By Lydia Kenney

Last week, Daniel Banta ’18 published an article in The Hill News titled “Tune in For This Year’s Oppression™ Olympics.” I cannot begin to express to you all how deeply disgusted and angered I am by the ignorance that was spewed within this article.

As a St. Lawrence University student, this is unacceptable beyond belief to me and many others. These are direct attacks on marginalized people from all backgrounds— groups who have been violently murdered, ostracized, harassed, and harmed.

I find it concerning that this was able to happen and that nothing had been said about it instantaneously. I am surprised there had not been an uproar in reaction to this blatant disregard for human decency and respect.

I am saddened to be associated with such a public demonstration of hate for others in an alarmingly harmful manner. This is how our university is being represented, which in my own belief is beyond missing the mark for Laurentian values.

Our student handbook states on page 8: “Each member of the community shares the responsibility of maintaining an environment in which this educational experience is given highest priority… each member of the University community assumes the responsibility that his or her actions, and the actions of other community members, are in accordance with community agreements.”

This article is an act of violence directed toward individual groups of people in an intentionally harmful way. This is not a joke or something to play around with when the “jokes” involve severe consequences, especially when referencing a group of individuals who have been violently murdered and harmed through other acts of violence. Regardless of how this article came about, the harm has been done, but the reparations can now begin.