In the wake of a fellow Hokie's heinous murder there has been an outpouring of condolences, sympathies, and immense feelings of loss. But, sadly, there has also been a torrent of senseless bigotry from other Virginia Tech students.
On the CT Web site, where there are hundreds of comments listed under the news release of Xin Yang's stabbing death, some of my peers have gone so far as to suggest that because Yang's killer was Asian, Virginia Tech should prohibit Asians from enrolling in the university. Similarly, students have declared the two most recent acts of violence on campus as a cultural phenomenon and state that Asians should be avoided. One "concerned parent" wrote that she has advised her two daughters, who attend Virginia Tech, to avoid Asian friends at all costs. Another commenter posted that "if another Asian commits a homicide, I suggest a ban." Others have expressed far more graphic and derogatory terms that not only make themselves look extraordinarily uneducated and without compassion for humanity, but they reflect poorly on this incredible institution that we are so privileged to attend. More importantly, I'm also surprised that people in an academic environment are ignorant in areas of diversity and the crucial necessity for ethnic appreciation.
These statements of hate represent the antithesis of what so many people of our generation have worked toward, of creating a world where race will no longer determine a person's merit or worth. We at Virginia Tech are pursuing a higher education to invent the future and better our world -- how then can you possibly attribute senseless bigotry to that cause?
To my fellow Hokies who expressed such hateful responses -- your words of malice and bitter revulsion make you no better than a person who physically perpetuates hate. One student posted that, "'Multiculturalism' and 'diversity' are ruining this country, just as Western Europe is being ruined by the Jew-hating mass-murdering Mohammedans." Another anonymous poster urged for the more "red-blooded Americans" to take action. As a matter of fact, according the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Asians are 10 times less likely to commit a homicide than whites. As a white female, I find it unbelievable that people are wasting their time in making such vile, ignorant comments in the midst of such a horrific and undeserved tragedy that could have been committed by any person, regardless of race, religion or ethnicity. We should be more focused on how we can give to the community, not what we can take from it. Though I realize that the sentiments expressed online represent only a small fragment of the student population, it causes me to fear that these students would prefer a regression in our society towards intolerance.
I have experienced Virginia Tech and the Blacksburg community as wonderfully accepting of many races, ethnicities, and cultures as evidenced by the magnificent array of organizations that this institution offers to students from diverse backgrounds. Furthermore, our international student base is testament to how fortunate we are to be learning and living in such an open-minded environment. Hopefully our community's sense of strength can overlook such hateful bigotry to deal with this tragic event and educate our fellow Hokies on the value of diversity.
Caty Gordon
Sophomore, English