On September 27th, “Racially offensive and stereotypical language [was] directed to [an] employee by [a] student,” the report of which was received by the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness on Oct. 4.

The action this student took is absolutely unacceptable. We, as the Saint Louis University Diversity Leadership Cabinet, express our sincerest anger and disappointment.  DLC condemns not only the student’s remarks, but also the attitude that fostered them.

This attitude lives under two aliases: racism and privilege.

The remarks made, by virtue of being racially offensive, are clear examples of hate speech. Such language is a direct attack on someone’s identity, which in turn is also an attack against an entire racial group. These remarks entrench bigotry, the engine of racism, making it doubly hard to fight.

Privilege is the other half of this coin. Although privilege in itself sometimes can’t be helped, reactions to privilege certainly can. The student clearly felt themselves to be in a position of power over the SLU employee, whom they viewed as unworthy of respect. Offensive remarks, in general, are intended to tear another person down and make them feel small and the offender more powerful. This perceived power differential defines the very heart of privilege. The student acted under the ruse of impunity and the guise of power. This is not how one should act in the face of perceived privilege.

SLU employees, who are rarely appreciated for their dedication and service, deserve to be celebrated, thanked and respected for their hard work. We, as students, must take time to express our gratitude for the services we so mindlessly take advantage of. SLU only functions due to their toil and enduring spirit. Knowing this makes the incident such an incredible insult to all who work here,and sends a negative message to every SLU employee.

There is nothing acceptable about racist or privileged attitudes. DLC strongly condemns both of these mentalities, the true culprits in this issue. And we offer our humblest, most heartfelt apology to the SLU employee who undeservedly had to hear the offensive remarks. Further, we apologize to any member of the SLU community, student or employee, who has ever experienced similar bias.

Racism and privilege are endemic attitudes, and as SLU’s representative body on all issues related to diversity and social justice, DLC urges us all to explore how we understand these two ideologies. We challenge everyone to find the common ground, that deep level of understanding where we can bridge all divisions made by racism and privilege. We need to commit ourselves to celebrating our relevant differences, while also celebrating the innate similarities that make us all human.

The walls need to come down. We need to see each other for who we are, past skin and wealth. And we are all capable of doing this, right here at SLU.

Campus life and a Jesuit education have equipped us with unique resources to combat insidious ideologies and foster accepting attitudes. SLU offers us classes about racial diversity, ethnic and religious minorities, and a wide range of cultures. Chartered Student Organizations host events year-round discussing the implications of racism, sexism, privilege, poverty, healthcare, etc. DLC represents many of these CSO’s in their efforts to promote diversity on campus and organize yet more diversity-related activities.

Student life is rich in opportunities to learn. And although moments of disrespect, such as this, are certainly not desired, they are also opportunities for learning. With some mindfulness and effort, we can work against the tides of racism and privilege. We can work to adopt accepting mindsets. We can explore the meaning of diversity and respect.

An investigation of the incident is still ongoing, and at some point it will come to an end. Our personal investigations into the meaning of diversity and acceptance, conversely, need to be never-ending processes of learning and understanding.

The walls need to come down, and it starts with you. It starts with more reporting and the condemnation of similar events and dispositions. It starts with gratitude. It starts with us.

This is the SLU we believe in. This is the community we are building. This is our SLU.

– The Diversity Leadership Cabinet is the student voice for diversity and social justice concersns at SLU.