When a University of Alabama junior saw photos of twenty-year-old Emi Miller and her African-American friend on Tinder, he sent multiple horrifyingly racist and anti-LGBTQ messages eerily similar to the rhetoric of the KKK.
It would have been easy for Miller to simply ignore the hateful messages. However, she decided to do something about the offensive rhetoric the student was using; by tweeting at both the university and the junior’s fraternity, Miller succeeded in bringing attention to the messages.
UA has stated that it is conducting an investigation into the student’s actions, and his fraternity has terminated his membership. By speaking out against hateful rhetoric, Miller did her part to ensure people do not get away with belittling and discriminating against others.
Most people when asked would probably say that they condemn racist or otherwise offensive messages. But when it comes down to it, how many of us can honestly say that we speak out against every offensive statement or action? My guess is, not a lot. And sure, we can probably come up with reasons why we don’t always speak out: We don’t want to become the target, we don’t feel like it’s our place, etc. The thing is, though, if we don’t speak out, who will?
Every time we hear or see something racist, sexist, anti-LGBTQ or anything else largely offensive and fail to act, we are condoning this behavior. Eventually, this kind of speech will become commonplace and no one will think twice when they hear it. Imagine how unsafe our communities would feel in a world like that. Especially on a college campus, it is imperative that everyone feels included and welcome in order to have a thriving community. With rhetoric like the above example, that is impossible.
In our country’s current divisive state, allowing hateful words and actions to fly under the radar only enhances the tension. We need to come together to fight against this rhetoric so that our neighbors don’t fear for their lives or hide their faces when walking around. Even if you do not feel as though you are in a group that frequently is targeted by hate speech, your friends might be. And what happens if and when you do become a target? Wouldn’t you want someone to help you rise against it? As fellow humans, we all deserve one another’s compassion and loyalty in the face of discrimination.
Unfortunately, instances of hate speech similar to the opening example show no indication of diminishing. In September of 2016, a University of Mississippi student tweeted racist comments suggesting a mass lynching of students protesting a police shooting. "KKK" and other racist symbols were sprayed on buildings at Eastern Michigan University.
Hate speech in America is not confined to one area, just as speaking out against it should not be confined to politicians. Each of us has the ability to raise our voice against this despicable reality. Using social media, calling news stations or even just telling someone in your community about what happened can ensure that whoever is spreading hateful rhetoric stops.
Emi Miller succeeded in bringing what she experienced with hate speech to the public’s attention, and the perpetrator of those words will feel the repercussions. Imagine how much more inclusive and bonded our country would be if everyone did what Miller did; no longer would people feel afraid to leave their homes because of discrimination. We have the ability to make this a reality, we just need to get going.
Political affiliations aside, the issue of hateful rhetoric becoming commonplace and not being scrutinized affects each and every one of us. Right now, far too often we ignore it. But if we start speaking up against it, our country will start to heal its divides and stand united for the inclusion of all people.