We are Mason faculty and staff and we stand with our Muslim, immigrant, LGBTQ, and African American students at a time of great social unrest.
We call for a HATE-FREE university and commit to addressing and redressing racism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, anti-Blackness, and systems of oppression and privilege in our classes, in our academic units, and in higher education.
Updates
December 8, 2015
Seeing this grow so fast honestly makes my head spin in the best way because I really just started this on a whim between grading papers. It feels like the air in the hallways is actually changing (finally) and knowing so many of you are behind this is honestly the only thing keeping me going through the week.
Reached 100 supporters
December 8, 2015
35 Comments
I would amend this to further not "hate-free" but being open to cultures and identities that we don't know personally but are willing to learn about and be educated. We have incredible diversity in this area and while it is not possible eliminate hate, we can always focus on increasing the love and peace among people.
GMU—of all places and spaces—needs to be (at the very least) a physically safe space for my Muslim peers.
While I am a firm supporter of free speech, I am confident that individuals at an institution of higher learning can vigorously exchange ideas and viewpoints in a respectful and appropriate manner. I firmly support these efforts to make our community a SAFE place to learn free from hateful speech.
I totally support the stated goal. I would love for it to be expanded to include the idea of committing to honest and continuing conversations among students, faculty, staff and community. Only by honestly talking to each other, on an on-going basis can we begin to remove the sense of "otherness" we have toward each other that promotes the fear that feeds the hate.
Only together will we be able to create the inclusive university we pride ourselves in being. Additionally, we need to individually be mindful of the ways we consciously or unconsciously contribute to a hostile environment. We cannot in higher ed advocate for safe spaces of learning and then only act when they don't involve self-reflection.
Like President Cabrera reminds us all the time, we are a university of inclusion. No one deserves to be treated poorly or feel uncomfortable on university grounds (or anywhere, for that matter). We must take the high road and lead by example. George Mason University is a hate-free zone.
Why would this ever be in question?
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We are Mason faculty and staff and we stand with our Muslim, immigrant, LGBTQ, and African American students at a time of great social unrest.
We call for a HATE-FREE university and commit to addressing and redressing racism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, anti-Blackness, and systems of oppression and privilege in our classes, in our academic units, and in higher education.
Updates
December 8, 2015
Seeing this grow so fast honestly makes my head spin in the best way because I really just started this on a whim between grading papers. It feels like the air in the hallways is actually changing (finally) and knowing so many of you are behind this is honestly the only thing keeping me going through the week.
Reached 100 supporters
December 8, 2015
35 Comments
Hopefully this might also mean that I will no longer have "you deserve hell" being yelled at me as well as the awful signs they hold up in front of the JC That NEEDS to stop NOW.
I would amend this to further not "hate-free" but being open to cultures and identities that we don't know personally but are willing to learn about and be educated. We have incredible diversity in this area and while it is not possible eliminate hate, we can always focus on increasing the love and peace among people.
GMU—of all places and spaces—needs to be (at the very least) a physically safe space for my Muslim peers.
While I am a firm supporter of free speech, I am confident that individuals at an institution of higher learning can vigorously exchange ideas and viewpoints in a respectful and appropriate manner. I firmly support these efforts to make our community a SAFE place to learn free from hateful speech.
I totally support the stated goal. I would love for it to be expanded to include the idea of committing to honest and continuing conversations among students, faculty, staff and community. Only by honestly talking to each other, on an on-going basis can we begin to remove the sense of "otherness" we have toward each other that promotes the fear that feeds the hate.
Only together will we be able to create the inclusive university we pride ourselves in being. Additionally, we need to individually be mindful of the ways we consciously or unconsciously contribute to a hostile environment. We cannot in higher ed advocate for safe spaces of learning and then only act when they don't involve self-reflection.
Like President Cabrera reminds us all the time, we are a university of inclusion. No one deserves to be treated poorly or feel uncomfortable on university grounds (or anywhere, for that matter). We must take the high road and lead by example. George Mason University is a hate-free zone.
Why would this ever be in question?
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Hopefully this might also mean that I will no longer have "you deserve hell" being yelled at me as well as the awful signs they hold up in front of the JC That NEEDS to stop NOW.