I've heard somewhat substantiated rumors of the
harassment on our campus of women students in Islamic dress.
I've written to the president of the university and to
the head of our graduate-student advisory committee,
asking them to endorse a joint statement abhorring the
abuse of Arab-American, Middle Eastern, and Islamic
students on our campus.
Please do your part to head
off racism and xenophobia before they start. Work
with your student government to mobilize peer pressure
against verbal or physical abuse of any members of your
community. Violence and cruelty tend to breed more violence
and cruelty. Please, please help it stop before it
starts.
This post is in memory of Paul Ambrose, M.D., who
worked closely with my husband on medical-education and
health-care reform matters. Paul worked in the Surgeon
General's office, and was killed on the hijacked flight
that struck the Pentagon yesterday. Only a few years
out of residency, he was well on his way to becoming
a superstar activist as well as a compassionate
physician. Please help honor his memory, and those of the
thousands of other people who died, by renouncing and
helping prevent mindless
vigilantism.
Thanks,
Julie