John Dunne wrote:\u00a0No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of a continent, part of the main.<\/i>\u00a0Of course, Dunne goes on to beautifully portray the loss felt by all of mankind when a single man dies, but that is not why the quote has been repeating in my mind for the past week and a half. The quote came to mind when I received the initial report of the incident at the James Meredith statue, and Dunne\u2019s words reminded me of the impact that a few teenagers\u00a0can have on the work, lives, research and education of thousands and thousands of people. So many voices of good and tolerance and love are silenced in the initial moments when terrible incidents like this occur, outmatched by the fury and hate of a few individuals. (Don\u2019t worry. A sneak peak at the ending \u2026 hate doesn\u2019t win at Ole Miss.)<\/p>\n
For many of us who work at this university, times of such intense national scrutiny are more than busy days at the office. These are days that also affect our hearts. The university is a major corporation in the sense of its image. Its stock value depends on its production quality, its value and image of employees, its customer service and opinions, and other intangibles. So, a single hateful act can result in people thinking that it is a reflection of the university as a whole. It is not accurate, but, as they often say in public relations, \u201cperception is reality.\u201d The perception created, in this case, by three students (.00015 percent of our current student population) affects everyone with Ole Miss ties — whether a graduate, faculty member, staff member, student or parent. To stick to the analogy, our stock value takes a nose dive.<\/p>\n
So, where is the good news I mentioned? Look around you. It is happening now. It is the rising swell of voices heard in social media and every other avenue possible declaring that Ole Miss is more than a headline. It is the determination that sprang forward immediately from students, faculty and staff to stand up to intolerance through the organization of protests, discussions and open dialogue. It is the guidance of strong and insightful leaders who will ensure Ole Miss is always an open and diverse campus. And it is you. You can join the voices of tolerance and peace and be part of the good that is Ole Miss.<\/p>\n
Disclaimer: These observations and thoughts are entirely my own.\u00a0I do not speak for the university, its administration, its faculty, staff, students nor any other entity.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"