The morning of Sept. 11 found the student body of the University in paralysis. In residence halls, dining halls, libraries and classrooms, students stared transfixed at the replaying images of the crumbling Twin Towers and a shattered Pentagon. Shock was universal.
But the Sept. 11 tragedy brought extra anguish for Arab-Americans, Muslims, Sikhs, Indian-Americans and other minority students who were fearful of being associated with the suspected terrorists. South Asian Leadership Society President Mona Rahman said she and others had to deal with a double effect.
"We were very traumatized by [the terrorism], but there was the additional fear of how people would react to us," Rahman said.
Across the country, Arab students left colleges and Universities out of fear of reactionary attacks. Three students from the United Arab Emirates withdrew from Pacific Lutheran University. Forty-seven more UAE students left Washington University in Seattle earlier this week.
"Compared to what is happening nationally, we are fortunate," Asst. Dean of Students Ajay Nair said. Nair estimated that in the past week, nine cases involving comments or looks exchanged in residence halls have been reported to him. And although one international student did withdraw from the University the day after the attacks, Nair said that the withdrawal was not indicative of a trend.
"There is no change in our pattern of withdrawls," he said. "We don't want to lose any students for this."
"Backlash is expected," Pakistani student Faraz Rana said. "But students here have been very open-minded."
"The University as a whole has been very proactive," Nair said.
While there have been no hate crimes reported here at the University, incidents of racial profiling and acts of violence toward Arab- and Indian-Americans have been noticed throughout the nation.
"My sister works in Georgetown Hospital, and it's really hard going to work every day, especially since it is so close to where the [Pentagon] event took place," Arab Students Organization President Yahya Fouz said. "People say things to her like 'Why are your people doing this?'"
Last week alone, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee reported more than 200 reactionary incidents. The Council of American-Islamic Relations listed over 400 complaints of yelling, spitting, extensive vandalism and assaults.
The backlash also has come in the form of animosity and suspicion. According to a USA Today/Gallup poll conducted three days after the attacks, 58 percent of Americans surveyed supported heightened security checks for travelers of Arab descent, regardless of United States citizenship.
Virginia football coach Al Groh recently made controversial comments about Arabs on the team's plane.
"I don't plan on having any Arabs in the traveling party so therefore I think probably that the threat of our being hijacked is fairly remote," Groh said when asked about the team's confidence in air travel to last Saturday's game against Clemson. He later apologized for the remarks.
At an emergency meeting the day after the attacks, Muslim Student Association president Sama Khalid encouraged members to be cautious. "It's just a time of heightened emotions and people don't say what they mean," she said.
Khalid recommended that minority students not make themselves targets. "We have been blessed that there have been no incidents here, but we're all hearing stories."
"You assume it won't happen, but you do take precautions," Pakistani Students League President Faizan Syed said.
Turkish Society president Emre Celebi explained that last week's terrorism transcended religious and ethnic lines. Celebi, a native of Ankara, Turkey, said his three years at the University have made Charlottesville - and the United States - a second home for him.
"We are Muslims, but we think that we should connect to the world," he said. "We should support humanity and freedom and justice as much as we can."
"We're here to live and learn. We feel the same as any one else about the terrorism," Syed agreed.
The tragedy has drawn together numerous student groups for the first time. "It is upsetting that it took such a tragic event for these organizations to start uniting," Fouz admitted, but added that the collaboration of groups around Grounds enabled the organization of the Sept. 13 Teach-In and Friday's a cappella benefit concert in the amphitheater, among other events.
Sept. 12, the Arab Students Organization, the Afghan Student Association, the Pakistani Students' League, the Persian Culture Society, the South Asian Leadership Society, Muslim Students Association and others banded together to face the news of the attack.
"I don't think all these organizations have worked together before," Khalid said.
"I'm new to this place but I get a strong sense of community here," said Nair, who started working at the University this summer. He said that after the attacks, a doctor in the Charlottesville area called him to invite Arab students for dinner in his home.
"Even the Charlottesville community is reaching out," he added. "People who wouldn't normally work together are."
"Regardless of who you are and your affiliation with the tragedy, it tests you on some level. It is definitely unifying." Rahman said.
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