While growing up, I and maybe you, heard and spoke the grade-school-playground proverb “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” In my opinion, that proverb is, has been and always will be a load of horse manure. And, to quote Biff Tannen (I really hope I don’t need to explain who he is) “Manure! I hate manure!”

Name calling seems dangerously close to becoming the norm in our society. Silly me, I thought that we might have been able to leave it behind by the time we enrolled at university. Anyone who claims to have no hidden wounds from harsh words being directed toward them in their life must possess either the world’s best self-esteem or an extremely poor memory. Well, there is that chance that he or she was the kid whom everyone knew “you just don’t mess with.”

Last week, there were two instances of the N-word being written on state property by persons lacking the courage, confidence and backbone to take credit for their use of a racial epithet and their vandalism. I am unable to find words too harsh to condemn such behavior.

The First Amendment to this country’s Constitution affirms our nearly unconditional right to freedom of speech. However, just because there is a right to say something does not mean that it is the right thing to say. Our minimally restricted right to free speech does not exclude hateful words and sentences. Such is the price for our right to free speech that so many of us take for granted and most of the world desires. However, it is clear that anyone who spreads racial epithets like those of the past week is not focused on freedom of speech. In these incidents, the perpetrator is focused on spreading hate and racism, on acting anonymously and on committing vandalism. There can be no doubt that the clear intent is to inflict hurt on persons of color.

For myself and all folks who walk through life as “white people,” are we able to understand how stinging, disheartening and insulting it is for an African-American to encounter the worst possible, punch-in-the-gut type of slur while living on campus? Can we really understand how it feels to encounter that slur at an institution of higher education in the 21st century? To wonder, deep down, might I know the person who did this at night or when no one was around? Is he or she sitting next to me in the Pioneer Crossing or in class? Might it be someone who is living down the hallway?

The 13th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1865, abolished slavery in this country. It did not, nor did any subsequent amendment, put an end to racism. Racism is an issue over which this country has struggled for more than 400 years. If you want to understand racism, talk with the students and employees of UW-P who encounter it, read about it in print or online and attend diversity programs.

SPEAK UP! A person with no response to these incidents of hate appears to silently have no problem with, or perhaps flat out supports, these acts of racism in our community. You will be known by your deeds, whether as a person who cares for others or as a person who hates others. What do your deeds say about you?