Hate graffiti moves campus to anger, protest

Re: In campus bathrooms, hate-graffiti lurks and lingers, Nov. 29.

I am distressed and deeply disappointed in the administration’s failure to take action when presented with this evidence of discriminating criminal acts against Jews and homosexuals. Not only was there graffiti, but in addition, it remained in the Sid Smith building specifically, for two weeks before its removal. The administration must take a stronger position against hate crimes, starting by removing it promptly, to ensure that all students feel safe at U of T.

Sarah Rabinovitch

  • Reporting harassment such as graffiti appears to be a low priority for many on all three campuses, even for those who are targeted.

For some, reporting to campus police can be a barrier. However, what’s worse is the tolerance of intolerance. My office hosts a web page allowing for anonymous reporting of hate-orientated behaviour such as graffiti.

Report the hate:

http://lgbtq.sa.utoronto.ca
Jude Tate
Coordinator, Lesbian, Gay
Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer
Resources & Programs
University of Toronto

  • I believe my sentiments are best expressed in the following quote by a Reverend, who was an anti-Nazi activist:

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a communist;

Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist;

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist;

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew;

Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak out for me.

-Martin Niemöller (1946)

Fahad Syed

  • There is something wrong when educated individuals at a university campus known for its diversity choose to express themselves so barbarically.

Aasim Hasany

  • The sad thing is there is much more hate crime than is being reported, such as the graffiti directed at Muslims in the Robarts washroom last year.

What’s worse is when incidents of hate crime are targeted at individuals, like when a Muslim friend of mine, who wears the [hijab] scarf, got the throat slitting gesture in Robarts. This was reported to Student Services. Creating awareness is the first step. SAC should take some action against this disturbing trend.

Faraz Siddiqui

  • As a Jew, the swastika with the words “Die Jews” on the front page was not the most shocking aspect of the article. How can an incident such as this be surprising when one professor interviewed claims that “there’s been homophobic graffiti in washrooms for as long as I’ve been at the university and long, long before that”?

The reactions to these crimes are what upsets me most of all.

This ridiculous vandalism and other acts of hate are to be expected in a multicultural society where anti-oppression values have not been impressed on every individual.

We cannot blame anti-Semites and homophobic people for their upbringing and socialization, but we can blame their ignorance and lack of willing to listen, learn, and analyze.

As U of T students, this is what we are being taught everyday. These skills should be applied outside of the classroom, to our everyday lives.

Hopefully I will be proven wrong, and one day these acts will actually shock me.

Lisa Anthony

Slight correction?
Re: “Increase in absurdity at SAC?”, Letters, Nov. 29.

I am surprised that Isaac Apter wrote that he voted for the Unity Ticket in last year’s SAC election and is now upset with their performance.

Mr. Apter knows as well as I do that he campaigned for their rivals-the Building Bridges ticket. As part of my role in overseeing the campaigning of all candidates during the elections, I witnessed his campaigning on many occasions.

Alex Dodger
2004 SAC Elections Committee Chair

Once more: not funny

Re: “Before and After the Black Guy,” Comics, Nov. 22.

On behalf of the membership of the BSA and the ASA, we wish to express our deepest sense of regret at the printing of the inherently prejudiced cartoon strip in The Varsity.

Said cartoon depicted a situation where white men were mimicking the way in which black people apparently speak; that is, until a black friend of theirs approached, at which juncture they reverted to Standard English.

This makes a mockery not only of the way people MAY speak, but it undermines the RIGHT that people have to speak in whichever way they choose without fear of mockery. Furthermore, it generalizes and reinforces images that encourage people to believe in the stereotype.

The message portrayed was ignorant and insulting, and pays homage to a negative stereotypical image of people of African descent that persists in present-day society. Our respective student groups are dedicated to actively promoting awareness about the diverse body of students we represent, as well as our communities at large, and a cartoon such as the one published does a great disservice not only to us, but to the entire institution of U of T that dedicates itself to promoting “Unity in Diversity.” The Varsity is a newspaper with integrity that, needless to say, should err on the side of caution and refuse to print material that, seemingly humorous or otherwise, makes a mockery of racial (and other prejudicial) issues.

The executives,
The African Students Association
The Black Students Association
Stephanie Okola
Secretary, ASA
VP Finance, BSA
2004-2005
University of Toronto, St. George Campus

[Ed. note: We apologize for any offense caused by the printing of the strip in question. It was certainly not the intention of the strip or of The Varsity to offend any person or group, and we regret that this comic was open to such interpretations.]