At Susquehanna University, we stand united behind our
friends and colleagues at the University of Virginia in the wake of this
weekend’s tragic events. We join them and all who support the ideals of our
nation as we mourn the death of Heather Heyer. Our thoughts are with those who
were injured in the attack in Charlottesville and their families and friends as
they aid them in their recovery.
This harrowing act was the sharp spike in a growing wave of
demonstrations of willful ignorance and a cultural failing to sustain a shared
sense of humanity. White supremacy, the KKK, and other ideologies of exclusion
and prejudice are repugnant demonstrations of hatred and evil that we must
oppose together. The events in Charlottesville were a chilling reminder of how
desperately our world needs liberally educated leaders.
Our mission is to “educate students for productive, creative, and reflective
lives of achievement, leadership, and service in a diverse, dynamic, and
interdependent world.” To this end we will not mourn passively. We will
redouble our efforts to be a model of inclusion and to advocate for the rights
and dignity of all our neighbors.
Peace does
not just mean putting an end to violence or war, but to all other factors that
threaten peace, such as discrimination, such as inequality, poverty. — Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese politician and
activist
We welcome
and support all who embrace peace and respect for the rights of others. We will
not rest until all are welcome.
