nu Alum For Being Gay

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