With a divisive election coming to an end, many students and people around the country have felt unsafe and unwelcome in the United States. In what seemed like a shock to many, Donald Trump won the presidential election becoming the 45th president. He won with a platform full of hate, and publicly expressed his intolerance for immigrants, Muslims, LGBTIA+ people, the disabled, women, Mexicans, and many more groups of people. His rhetoric has normalized hate, and supporters have gone as far as committing acts of hatred against these groups.

On the University of Minnesota's campus, there have been several instances of hate. They have been nonviolent, but have directly targeted groups of minorities. One group that has been directly targeted from this hateful rhetoric is the Muslim Students Association. A vandalist spray painted “ISIS” on their Washington Avenue Bridge panel. While this can not be directly related to the work of a Donald Trump supporter, Trump’s islamophobic rhetoric has increased the number of these hateful acts towards Muslims. Even before Trump won, the College Republican’s group at U of M used one of their panels to support Trump’s campaign. It read “Build the wall.” While the country and university value free speech, this speech should not be hateful or cause people to fear. This statement is anti-immigrant, anti-Latinx and is very hurtful and offensive to many immigrants as well as people born in the U.S.

In response to the vandalism of the Muslim Students Association, President Kaler sent an email to all members of the Twin Cities campus community saying: “We condemn these incidents... The University of Minnesota must be a safe and welcoming campus for all students... We can disagree on issues, but cannot accept targeted hate.”

In response to the College Republican’s usage of their panel, President Kaler sent out another email saying: “The University of Minnesota supports a campus climate that welcomes all members of our community... but that also ensures the free flow of ideas, even those that are offensive to some.”

President Kaler has done nothing about these events other than simply sending out an email to student’s saying that he does not support the vandalism. He did, however, hold a discussion about the College Republican’s panel. A fellow student shared her disappointment in Kaler’s reaction, saying that “he didn’t say anything and completely dodged responsibility, and he didn’t do anything for the Latinx community.”

Last week there was an apparent tragedy at the U of M as well. An unidentified person took their own life. The vice provost and dean of students sent out an email to all students saying that “an individual fell from the Washington Avenue pedestrian bridge” and offered some mental health resources. As a student who struggles with mental illness every day, this disgusted me. It sent a message that they will not even acknowledge suicide as a very real and very big problem. President Kaler never reached out to his students regarding this incident, and no follow up has been received by students.

We live in a world that has created a big stigma behind mental illness. While the U of M does have a lot of resources, as someone who struggles with mental illness, it is hard for me to claim that my university truly spends enough time talking about this important topic. Professors talk about it during the beginning of the year, but what has my school and President Kaler done to help those in need and bring light to such a heavy and important topic? What will it take for President Kaler to truly stand up for ALL U of M students, and recognize that we need to take action against these acts of hatred to help remove the stigma behind mental illness and to help those who struggle with mental illnesses?

In solidarity with all POC, Muslims, LGBTQIA+ people, the disabled, students, people with mental illness, veterans, and all others not fore mentioned. You matter and are loved.