The University and the community surrounding it preach a love and appreciation for diversity. These past couple of days have proved that Bowling Green does care about its minority citizens, but we still have a long way to go to really make our city a place where all people feel safe.
It is incredibly important that we make Bowling Green a safe and welcoming place for all people because true tolerance is what makes a city and a campus great. All people deserve to feel safe in what they consider home and there are thousands of minority students that call BG home. They support this city and it’s our job to support them back. We need to make sure everyone here has a voice because new perspectives make our community better.
Councilman Daniel Gordon pushed to pass a resolution that will preemptively protect Muslim community members in Bowling Green from hateful speech and actions. In the city council meeting on Tuesday many students spoke about their own experiences and how this being passed would make them feel safer. I actually got teary eyed as I listened to Amira Hassanaoui, a teaching assistant of Popular Culture at the University, speak about her home country and what BG means to her, because this is now her home.
The same feeling came over me when Bea Fields, a social work student, spoke about her father’s experiences and what it is like to be in an open queer relationship on campus.
While there are many resources here to support minorities in our community, this support does not extend to every individual person. There are horrifying instances when hate and fear get in the way of making this space a truly safe one. It is our job to create a culture of safety, diversity, and inclusion with legislation and on a personal level.
We need to acknowledge that it can be scary and disheartening to be a minority in America, and we can do something to make our campus, town and community supportive for all people.
But the good news is that this resolution was unanimously passed, with its first, second, and third readings happening on Tuesday. It received overwhelming support. This shows a great cultural and social shift happening in our community. There are people who want to protect our diverse space, and by making it safer, the diversity will grow. This resolution made it clear that the Bowling Green council supports the minority communities that find their home in the city.
However, President Mazey announced that she will not support the action to make the University a sanctuary campus. While it is understandable, given the very real fear of losing federal funds, it is still disappointing. We have a ways to go.
Now is the time to get involved. Now is the time to stand up for your friends and what you believe in. Now, more than ever, we have to protect people who are more vulnerable in this new presidential administration. There are undocumented immigrants in the United States that have been here for decades, have raised their kids here, have supported their communities but risk losing what they have worked for under the Trump Administration. If we do not protect the right for all people to prosper in America, can we say the “American Dream” is real or achievable?
Bowling Green is a great city and a great place to go to school, but it could be even greater. Do what you can to make sure all people know they are welcome.
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