University professor responds to hearing racial slur on campus

Dear Editor,

Yesterday, I decided to sit on a bench on the Einhorn Family Walkway. This is hardly news, but it was my first time just sitting in the center of campus. A man on the bench beside me admired my guide dog, Caitlyn, a yellow Labrador. I acknowledged him and affirmed that yes, she’s a pretty dog.

Suddenly the man was called the “N-word” by a passing student. The student was too fast to confront. He’d spat the insult and was gone.

The man began to cry. I moved next to him. Caitlyn decided to kiss him. She washed his face.

His story unfolded. He was a Marine in the First Gulf War. He now has cancer. We talked for a

long time.

Ever since 9/11, we’ve heard the phrase “If you see something, say something.”

Later I relayed this story to a student of color. She said, “Yeah, it happens all the time.”

What use is a university if people can’t experience dignity at the very heart of it?

Sincerely,

Stephen Kuusisto

University Professor

Director

Interdisciplinary Programs and Outreach

The Burton Blatt Institute