Hate speech is something that occurs across the nation, and our University is no exception.

According to Jon Barnwell , patrol division commander for Campus Police, the University averages only a small amount of hate incidents annually.

“We average zero to one hate crimes reported per year with five or less reported hate-biased incidents not involving crime,” Barnwell said.

Barnwell said most hate incidents involve damage to personal property. He also said the GLBT community is targeted more than any other group on campus.

Students involved with criminal hate acts can be prosecuted and put through the campus judicial process, according to Barnwell .

Sheila Smith McKoy , director of the African American Cultural Center, said in order to fully understand the problem, the difference between hate speech and free speech must be clearly defined.

“It is critical that we understand the difference between [free speech and hate speech],” Smith McKoy said. “We are not empowered for hate speech, though free speech is certainly protected.”

Paul Cash, senior in political science and president of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Community Alliance, said the University atmosphere is conducive for hate speech.

“Universities, to a degree, shelter a lot of students from the everyday world,” Cash said. “There are still a lot of people in the world that believe certain types of citizens do not deserve equal treatment. Students need to be aware so they are ready to deal with it after graduation.”

Racially charged hate incidents have also occurred recently, the most notable being the painting of racial slurs on the Free Expression Tunnel the night before the 2008 presidential election, and again in November 2010.

Smith McKoy said she thinks these incidents can be attributed to a wider national problem.

“I think it’s part of a larger issue nationwide where it’s critical that we go through the kind of changes that are necessary for human rights and human justice to be hallmark,” Smith McKoy said. “[These incidents] are just backlashes of people’s inability to understand that change is coming.”

Barnwell echoed Smith McKoy’s thoughts and said it would take a larger campus effort to combat hate speech.

“[These incidents] occur because there is a lack of understanding and an unwillingness to respect differing ideas and opinions,” Barnwell said. “Stopping it is bigger than the police department. We need to continue to promote an inviting atmosphere where everyone feels welcome and where there is an environment that is open to seeking understanding and respecting differences.”

Rachel Turner, junior in biological sciences and student senator, said incidents like these make the University look bad, but do not reflect the opinion of the entire student body.

“[These incidents] definitely shine a negative light on the University as a whole,” Turner said. “I think that to most students it is disappointing that these hate crimes still happen on campus. The University has high standards and these crimes are not representative of that.”

In light of the recent vandalism of the GLBT Center, many campus leaders say incidents like these are good opportunities to create constructive dialog.

Barnwell said understanding what free speech entails and using it as an avenue for learning is the way to combat hate speech.

“The First Amendment allows people the ability to express themselves and their beliefs without fear of prosecution,” Barnwell said. “The University is an arena where there are always going to be differing ideas and beliefs, and the University needs to continue to strive for understanding and respect for all.”

Justine Hollingshead , director of the GLBT Center, said incidents like this must be used as a learning opportunity in order to stop hate incidents.

“Utilizing situations that occur as a conversation point, whether it’s the comments painted in the Free Expression Tunnel about President Obama or the incident [at the GLBT Center], is how the University can combat hate speech,” Hollingshead said.

Harrison Do, a senior in biological sciences and student senator, said the fight for equal rights for the GLBT community represents a major civil rights issue.

“Gay rights is the last final civil rights battle of our generation,” Do said. “As a society we have focused on gender and race issues, and gay rights is also something we need to address the on campus and across the nation.”

Do also went on to say the University’s best tool to fight hate speech is through education.

“The line is blurry when it comes to what is considered [hate speech or free speech], Do said. “[The University] needs to focus not on the law but on how we can better educate our campus community.”

Although some people claim that the reaction to these types of hate incidents can be too much, Smith McKoy said that these incidents that not enough is being done.

“It is clear every time for those who are part of the groups that have been targeted that we have to work through a lot of issues that our country hasn’t come to grips with yet,” Smith McKoy said.

Do also said last week’s reaction to the GLBT Center vandalism was not excessive, but appropriate.

“Whenever any specific minority group is directly attacked we have a duty and responsibility as a society to come together and make a clear message that this will not be tolerated,” Do said. “I am proud of how the administration and student leaders across campus addressed the issue. The reaction was appropriate and necessary.”

Smith McKoy said these impacts have a dual impact on the student body.

“The first impact is that it calls attention to those issues, especially for those who have not been engaged in these issues,” Smith McKoy said. “Secondly, it motivates people to take action about their beliefs.”

Hollinsghead said without the response like the one that occurred last week, the potential to damage student morale is possible.

“These events have the danger of creating a low morale within the student body or to create a feeling like you don’t belong,” Hollingshead said. “That’s why the positive response and the support that was displayed throughout the week makes a world of difference.”

Do said he has seen numerous incidents of hate crimes occur on campus during his undergraduate career, but the community seems to strengthen with each incident.

“I’ve observed different hate incidents along the way, and it seems like we tend to get stronger as a University, we tend together more, and we tend to stand by the idea that this will not define us or tear us down, but will make us stronger,” Do said.