To the Editor:

I am frustrated. Dismayed. Angry. Confused. I do not understand how students can continue to have so little regard for others’ dignity. I am sick and tired of routinely having to respond to situations like these.

We must always respond to them, but I wish we were beyond this point by now. I see so much goodness in the world and on this campus, yet there remains so much hate. How can people possibly act with such ignorance?

I want to be optimistic. I want to be hopeful that we can make substantive progress, believing that we have made some strides already. Moments like these make it difficult to do so. I start to ask when the next incident will arise, not if one will. Confidence that our efforts are making an impact falters. Still—for those of you who care—please continue to fight the good fight.

I have no answers. I do not know right now how we can address yet another bias incident while developing proactive efforts that will have an impact on the student body. Students continue to be all too comfortable expressing hate.

This is not the type of community that we want to be a part of. Let’s all do something about it. Let’s figure out what that is together. I will not rest well until then.

This is not just about words. This is not just about planning committees, mandates, or action steps. They are all nice steps, but the culture must change. At every level, we fall short. We must develop a shared understanding of civility.

I hope you share my frustration at some level. If you do not, consider why that is the case. This matters so much more than any one situation. This is about the community. I will try my best to make a positive impact. I ask the same of every person on this campus.

—Adam Mullin ’20, Student Senate President