The shootings of a congresswoman, her staff, a federal judge and community members in Arizona has shocked the nation. Though a suspect is in custody, questions linger: Who is Jared Lee Loughner? Why did he do it? Was it politically- or racially-motivated?

Despite those uncertainties and unanswered questions, as in most situations like these, we see a bright glimmer of hope that even in dangerous and risky times everyday people can stand up, make a difference, save lives and become true heroes.

That's the case with 20-year-old Daniel Hernandez, an intern with Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' office. With the congresswoman on the day of the shooting, Daniel sprang into action once he heard gunshots. With training as a CNA, Daniel rushed to victims who he saw on the ground, checked their pulse and moved onto others with more serious injuries. Finally, he came to the Rep. Giffords. He sat her up, applied pressure to her head wound and stayed with her all the way to the hospital.

And, in all the resulting media coverage and Daniel's several appearances on national cable news networks, a stunning piece of information has been lost upon mainstream media audiences. Daniel, a junior at the University of Arizona, is gay.

Though LGBT Americans are chastised, castigated and scapegoated through law, religion, culture and society, we're still here. We still serve. We still save lives and inspire hope. Daniel did that on Jan. 8, and he deserves -- just like the millions more LGBT Americans serving in second-class citizenship -- the honor and recognition of performing an act of true service, courage, conviction and strength.

It's in times like these we can all take a collective pause and reflect upon the ideals and values of our society, the types of political and religious rhetoric we use, the place of true equality and dignity in law, and the way we treat some citizens despite their selfless heroism and devotion to their fellow citizens and humankind.

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

Just as Campus Pride and Lambda 10 Project head to Indiana University for the 2010 OUT & Greek Fraternity Leadership Conference, we learn that gay and straight ally fraternity Sigma Phi Beta will initiate their first out-of-state members at Indiana University this weekend.

Sigma Phi Beta, founded at Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz., will initiate 15 members at Indiana University. The school is the home of the oldest and largest college fraternity system.

"I look forward to welcoming the new members from the Indiana University colony into our Brotherhood,” Nathan Arrowsmith, the fraternity’s national president, says in a release.

Arrowsmith will preside over the Indiana University initiation ceremony.

"The students at Indiana University have worked hard to bring Sigma Phi Beta to their campus, opening up more opportunities for gay men and their allies to experience brotherhood within the traditional Greek fraternity system," Arrowsmith says. "This is our first major step towards achieving our vision of creating a uniquely diverse safe space within the traditional Greek fraternity system on college campuses nationwide."

Sigma Phi Beta was founded in 2003. It's national organization was formed in 2005.

For more information about Sigma Phi Beta Fraternity, visit www.sigmaphibeta.org.

Belmont University denies gay-straight student org

Nashville, Tenn.'s Belmont University has denied the formation of a gay-straight student organization on campus. Student Robbie Maris is president of the group, Bridge Builders. He says it started after a Facebook group was formed to support students at the private Christian (formerly Baptist) school.

"I know a lot of the gay community at Belmont feels marginalized and feels like they don't have a place to meet on campus," Maris told Nashville's News Channel 5.

University administrators said in a statement: "Recognizing the importance of mutual respect and diverse opinions from Christian perspectives and the challenges of cultivating such informal dialog on these issues, the university chose not to meet their request, but to create a university-led opportunity for this discussion. Beginning last spring, a university sponsored discussion group on these issues has convened twice monthly and expects to continue for the duration of this academic year." Read more...

Christian fraternity kicks out members

Two former members of Beta Upsilon Chi, a Christian fraternity at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., say they were told to leave the group because their sexual orientation violated the fraternities code of conduct. Read more...

Community college students want GSA

Students at Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz., want to start a gay-straight alliance of their own, student paper Aztec Press reports. Read more...

Will Rutgers amend their policies?

New Jersey's Rutgers University has been at the center of controversies over student safety and LGBT inclusion on college campuses ever since student Tyler Clementi committed suicide in September. The Daily Princetonian explores the colleges current policies and discussions on possible amendments. Read more...

UCLA ROTC follows 'Don't Ask'

The University of California-Los Angeles' student newspaper, Daily Bruin, explores the college's policies as it relates to the campus ROTC program. Read more...

Canadian school district asks students about sexual orientation

As American colleges determine whether or not to ask students voluntary questions on sexual orientation and gender-identity, one Canadian school district is beating them to the punch. Canada's Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is conducting a voluntary, anonymous survey of each of its students in grades 7-12. They'll ask 150,000 students a variety of questions, including, according to the blog Queerty, "how much money their parents make, what religion they belong to, and what kind of job they imagine holding down in the future." The survey also askes if "they like boys or girls or both." Grades 6 and below will receive a different questionnaire. Read more...