A University of Massachusetts residential life staff member’s email to a student urging them to take down a sign in their dorm window saying “F*** Nazis You Are Not Welcome Here” has received criticism from several members of the campus community.
A photograph of the sign and a screenshot of the email were posted on the Facebook page “Overhead at UMass” on Wednesday. In the email, Eddie Papazoni, the residence director for Dickinson Hall, said the sign is permitted by freedom of speech, but he still wanted to talk with the student about its “impact on the community.”
“There are some in the community who have expressed that the sign should be taken down as it has created mixed emotions in the community on how to proceed, issues of inclusion, and the ability to be active members of the community,” Papazoni wrote. “While Residence Education cannot force you or your roommate to take the sign down, I am asking that you or your roommate take the sign down so that all students can be part of an inclusive residential experience, as well as having a respectful environment to be a part of here on our campus.”
The University said in a tweet on Thursday that the email was poorly worded and does not reflect campus values. It also said UMass is “sensitive to the use of profanity.”
“UMass Amherst emphatically rejects Nazis, and any other hate group, a view expressed in the students’ sign,” the tweet said.“The university respects the students’ right to display the sign and it may remain up.”
The residence director’s email spurred several social media users to speak out publicly against it, some noting the University has had issues during the fall semester with white supremacist flyers posted on campus, and that they believe the students’ “F*** Nazis” sign was therefore justified.
“We’ve been having a growing climate of white supremacy and neo-nazis on campus,” one person tweeted. “It’s absolutely terrifying.”
Papazoni was not immediately available for a comment on Friday afternoon.
Jackson Cote can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @jackson_k_cote.
Ben • Jan 9, 2019 at 6:31 pm
Lie #1: UMass rejects all hate groups. The truth is that it embraces black, brown, female, and homosexual hate groups.
Lie #2: UMass respects its students right to free speech. The truth is that they would censor a similarly profane message in a moment if they truly disagreed with it. “Fuck Planned Parenthood” for example. Or “Fuck the black separatist student center.”
And even though the university doesn’t believe in free speech, I do. So I’m glad they’re letting it stay up. I just get a little nauseous listening to their hypocrisy.
The artist formerly known as "Susie Sweatpants" • Dec 27, 2018 at 10:42 am
Just commenting to say I can’t believe Ed Cutting is still alive.
Ed Cutting, Ed.D. • Dec 23, 2018 at 2:30 pm
UMass has taken one problem and made it into a much MUCH bigger one.
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What are they going to do when someone puts up a “F*** ALANA” sign?
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They have to treat that one the same way they treated this one — it’s called “content neutrality” and SCOTUS is quite clear about it — and now they can’t say anything about that….
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Nessus Nessus • Dec 22, 2018 at 9:24 pm
It’s a darn shame we didn’t NUKE Nazi Germany too. Is it too late?