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hoosing to attend a school that “educates for service” and encourages us to be members of a global society encloses us in a community that is supposed to be working toward opening our minds and hearts to the ideas and cultures of others. Regardless of being enrolled in such an institution, but especially so, we should be consistently exposed to and educated on the importance of peacemaking, tolerance and universal acceptance. With that considered, I hope to begin a conversation regarding the incidents of hate that have been occurring: the ones that have been made known to the community, and the ones that are slipping by, unnoticed. In theory, everybody seems to agree that hate is wrong and prejudice unfair, but in practice, there seems to be a disconnect.
I hope to speak on behalf of those who I know that do not want come forth to share what has been happening to them personally, as well as for those who do, but don’t know where to start. I believe that the change that needs to happen is individual, and it’s within each of us. One suggestion to facilitate that would be talking openly about what these actions do to those they are inflicted upon. It could, and hopefully will, bring a realization to those who are mindlessly, or otherwise, committing them.
The hate crimes that have been happening are real, and are not going unnoticed by those who are victimized. However, I feel that most students are in the dark about the severity, reality and frequency of these issues because of the vague nature in which they are discussed, as well as the many people who are not letting their voices, and their stories, be heard for fear of further harassment. In my discussions with friends, peers, and faculty, I’ve found myself repeatedly appalled at the stories of the hate acts occurring that are rooted in a difference in race, sexuality, etc. It’s my belief that these are no longer individual incidents that should be dealt with on a case-by-case basis; a true problem seems to be presenting itself.
The thing is, “diversity” is more than the color of your skin, or the sexuality you identify with. Every single last one of us is diverse in some way or another, and the problem is that we identify diversity as being the differences we can physically see and comprehend. We all need to acknowledge that although we can appear the same we are still of equal diversity, regardless of whether not we share commonalities such as an ethic heritage or sexuality. I think the realization of the truth behind that idea will alone propel us into a more accepting society, one where we don’t feel the need to harass one another.
Accepting our innate diversity also means accepting that we can have differences of opinion, but that we don’t have to act out on them in a negative way. Much like we wouldn’t want to be victimized for the color of our hair, or the type of house we grew up in, there’s no reason to violently and/or cruelly harass people for merely physical or even integral aspects of their beings. This does nothing but breed negativity and hate.
Whether someone meant to target an individual or group, or was just making a dumb joke on a drunken night, we all make mistakes, and there’s no shame in that. There is shame, however, in not taking responsibility for your actions, and not doing what you can to make things right. It all starts with the individual vow to begin the movement for change.

This article was submitted anonymously and voted in for publication by the staff. Any views and opinions presented reflect those of the individual, not of The Etownian.