I celebrate Black History Month. I celebrate the culture, innovation and spirit this month was set aside to honor. I celebrate, also, the countless other cultures who can enjoy the aura of a campus with students unified in their differences.
I’m glad I go to a school where I won’t feel ostracized because of the color of my skin. While visiting the Southeastern Conference at a student government exchange, I bragged to other student body presidents about the One Mizzou campaign, which actively works to unify our campus.
The month of February at Mizzou is becoming infamous for acts that insult and degrade our classmates and fellow Tigers. I urge you, this year, to break the streak of ignorance which has plagued our campus the past two years. These acts are isolated and uncommon for our culture at Mizzou, but they happened.
As a student body, we don’t have to let this year be full of the same regret. The incidents of our past were thought by the individuals to be “shocking” or “funny” but they weren’t. More than anything, they were immature. Don’t be that person — stand up to someone who wants to act the fool, that sort of behavior doesn’t belong at this institution.
If you don’t know about a culture or lifestyle, I encourage you to visit one of our great diversity offices that practice culture appreciation such as the Black Culture Center, Multicultural Center, LGBTQ Center and Women’s Center. Don’t be the one everyone hates by the end of the month, be the one that took time to get educated and learn about people and to appreciate them for who they truly are. That is what this month is all about. Using the “ignorant” card won’t work, because there have been too many resources made available to each and every student on this campus.
Black History Month isn’t about celebrating one people and one culture, it’s about celebrating the progress we as a country have made in moving past prejudice. Let’s celebrate the steps we as a university have made toward respecting one another. Let’s stand together and be firm in our acts and make sure everyone knows that we will not support this, because one thing I hate more than KU is racial, gender, sexual or economic intolerance.