La Voz

La Voz Weekly Editorial Board Front row from left: Nicole Moreno, Faezan Hussain and Loriza Sasur Back row from left: Tim Nguyen, Thomas Guffey, Chris Marks, and Robert Erdei

It's hard to find a De Anza College student who hasn't heard of the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl at a birthday party attended by baseball players from De Anza.

The allegations have created a firestorm of public outcry and media attention over the past three months. It's unfortunate, to say the least, that such major negative attention has descended on our student body.

But there is one shining example of heroism in all this mess. Three soccer players, rather than just letting it happen, stood up for what was right and helped the girl. Whether the 17-year-old was a victim of rape or of a terrible sexual experience, no one can deny that Lauren Chief Elk, April Grolle and

Lauren Bryeans did the right thing. It's more than can be said for the other partygoers that night. At a crowded house party celebrating two different birthdays, these three women were the only ones who decided to do something about what was going on in the room next to the kitchen.

Because whether what happened was rape or not, it wasn't right. When you hook up with someone who's not only 17 years old, but also very drunk, you're taking advantage of that person, plain and simple. This case, perhaps because we know it's more common than we'd like to think, makes us sick to our stomachs.

But the actions of Chief Elk, Grolle and Bryeans to help the teenager were refreshing. They did what they knew was right and even took on a group of larger men to do it. And they are still following what they know to be right.

Chief Elk and Grolle are at the forefront of public pressure on the District Attorney to prosecute this case. They've done so even at the cost of some of their personal relationships - Grolle and Chief Elk have lost boyfriends and other close friends since they came forward.

While De Anza's reputation could be harmed by the alleged actions of a few baseball players, those three women are closer to what our student body really is. From our athletes to our student government, you'll find shining examples of people who do the right thing in the face of all odds.

While they don't often have the chance to prove it so clearly, the three soccer players showed what it's like to make the right choice when others are making the wrong one.

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