Incident follows recent pattern of hate
On the morning of Oct. 6, the UC Davis community fell victim to an anti-Semitic hate crime involving the vandalism of 11 vehicles at The Colleges at La Rue Apartments. The tires of eight cars were slashed while five cars were scratched with anti-Semitic slurs. Although the offender has not yet been identified, a man was seen leaving shortly after police arrived to the scene.
Hate crimes have absolutely no place on a college campus; unfortunately, this incident does not stand alone at UC Davis. Last January, swastikas were found painted on the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house; in May, the window of a dorm room displaying a distinct flag was cracked; and in July, racist remarks were found on the wall of a bathroom stall. There is no excuse for these repeated offenses. They are unacceptable and reflect poorly on the entire Davis community.
No person should feel the pain of receiving outward displays of animosity, and no community should be blighted and disgraced by such wrongdoings. Not only does this hatred and injustice violate common morality, it also disregards the Principles of Community that this university was founded on. The Principles of Community declare that, as a college community, “we confront and reject all manifestations of discrimination.”
College campuses have the unique ability to bring together students with varied cultural, religious and political backgrounds. It is thus the student body’s duty, as part of this community, to respect and view the values of others with an open mind rather than contempt.
The Editorial Board encourages students to look beyond actions of prejudice and to focus instead on nurturing a well-rounded and accepting group of students.
These intolerable hate crimes should not continue on our campus. UC Davis is a place for education, exploration and growth where all students deserve to feel safe and respected. The Editorial Board calls upon the student body to rise above injustice and fight for acceptance.
