There is no place left on this University campus that is safe. And speaking out seems to create only more of a gap of power between the University of Michigan's administration and institutions and the student body. Students of color, along with staff and faculty, have long been the casualties of discriminatory policies and, more informally but arguably more rampant, the targets of racist and chauvinistic actions from individuals within University administration and institutions. Despite this lengthy history reminding us not to repeat it, there has been a disturbing increase both in the number and boldness of hate incidents in recent years, with a sudden spike in the 2005-2006 school year.

Although the list is extremely long, it is useful to point out a few episodes that highlight the trend. Take the case of Arab students. For all new admissions to the University of Michigan, the checkbox for white students reads as follows: Caucasian/White (not of Hispanic origin, but having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East). While the system of checkboxes is inherently over-simplistic, this categorization of Arab students leaves them powerless to even check the "Other" category, making invisible an entire community to counseling services and ethnic-specific scholarships and positions.

As a result, they have been vulnerable, and subjected, to attacks of the ugliest kind, even from our own University President Mary Sue Coleman. In a letter to the campus in 2002, she asked the "organizers and participants" of a conference on Arab rights to "respect all University rules concerning appropriate conduct on campus" and calling the ideals of the conference "offensive" and "repugnant." In reality it was the protesters physically assaulting those attending the conference, all the while calling them "baby killers," "dirty camel jockeys," and, most original of all, "terrorists."

In our current school year, there have been numerous amateur-style cartoons and articles published in the Daily essentializing all Arabs as Muslims and then perpetuating the "dirty camel jockey" and "terrorist" image. But there remains constant movement forward, both internally for the community and from other supportive groups. On April 8, in the Michigan Union Ballroom, there will be the third annual Arab culture show, which has received unprecedented support not only from the Arab community but also from other students of color. The continuing growth of communication and informal networks made between these different groups has been nothing short of inspirational.

The Michigan Daily, while allowing for independent submissions, has encouraged discrimination of all people of color and has taken an opportunity on the current attack on Affirmative Action and other race and ethnicity based programs to create an even more hostile environment for blacks on campus. While clearly this is an issue that merits discussion, it is one matter to deal with the topic at hand and completely another to demonize an entire race to gain political momentum. "Bob," the white cartoon character printed in the Daily among a classroom of black students, is the icon of such demonization. Using a subversive argument that does not critique Affirmative Action but rather exploits an "us versus them" mentality, the cartoon creates hate based motivation against government and University policy. This is one of several cartoons forming a pattern of racist ideology that has become common place within the covers of The Michigan Daily.

Free speech has long been a slogan of those who come under attack in the media. It has unfortunately been turned into a farcical excuse which is put forward only when disadvantaged communities expose discrimination. While free speech should always be protected, it is the sole responsibility of the editors of a paper what gets published and what is deemed unfit. So when an event or a series of events arises that warrants special attention, it is the responsibility of the editors to either take the credit or correct the problem. Hiding behind a dogma of "free speech" is not only unethical and dishonest; it creates a hostile and even violent atmosphere for disadvantaged students.

As the claims of discrimination by students on University faculty and staff arise, it becomes clear that not only is there a welcoming environment for hate, there is willingness within administration to cover it up and let it fester because there is no possibility of it being exposed or investigated. However, as the charges filed by the Coalition for Action Against Racism and Discrimination have shown, students will not sit by as these issues take place. Diversity does not end at the admissions process and discrimination is not resolved by hiding it in a flurry of excuses.

It has gone even further this year, unfortunately, with the hate crime on an Asian student in September of 2005.