Over the next few weeks, I will be sending out a variety of welcome back emails to students, faculty and staff. In the wake of Charlottesville, I wanted to offer some thoughts of where we stand as a college.
The images of Ku Klux Klan members, neo-Nazis, and other white supremacists marching in the streets of Charlottesville were horrific. The hatred, violence and racism the marchers displayed are diametrically opposed to the principles of the liberal arts, and the values of Denison. They reject from the very start and at their very core our commitment to democracy and a free and open society. This hatred has no place at Denison or anywhere else.
I also believe that a citizenry educated in the values of the liberal arts is one of the strongest bulwarks against the growth of hatred. Our mission is to educate and inspire students to be autonomous thinkers, discerning moral agents, and engaged citizens. We do that as part of the struggle against the hate and violence we saw on the streets of Charlottesville. I believe in our mission and I believe our mission is even more important and relevant in this historical moment.
I am deeply troubled and angered by what I saw in Charlottesville. I am asking every member of our community to proactively work to create a campus community that does not tolerate hate, racism or violence, and that respects, embraces, and celebrates our differences as a core value and community strength.