Stunned USI students walked to their cars on a slow, snowy Tuesday, bundled up in all the coats they had in their closets, prepared to go home. Instead of an uneventful stroll as per usual, they discovered white supremacy fliers on the windshields of their cars. 

The fliers, made by uneducated bigots, urged students and faculty who were, “Proud to be White,” to scan a QR code to join their cult or, ahem, ‘religion’. 

This isn’t the first time these flyers have been distributed without campus knowledge or consent on the cars of unsuspecting students. 

Upon researching the group further, it’s evident that the individuals in the organization are against minorities and anyone who doesn’t have white skin, including individuals in numerous ethnic, cultural and religious groups. 

It’s important to have pride in who you are, because that makes everyone unique, and makes the earth a better place.

However, whenever your beliefs drown out other people and don’t give other people the chance to speak, that’s when you have a problem. The earth is such a huge place with so many different people who are begging to have a place in the world— a voice. 

Why wouldn’t you want to learn about everyone’s culture? 

We all live in an enormous place with so many different people who are begging to show the world what they’re all  capable of. 

I’m not saying that you can’t have pride in who you are or where you’re from, but I think as white people, it’s very important to make sure that we allow other people who have been historically underrepresented to have a chance at the table as well. 

Ana Santiago, a sophomore at USI, an Immigrant and a US army soldier, agrees. “I suggest people read into [the group] more… read what they’re promoting, what they’re saying. [The group], is not just about supporting white people- it goes deeper than that. Educate yourself about the people around you. ” 

Whenever we as a society silence a group of people, we’re not just hurting them, we’re hurting the entire world. 

Just because a group of people get equal rights as you do, doesn’t mean you are receiving less. Millions of people have been whitewashed and bleached out from history, and silenced for having a voice. But no longer. 

Instead of fighting what we don’t know with hate, why don’t we try to educate ourselves— education and knowledge are power. 

Talk to someone who’s different than you, and I promise you’ll be glad that you did.

So let’s celebrate one another, and learn and grow together.