Strength in our colors

We were outraged and sickened to learn that on Sept. 7, in an incident of vile racial injustice, a noose was found hanging on a tree outside of the Nyumburu Cultural Center at the university. We vehemently condemn the abhorrent and despicable actions taken by the perpetrators of such violence.

Given the historical injustices symbolized by the lynch-noose, this single hate crime represents so many oppressions that have taken place within the United States during the past two hundred years. From the historical lynch laws that contributed to systematic racial violence against blacks to the bigoted actions of the Klu Klux Klan, the noose has throughout the years been symbolic of unbridled racist terror, inequality, grave injustice and bigotry toward people of color.

There is a chilling connection between this incident and the case of the Jena 6 in Jena, La. This type of racist bigotry is not welcome in College Park and must be fought wherever it rears its head.

Nyumburu, in its 27-year history, has worked hard to successfully fight such racial and ethnic discrimination by bringing together individuals from a multitude of cultural backgrounds. This attack is an atrocity given the historical implications of racism within this state and around the country, and the center's mission against such misunderstanding.

In response to the hate crime, we call for a full defense of Nyumburu, a freedom house that has continued to promote equality and intellectual interaction.

We commit our full solidarity with the students of color on this campus in their fight for racial equality. We call on students to support affirmative action programs and the African-American studies department, all of which continue to challenge racism by identifying, developing and amplifying the voices of black students and faculty.

We call on student groups and the university as a whole to support any and all actions taken by the campus community against the hate crime within the upcoming weeks.

Finally, we urge students to attend the speak-out against racial discrimination today, Sept. 11, at 6 p.m., so we can further discuss an end to hate crimes and racial injustice on the campus.

Despite the massive achievements of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements of the 1960s, racism is very much alive today. The time is now for students to take a stand against such bigotry. Actively condemning the hate crime on Sept. 7 serves as a way to confront the continued historical injustices facing American society.

TAKE ACTION NOW!

What: Speak Out against Racial Discrimination

Where: McKeldin Mall

When: September 11 at 6 p.m.

Co-authors:

n Rayyan Ghuma, Member, International Socialist Organization (ghumar@umd.edu, CCJS '08)

n Chris Graham-Egbo, Member, Black Male Initiative (cgrahame@umd.edu, Biology and African-American studies '08)

n Amy Washburn, Organizer, Feminism without Borders (washburn@umd.edu, Ph.D. candidate, Women's Studies)

n Daniel Lewkowicz, Co-founder, Community Roots (dlewkowi@umd.edu, History '08)

n Jose Espejo, Public Relations Officer, Latino Student Union (jespejo@umd.edu, GVPT '09)

n Nadia El-Hillal, Public Relations Officer, Muslim Women of Maryland; and Member, Muslim Students Association (nelhillal@yahoo.com, Neurobiology and Physiology '09)

To endorse this statement, or for more information, please contact Rayyan Ghuma at ghumar@umd.edu or Chris Graham-Egbo at cgrahame@umd.edu.