One hate crime on campus is too many

The old cliche says that every cloud has a silver lining and last Friday afternoon was no exception. As storms moved into the area, campus prepared for what looked to be a dreary night. But something rather inspiring made the rain an afterthought.

Two weeks ago, a hate crime was committed against a University student walking down Green Street. The assailant screamed a hateful slur before physically assaulting the victim, who had tried to ignore it. The victim ended up in the hospital, and the perpetrator is awaiting trial.

Such an ugly incident is usually followed by fear, anger and sadness, but thanks to the efforts of PRIDE and the Office for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resources, students fought hate with the best weapon in the world: humanity.

Instead of lashing out, friends and members of the LGBT community confronted fellow students Friday with Hershey's kisses, flowers, information about hate crimes and perhaps most important of all, hugs.

There was nothing complicated or extravagant about the event, and perhaps that's the way it should be. After all, grappling with the complex issues surrounding bigotry and homophobia is difficult. In some cases, it's just impossible to understand. Sometimes something as simple as a hug can go a long way to make things better.

Of course, we know that hugs alone won't solve everything. While it is somewhat comforting when University figures remark at how rare an occurrence a hate crime is, it's still safe to assume that acts of hate both large and small occur everywhere, including on this campus.

Whether they are reported or not, one hate crime is one too many.

Stopping them doesn't require buying a bumper sticker, making a political contribution or marching in protest. It only requires that we possess the decency to treat others with respect.

The broader message behind the Hug-In was that people should embrace their differences, not fear them. The sweets and hugs handed out weren't a bribe to unsuspecting bar-goers, they were merely representations of something the world seems to not have enough of these days: kindness.

We have an obligation to our fellow students to do all that we can to make sure this campus is free of fear, whether it be in the guise of a Green Street drunk or something far less obvious.

Every single time something like this happens, it hurts more than just the group to which it was directed; it harms everyone. And like the problem itself, the solution has to come from the student body.