
MANHATTAN -An anti-Semitic poster was put up on campus at Kansas State University during Holocaust Remembrance Day on Monday.
The university was alerted to the poster through social media and removed it from the telephone pole it was attached to.
On Thursday, Kansas State University President Richard Myers addressed the situation on the school’s web site.
“On Monday, we saw another example of how those who harbor prejudice attempt to create rifts within the K-State family. In this case, a poster with an anti-Semitic message was taped to a utility pole near Ahearn Field House. This type of message is unwelcome at Kansas State University.
There have been a series of random messages found on campus in recent weeks, small in number but each targeting a specific group of the K-State family. Our LGBTQ community was disparaged in one single-page flyer, our African-American family members targeted in another. These few, random incidents should be kept in perspective. The K-State family is committed to diversity and inclusion and should not be influenced by these isolated incidents. We don’t know who has distributed these missives, or why. But we do know they don’t represent the values of the K-State family.
Our Principles of Community affirm the right of freedom of expression, but we call on each other to maintain civility and respect. The tone of these messages does not honor these principles. This is not the Wildcat Way. We welcome and embrace those who bring diverse backgrounds, thoughts and opinions to our university.”
Greg Newmark, co-adviser of the university’s Jewish student organization, says he doesn’t believe the person behind the poster knew the significance of Holocaust Remembrance Day. He says the incident only highlights the purpose behind having such a holiday, which is “to not forget how quickly hate speech can become (dangerous).”
K-State University police continue to investigate the incident.
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MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — An anti-Semitic poster was put up on campus at Kansas State University during Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Kansas State Associate Vice President Steve Logback tells the Manhattan Mercury that the university was alerted to the poster through social media that Monday morning and removed it from the telephone pole it was attached to.
Logback says the situation was an unauthorized posting and, as far as he knows, an isolated incident.
Greg Newmark, co-adviser of the university’s Jewish student organization, says he doesn’t believe the person behind the poster knew the significance of Holocaust Remembrance Day. He says the incident only highlights the purpose behind having such a holiday, which is “to not forget how quickly hate speech can become (dangerous).”
Logback says that university police are currently investigating the incident.