Spring Break
Awareness week 'deconstructs' hate
Nicole Charky
Issue date: 4/25/07 Section: News
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As students entered the Deconstruction Zone, they found strikingly offensive words against women, Jewish, African-Americans, Mexicans, Chinese, Muslims and homosexuals written in chalk along the walls. The Deconstruction Zone, part of Hate Crime Awareness Week, attempted to bring recognition to racially, religiously and inappropriately offensive words.
"I felt a sense of guilt and shame because you are surrounded by a bunch of horrible words in a room," freshman Carolina Wright said. "When you see the words on the wall, you feel guilty because you contribute to it. I brought friends to see it today to create awareness."
Residence Life, Hillel, University Ministry and the Office of Student Diversity organized the Deconstruction Zone. Volunteers and participants included BCC (Black Cultural Center), HSA (Hindu Student Alliance), MSA (Muslim Student Alliance), SASA (South Asia Student Alliance) and various other volunteers. The immersion museum ran from Tuesday, April 17 until Thursday, April 19 in the Granada Center.
"It is very moving to see all the images, especially the written messages on the wall, with all the racist slurs," freshman Shivali Raav said. "People do say these things of hate and they do hurt."
Upon entering the Deconstruction Zone, a bright light leads visitors into a black room with bleak images of Nazi symbols and pictures of the Holocaust. On one side of the wall, photos of Prussian Blue, a musical group comprised of two twin sisters who sing songs about white pride, are posted.
The next room visitors see is about commercial sex in India, especially in the red-light district where poor people face discrimination because of the caste system and often enter into human trafficking.
Afterward guests enter a room where Hindu students are holding a peaceful prayer service when suddenly two masked gunmen run in and kill them.
In the next room, a female Muslim student speaks about what it is like to go to school and wear the hijab (women's head covering) as a personal choice. She explains what it means to her and the impact it has on her relationships with others, especially those who are ignorant of Islam.
"I felt a sense of guilt and shame because you are surrounded by a bunch of horrible words in a room," freshman Carolina Wright said. "When you see the words on the wall, you feel guilty because you contribute to it. I brought friends to see it today to create awareness."
Residence Life, Hillel, University Ministry and the Office of Student Diversity organized the Deconstruction Zone. Volunteers and participants included BCC (Black Cultural Center), HSA (Hindu Student Alliance), MSA (Muslim Student Alliance), SASA (South Asia Student Alliance) and various other volunteers. The immersion museum ran from Tuesday, April 17 until Thursday, April 19 in the Granada Center.
"It is very moving to see all the images, especially the written messages on the wall, with all the racist slurs," freshman Shivali Raav said. "People do say these things of hate and they do hurt."
Upon entering the Deconstruction Zone, a bright light leads visitors into a black room with bleak images of Nazi symbols and pictures of the Holocaust. On one side of the wall, photos of Prussian Blue, a musical group comprised of two twin sisters who sing songs about white pride, are posted.
The next room visitors see is about commercial sex in India, especially in the red-light district where poor people face discrimination because of the caste system and often enter into human trafficking.
Afterward guests enter a room where Hindu students are holding a peaceful prayer service when suddenly two masked gunmen run in and kill them.
In the next room, a female Muslim student speaks about what it is like to go to school and wear the hijab (women's head covering) as a personal choice. She explains what it means to her and the impact it has on her relationships with others, especially those who are ignorant of Islam.