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Lincoln College students subjected
to insensitivity and insults
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[September 12, 2020]
LINCOLN, IL –At a time when our
community is facing social, financial, and emotional challenges
primarily due to the novel coronavirus, we need to band together to
offer support and encouragement to one another.
In the midst of these challenges, I was notified of negative and
racially-charged portrayals of Lincoln College students being shared
on local Facebook profiles. Several of the comments included threats
of violence against students and generally implicit racism.
Ironically, these negative, racist comments came on the same day
that our student athletes were selected by the National Association
of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as Champions of Character Silver
Award Winners for volunteer contributions to the community over the
past year.
Unfortunately, the bigoted behavior has not been limited to online
activities. Our students have also had to endure vehicles displaying
confederate flags driving through campus and incidents of shouting
insults and threats. This behavior would be appalling in any
community, but it is incomprehensible how anyone living in a city
named for Abraham Lincoln could display flags that pay tribute to
those who tried to destroy our nation.
I know that the social media comments represent just a tiny handful
of individuals and are not representative of the overall Lincoln
community. Unfortunately, for students who are young and living away
from home for the first time in their lives, a few comments can feel
as though the entire community is against them and wants them to
feel unwelcome.
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Lincoln College campus.
Lincoln College brings together students of different backgrounds,
experiences, and perspectives which allows us to live and learn
together. Our diverse student body enables us to enrich our campus
and the Logan County community.
Lincoln College has a $53 million annual economic impact on Lincoln
and Logan County. All businesses and residents of the community
benefit either directly or indirectly from that investment. The
students that are the target of these attacks are the source of that
economic impact. Those who attack our students are, in a very
literal sense, biting the hands that feed them.
Our students have only a few short years in our community. But, for
the rest of their lives, as they pursue careers, build businesses,
make investment decisions, and influence others, they will carry
with them the impressions of the community they develop during these
years. Lincoln and Logan County cannot afford to let a tiny group of
hate-filled individuals soil its reputation for decades to come.
Please show kindness and patience to our Lincoln College students,
as well as the entire community.
David M. Gerlach, Ph.D.
President
Lincoln College |
