I am angry, and I am guilty. I did not protect my student, a student in my general chemistry class who was run down on the Charlottesville pedestrian mall by a white supremacist. I heard her account of this vicious, unprovoked attack when I visited her in the hospital. My student told me that University administrators visited her in the hospital, and a member of the Board of Visitors began telling her what she should do going forward. Not intimidated by white supremacists, my student would not let herself be bullied by administrators. She told him to leave.
I feel terrible that I was not there for her. I am so proud that she stood up against hatred and bigotry. The night before, she and other students were surrounded and threatened on the University campus by a mob of neo-Nazis, white nationalists and other racists — yet my student had the courage to return on Saturday to engage in peaceful protest.
Where was I? Where were you? Where was the University? I didn’t know these racist groups were coming to Grounds. I wasn’t warned. When did the University know these hate groups were assembling on campus Friday night? Students knew as early as 3:48 p.m., and shortly after 6 p.m. in the afternoon. Administrators were seen running around, telling students to stay away from the lawn. Not all did — students have as much right to be there as anyone else. What did the University do to protect them? Why were we so ill-prepared? Why wasn’t a police alert sent out warning to the University community? Why do we still have no information about the attacks on these students? Where are the reports we are federally obligated to receive about crimes reported on our campus? Were the students allowed or encouraged to file reports? Were there arrests? Why aren’t we hearing from these students that were at the Jefferson statue that night?
Once at the statue, the hate groups were allowed to encircle our students. The police were blocks away, and nobody else was there to help them. The video footage is frightening. Our students, who were not bearing arms and did not have torches, were assaulted.
Many of my colleagues have forcefully denounced the violence these hate groups perpetrated upon our community. Media Studies Prof. Siva Vaidhyanathan, Assoc. German Studies Prof. Chad Wellmon and Nicole Hemmer, assistant professor at The Miller Center, wrote powerfully about the chaos. The Department of Religious Studies, the Faculty Senate Executive Council and the General Faculty Council unequivocally denounced the hate groups. I am certain that many others expressed their shock and disgust, and so many of our students exhibited the moral fiber and character which great universities like ours are supposed to cultivate.
Yet, at the administrative level, the University has failed these students and betrayed the values which it claims to stand for. President Teresa Sullivan’s words in the wake of the tragedy lacked strength and conviction. “We mourn the loss of life?” No, Sullivan, we mourn the brutal and senseless murder of a wonderful young woman, and the traumatic injuries suffered by those we faculty, administrators and staff should have protected. I agree there is a time for healing, but that time is not now. This is the time for accountability, for answering myriad questions, listening to our students and for ensuring that no such thing ever happens again at the University or in Charlottesville.
I am shaken by these events, but believe more strongly than ever that the antidote to hate is inclusiveness and diversity, in our institutions and society at large. The hate groups who visited Charlottesville clearly and publicly expressed their hatred of African Americans, Jews, immigrants and many others. Our answer must be to stand together, to speak up, empower student voices and to stay engaged in support of those who were victimized by hate.
Linda Columbus is an associate professor of chemistry and the associate director of the U.Va. Global Infectious Diseases Institute.
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