Disturbing acts of hate and vandalism in the past week have shed light on an alarming undercurrent of ignorance in our own backyard.
There were two unacceptable acts of vandalism last week on campus. The first incident came in the form of a swastika carved into the door of a Jewish first-year student’s dorm room. The second occurred on Friday night when the entrance to the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Resource Center was defaced with derogatory words. Vandals covered the front of the building in spray-painted slurs and “Gays Go 2 Hell.”
Furthermore, there has been a backlash at UC San Diego following the now infamous “Compton Cookout” party. A noose was found on campus, and a racial slur was used on UCSD student-run television referring to offended African American students.
These despicable acts are attempts to intimidate and terrorize vulnerable groups. They underscore the need for educational programs and safe spaces. The fact that the LGBTRC – a center dedicated to spreading awareness and combating ignorance – was the victim of such an attack makes it all the more abhorrent.
While the attacks were targeted at individual groups, they affect the entire UC Davis campus as an attempt to divide us. The efforts of educational programs put on by groups such as the LGBTRC and the Cross Cultural Center are admirable and valuable, but these events don’t always reach those who truly need them. It will take a true community effort to combat hate and insensitivity on campus.