Campus Compact condemns in the strongest possible terms the horrendous murders of eight of our fellow human beings in Georgia and the hatred of Asian Americans and women crystallized by these acts. We are not in a position to identify the motives of the person who committed these crimes, but we can say what these acts mean.
These crimes mean that members of the Asian American Pacific Islander community in the United States are experiencing even greater fear today than was already the case. They mean that American women are reminded of our collective inability to end the scourge of gender-based violence in our country. These crimes mean that the most basic American rights—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—are not in practice available to members of the AAPI community or to women.
While these crimes were committed by one individual, they are the product of an environment in which anti-Asian racism is commonplace and misogyny is overlooked. In the context of the pandemic, racist speech and action against members of the AAPI community—including violence—have become a daily occurrence, perpetrated by senior elected officials and ordinary citizens alike. Violence against women has surged in the past year, encouraged by public officials who make light of sexual assault.
We recognize the insufficiency of our words in the face of these crimes. We also recognize that many of us have stood by quietly for too long as the forces of white nationalism have normalized hate. We pledge to do better, to be heard, to refuse to pretend that mere speech cannot cause real and lasting harm. We call upon all of our member colleges and universities to join us in that pledge. We call with special urgency upon college and university presidents to use their platforms to condemn racist and sexist hate whenever and wherever they see it, especially when it comes from powerful people.
Resources from organizations combating hate crimes and racism against the AAPI community: