Anti Semitic and Racist Messages Left On Campus
Just a few weeks ago, students at the University of Wyoming followed through with their regular routines of walking through Simpson’s Plaza to get to class, only this time, anti semitic and racist messages carved onto pumpkins were left around for those to see, leaving some concerned and others distraught.
A report was filed at 8:30 a.m. regarding pumpkins found outside of the Student Union Building at Simpson’s plaza that displayed a swastika, SS bolts and a KKK member according to a campus police report.
The pumpkins were also found to have displayed apparent threats such as “Fuck AIPAC” (the American Israel Public Affairs Committee) and “Hitler”. The police report states that the campus police were able to use security camera footage to trace the pumpkins back to their creators, revealing that they were created by a student group that had met in the Student Union Building the night before.
Using the footage, campus police were able to come into contact with the student group as well as the individuals responsible for carving and displaying the racist and antisemetic pumpkins.
The University of Wyoming has redacted the name of the group and the individuals responsible citing the Equal Opportunity Report and Response (EORR) investigation.
According to Gillette News Record’s report on the incident, the campus police’s report stated: “(REDACTED) said his group, (REDACTED), was not targeting any specific group of persons with the pumpkins and it was more about the concept of free speech.”
“We live in politically divided times, where it can be hard enough to have difficult but respectful conversations.” Dr. Catherine Hartmann, the Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Wyoming said. “Actions like this make free speech harder, because they reduce trust that everyone’s engaging in good faith as part of the same community.”
This wouldn’t be the first time that these types of messages are left around campus, prompting various police reports and an eventual address of these Title VI and civil rights violations by the university’s President Ed Seidel.
A previous police report stated that the week prior to this incident on Oct. 24, that there had been more anti semitic and racist messages displayed on another student organization’s beach ball displayed outside of the Student Union. “I arrived and met with [REDACTED] who is with the [REDACTED] that is doing an event where they have a very large beach ball and anyone can write anything on it that they want.”
As it would turn out, anonymous persons would then go on to write phrases such as, “Kill Jews” and “Matthew Shepard deserved it. Gay Prostitute and drug dealer…Rest in Piss”, referencing a student who attended the University of Wyoming and was beaten, tortured and left to die near Laramie in 1998.
Following the university president’s delayed response to the insensitive remarks and antisemitic threats, students and staff voiced frustration that the statements from the president about the pumpkin and beach ball incidents came across as vague and perfunctory. Some even felt the administration was more focused on avoiding conflict than directly condemning the antisemitic and racist displays.
“I don’t think it’s difficult to say clearly : ‘Nazi and KKK imagery is bad.’ If that is perceived as taking a political stand, we’re in a sorry state of affairs.” Dr. Hartmann said. “I would have liked to hear more about what is going to happen to the person who did this to ensure they don’t do this sort of thing again, and what the administration plans to do to discourage future incidents.”
Another professor, Jennifer Tabler, had written a letter to University President Seidel two hours before he made a public statement on the two incidents, claiming that students believed that UWPD would quietly remove the pumpkins without releasing a statement.
“We are choosing to meet expectations, rather than rise above and display excellence in fostering a campus environment that includes all, that is committed to mutual respect” Tabler said.
Despite the back-to-back usage of hate speech on campus, Associated Students of the University of Wyoming, (ASUW) released a statement for the university, acknowledging their disapproval and admonishment of these anonymous persons’ actions.
“We are committed to fostering an inclusive and safe environment for all students. We view hateful and inflammatory language directed at any member of the UW community as unacceptable.” They wrote in their statement. “Hate has no home here.”
