Note the emphasis is in the original…
Such a brutal and violent attack on an individual who has devoted herself to public service is deeply regrettable. It calls upon us as an academic community to stop and ponder the climate in which such an act can be contemplated, even by a mind that is profoundly disturbed. A climate in which demonization of others goes unchallenged and hateful speech is tolerated can lead to such a tragedy. I believe that it is not a coincidence that this tragedy has occurred in a state which has legislated discrimination against undocumented persons. This same mean-spirited xenophobia played a major role in the defeat of the Dream Act by our legislators in Washington, leaving many exceptionally talented and deserving young people, including our own undocumented students, painfully in limbo with regard to their futures in this country.On our own campus, and throughout all the campuses of the University of California, we must continue to work toward a climate of equity and inclusion for all. We must be vigilant to condemn hate speech and acts of vandalism on our campuses by those wanting to promote enmity. We must work to support dialogue about our differences and eschew expressions of demonization of others,including virulent attacks on Israel, anti-Muslim graffiti, racism towards African-Americans, Chicano/Latinos and other underrepresented minority groups, and homophobic acts. Continuing to support our principles of community will ensure a better and safer campus. We must do this now so that our students, as future leaders of this great country, will continue to set the standard for a better and safer nation.Robert J. Birgeneau
Chancellor, UC Berkeley
You think...MAYBE...demonization of an entire state counts? "Mean-spirited xenophobia" would NEVER "promote enmity", right?!?!?
I cannot make this kind of thing up. I would blush at the absurdity.
Posts
Berkeley is the HQ for peace and love n'stuff. But sometimes certain crimes against humanity require civil disobedience and violence - as last year...
ReplyDelete"Officers physically pushed the crowd back so that Berkeley fire personnel could extinguish the flames. Sporadic fights broke out within the crowd, causing police to advance their line on the growing mob and use batons to push it back. Members of the crowd hurled glass bottles, plastic buckets, pizza and other objects at the police line."
The unspeakable injustice in question: Tuition increases. What, you expect the intellectual elite saviors of the world to pay for their education?
"Cause-an'-effect" also seem to be above the Collectivist chancellor's mental capacity.
ReplyDeleteHe was all weepy about "undocumented students". Wonder what impact they have on tuition...???
Those are not to be confused with "undocumented graduates", which include our President...
(Can I say that...?)