While walking towards my aerobics class this Wednesday a friend and I spotted a confusing message sprawled in chalk outside of the science complex of our university. The message stated Over the Wall with ISIS. We were confused as to why this was written. The chalk was very bright and happy go lucky so we supposed the author had written it implying this would be a happy event. I did not know what to make of the scrawled message so I continued on towards my class. After my class concluded I passed by the same area and noticed other messages nearby. Hillary for #2016 President. He'll make America Great again. The message that shocked me the most was at the side of a brick column. The message had an area putting to the column and said Build That Wall.
Now before I continue any further let me say I believe strongly in the freedom of speech and am strongly against most forms of censorship. However I strongly feel that the rights of one individual extend until the rights of another individual are impeded. An example of when the rights of the individual become hampered would be that of defamation. In many countries including the United States (though not all states, the one I reside in being one of said states) has strict punishments for defamation.
With the above being said I must say that I have Latino/a friends at my college, and there are a large number of Latino/a students who attend the school. I fear that this series of events may become very common in the near future. One such event has already occurred at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.
I became immensely curious as to how other people had taken the news of the chalk writings on the campus. Everyone I spoke to however seemed just as baffled, they had neither heard nor seen the chalk writing. I spoke with a professor and a friend about the incident. The professor and I focused on how the event could have an underlying message of only hate and hostility towards both Latina/o and Muslim students. My friend actually informed me about the event in Emory and so I thank her for educating me on the previous iterations of this event. I learned shortly after this that there were apparently similar messages sprawled near the student activities center on campus.
It has since rained in this area and so I assume most of the chalk has been washed away from it, whatever chalk the rain did not wash away the custodial staff of the college more than likely cleaned anyway. While the messages may no longer be written on the pavement of the college, I remember in great detail what each one looked like. The feelings of sadness and fear that washed over me have not left. The author's message has left a large impact, and so their deed is done.
I hope that nothing worse comes of this situation.
