TO THE EDITOR:
Recent news of Mayor Bloomberg’s support of police monitoring of the Muslim Student Association activities for the purposes of “keeping the country safe” represents an ethical behavior not compatible with UNC values.
Police surveillance based on religion and nationality strips U.S. citizens of their freedoms, ability to contribute to communities and inclusion in an atmosphere of peace.
As a student who has been involved with UNC’s MSA through interfaith events with UNC Hillel and the Campus Y’s Tea Talks: Conversations for a Stronger Carolina, I feel an attack upon our community by Bloomberg’s viewpoint that MSA’s are arenas for American security concerns.
UNC students or the communities they are a part of should never feel threatened because government officials unacceptably think their desires to express their religion and culture through campus activities could be harmful to society.
Surveillances have taken place on more than a dozen college campuses, and UNC students must recognize that our body is part of a national student community. I urge our community to think critically of the decision for Bloomberg to be this year’s Commencement speaker.
The decision to invite someone to address our community so publicly shows our support and recognition of their values and actions. While this concern is a new contribution to Bloomberg’s profile that the speaker selection committee selected him by, our Carolina commitment to our students and our communities must always be exercised.
UNC must not be ignorant or indifferent about our commencement speaker.
Lauren Donoghue ’14
Environmental
Health Science
