#NotAgainSU
[Dated 11.20.19]
I cannot consciously remain silent on this issue despite the fact that I use this space largely to remove myself from the anxieties of the real world. This needs to be discussed and you need to know that it's happening.
There have been continued hate crimes across the Syracuse University campus in New York State. The hate crimes have escalated from racist graffiti in the academic buildings and dorms to threatening emails sent to students and staff of color.
More concerning is the fact that the White Supremacist Manifesto used by the Christchurch shooter has been spread to college forums and reportedly AirDropped to students devices. At the moment, the FBI has become involved.
Syracuse University has had controversies over racism in the past but these issues have become more prevalent and threatening. Our administration is doing nothing to assuage fears. Our DA does not care about the threats as much as we do.
Students have been organizing / sitting in to list demands of our administration in response to these racist attacks. They are organizing under the hashtag: #NotAgainSU. The sit in had been going on for a week now. A week.
In that time, administration has refused to cancel class. They over police the protestors, but they do not actively protect students on campus from this form of violence. Racist language is violence. This is violence, and students don't feel safe.
We are concerned it will get worse because the consequences for racist behavior have not been strong enough. Greek Life activities have been cancelled due to their complicity for on campus racism, but no further actions have occurred.
I will be sharing more information about this. I am a graduate student who does not spend enough time on campus to actively participate in the protests in person. However, what I can do is boost information and stand in solidarity with #NotAgainSU.
Please consider doing the same.
