It's the Thought that Counts

Last Friday, death threats were emailed out to several hundred Harvard affiliates. In particular, the email targeted Asian Americans, and threatened that the author would come to Harvard on Saturday to “shoot all of you.” On Saturday, a second email was sent, apologizing for the first and requesting that media reporting of the threats stop. HUPD responded by increasing its presence on campus and disseminating its Active Shooter Safety Guidelines, though it concluded that the threat, which appears to have originated overseas, may not be credible.

Harvard is remarkably resilient, but even as campus moves past the emails, it is important to recognize their effect. Regardless of the credibility of this specific threat, we must recognize that they reflect a very real current of racism that is unfortunately alive and well in our world today. The horrifying email was not unique in its underlying message of base and unfounded hatred, and expresses sentiments that many students have had to encounter. The fact that this threat comes at the weekend when various Asian cultural organizations on campus had planned to co-host an event discussing the Asian-American experience at Harvard, and soon after a feature on the subject in The Crimson, serves as a frightening reminder that even in the midst of attempts to bring light to a topic not often discussed, there are those who will seek to silence others.

It is unfortunately true that shootings and violence on campuses across the country are not uncommon, and threats must be taken seriously. HUPD should be commended for its quick and steady response, keeping students informed and offering extra security throughout the weekend.

Words are not just words. When they are directed to a specific group from an anonymous source, and draw from real experiences that individuals have had to undergo, they have a significant effect, one that we should take very seriously. And as we as a campus move forward from the horrifying events of this past weekend, we should take a moment to recognize the important work that student activists on campus are doing in bringing the discussion of Asian American experiences to light.