May 28, 2021

The Hatred Pandemic

One of the world’s most difficult and enduring conflicts broke out in military action again as Palestinian and Israeli forces clashed. On both sides, lives were lost, civilians were injured, and homes and businesses were destroyed.

But the damage extends far beyond the Middle East. As UW President Ana Mari stated in a recent blog, many in our university community have ties to the area through family and friends. And there have been incidents of threats and violence towards Palestinian and Jewish citizens locally and nationally.

Any acts of harassment towards any group because of their ethnicity, nationality or religion should not be tolerated. It goes against what we stand for at the UW the School of Nursing. We unequivocally condemn any interpersonal behavior that disregards, disrespects, and discriminates. The harassment we see here in the U.S. is rooted in the lumping people into a monolithic “other” group. This is depersonalizing, irrational, and ultimately counterproductive.

Do not take part in such harassment. Do not be a silent witness to such harassment. Do not allow such harassment. Do not permit it to fester and spread.

I encourage you to express your needs and concerns, as well as reaching out to let us know how we can best support our school community.

For students experiencing fear or grief, please consider contacting TeResa Regan (resa@uw.edu), a licensed mental health counselor, for free, confidential counseling services. You may also reach out to SafeCampus (206-685-7233) or the UW Counseling Center (866-743-7732) — both are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. UW employees can access counseling and mental health resources at UW CareLink.

Hate is as much a disease as cancer or COVID. It is a communicable disease and public health crisis that must be eradicated.