University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds, Ph.D., Sunday issued the following statement on this weekend’s events in Charlottesville, Virginia:
“Susie and I are praying for those killed and injured during this weekend’s rallies in Charlottesville. We are sickened by this senseless violence and by the racist, white supremacist and Neo-Nazi beliefs on display. These disgusting beliefs violate the most basic principles of decency and our shared humanity.
“The University of Nebraska stands with our colleagues at the University of Virginia who are working to keep their community safe, protect the First Amendment rights of all who come to campus, and reject hateful ideology and violence in the strongest possible terms. We are similarly committed to tolerance and inclusion, open and respectful dialogue and the safety and well-being of every member of our community. As we begin a new school year, I hope the entire University of Nebraska family will ask ourselves what more we can do to put those values into action. We have work to do — but I am confident that if each of us recommits to doing all we can to make our campuses safe and welcoming places for every student, employee and Nebraskan who comes here, we will become an even stronger university.”
Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., chancellor of UNMC and the University of Nebraska at Omaha, also released a statement regarding these tragic events:
“I fully agree with President Hank Bounds’ message regarding the weekend’s tragic events in Charlottesville, Virginia. I join him and so many others in rejecting hateful ideologies, racism and violence, clearly and consistently. Our thoughts and prayers are with those individuals and families whose lives have been touched by this senseless tragedy.
“UNMC and UNO will continue our proud traditions of being inclusive; allowing the peaceful expression of differing viewpoints; and being accessible and welcoming campus environments. Each of our campuses is mission driven and of strong values. We are always stronger when we come together as a community and continually test the powerful democratic tradition of freedom of expression — not with violence, but peacefully.
“We are grateful for President Bounds’ clear statement and will continue to support each of our campus communities during these difficult national conversations and into the future. We have many excellent services to support those on our campus who may have been impacted by these events. Please feel free to reach out to us to connect with these services, for both students and residents and faculty and staff, at any time.”
So proud of our university leaders. These words need to be heard.
This sends a powerful message of inclusiveness by our University President and Chancellor. The US has a ways to go, but hopefully with the right inspiration, resources and leadership we can move the needle in the right direction.