Upset and disappointed at the recent hate incidents that have plagued our campus, I approached Parkhurst with mixed emotions and varied thoughts last Friday at noon. As the echoing voices and the subtle clapping became louder, my preconceptions for the student rally raced through my head. I expected a rather superficial rally, with speakers pointing fingers at the wrong doers and exploiting the incidents to promote their causes.
Quite to the contrary, the next half-hour would produce speakers pointing fingers at themselves, blaming themselves for not taking the personal responsibility to act against earlier hate incidents.
That Friday afternoon, ordinary students became extraordinary by showing the courage and the leadership to approach the microphone and address the crowd. What they said was embellished by their sincerity and emotion, and although the ideas were often simply put, they held profound implications.
That half hour, standing in the cold with frozen fingers, listening to my fellow students express their concerns in such admirable humility, provided me with one of the most meaningful experiences in my Dartmouth career. That half hour strengthened my faith in the Dartmouth student-body immeasurably.
I would like to take this opportunity to share and comment on three of the student ideas which I feel were the most outstanding. The first is the fact that intolerance, in any situation, with respect to any type of person, affects us all.
A strong learning environment as ours depends upon the sharing of ideas between students from many different backgrounds. To intimidate students based on their background will only cause them to introvert, and we will lose their contributions, their ideas, and the knowledge of their backgrounds. And more importantly, to judge one based on his or her race, religion, color, or sexuality is wrong. We must learn to measure a person by character and thought, for these are the aspects which define an individual.
The second point is that the perpetrators in these incidents do not represent the opinions of the student body. Too often victims assume that those around them feel the same way as the malefactors. That must be a scary feeling -- that the outside world is against you. We need to make it clear that we welcome and appreciate the diversity at Dartmouth.
The third point is that we, as members of the Dartmouth community, have the personal responsibility to take action against such hate incidents. Some of the speakers argued that all students must participate in direct action, like organizing events and signing petitions, to assume their responsibility. While I agree that such direct action is important, it is unlikely that many students will participate.
I propose instead that each student assume his or her responsibility in the more simple manner of contemplating (even for just a few minutes) his or her behavior and views with respect to others. Often we say things that could offend or hurt others, without being aware of it, so it helps to take a step back and examine ourselves.
Many students have simply ignored or "blown off" these incidents, not taking the time to consider them. Yet college is more than learning chemical equations and writing English papers -- it's about learning and growing as an individual. And if we don't repeatedly examine ourselves (especially when issues like racism arise) and consider other opinions with an open mind, we cannot advance. We must refine our own behavior and influence that of others by example.
The students at the rally had the strength to stand up against the intolerance which a few members of the Dartmouth community had the immaturity to demonstrate. There is room for improvement within each of us -- we all need to become more sensitive to the feelings of others. College is a time to learn and grow, but we must make the effort to enjoy the benefits of becoming better individuals. All we have to do is stand back, take a look at ourselves, question our behavior, and strengthen our moral fiber. There is so much to be gained by tolerance and appreciation -- new ideas, different viewpoints, and lasting friendships. Let's not throw it away.
