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October 29, 2018

Inclusion and Community Building in the Wake of Violence

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

The tragic events in Pittsburgh over the weekend shocked us all. Sadly, it is yet another in a long series of senseless killings by hate-filled individuals, almost all of them using semi-automatic weapons that should not be in circulation. Our deepest sympathies go out to all those in the Pittsburgh Jewish community who have suffered the loss of so many loved ones as well as a sense of security.

This horrific event differed from most of the other recent mass killings, however, in that the perpetrator targeted a specific religion and religious community-Jews-based on his well-documented anti-Semitism and extreme, Internet-stoked paranoia. Unfortunately, certain politicians are using far too much violent rhetoric that is, in turn, broadcast by the media and reported online. This incendiary language is effectively signaling that it is okay to hate and, in some cases, it apparently has motivated individuals to take action against those who are the target of their hatred.

We saw this not only in the Pittsburgh shootings, but also in the arrest a few days earlier of the Florida man who sent more than a dozen pipe bombs to a former American president, vice president, and secretary of state as well as other current and former officials and private citizens who had spoken out publicly against the tenor of political discourse in the United States today.

We all need to ask ourselves, both individually and as a community, what we can do to stop this vicious cycle of inflammatory rhetoric and the violence that it breeds.

At Baruch we are taking active measures to ensure the safety of all those who study and work at the College. The Counseling Center<https://www.baruch.cuny.edu/studentaffairs/counselingCenter.htm> has professional services available on a walk-in basis to those who feel the need to talk about the events of the past week. You may also call the center at 646-312-2155 to make an appointment. Under the direction of Art King, vice president for student affairs and dean of students, the Office of Student Affairs is collaborating with Hillel at Baruch, the Office of Student Life, and other student clubs to organize a vigil to mark the tragedy in Pittsburgh. More information will be available shortly.

We cannot and will not allow hatred and violence to become the norm in our society. Especially here in New York, one of the most progressive cities in America, we must take a strong stand against hatred of all kinds and for inclusion and human decency.

Shalom,

Mitchel B. Wallerstein, PhD
President, Baruch College

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