The following is a message from Fredonia President Dr. Virginia Horvath:
Dear Members of the Fredonia Community,
As many of you did, I followed the events that occurred this weekend at the University of Virginia and the city of Charlottesville with deep concern not only for the safety of the people there but also for the safety and security of people everywhere in our country should such hatred, bigotry, and violence be accepted. I am saddened by the deaths and injuries that resulted and moved, as your president, to make a statement that this is not acceptable.
I join with other university presidents in standing with the University of Virginia to affirm that white supremacist groups, with their hateful messages and symbols of oppression of African Americans and Jews, violate the principles of diversity and welcome that are at the heart of university campuses. Fredonia is a place of ideas, and we should strive every day for opportunities to discuss the full range of ideas, especially those that challenge perspectives. However, there is no place on campus or in America for groups that preach hatred, violence, and oppression of others.
As we welcome new and returning students this week, let us all work to welcome each other, to value what each brings to our conversations and shared work, and to stand up — firmly and civilly — when people are treated with disrespect.
