In a diplomatic –and honestly appreciated– effort to address the student body for which she is responsible, ACC’s president Dr. Diana Doyle sent out a mass-email to the entire student and faculty body regarding last Friday’s executive order from the Big Orange himself, which lends itself as a Muslim ban by any other name.  The executive order regarded immigration from seven targeted countries under the guise of “protecting the nation from foreign terrorist entry.”  As it has been circulating, none of the countries listed have ever sent over a terrorist, nor has anyone died from a terrorist attack perpetrated by anybody hailing from these countries (Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya and Yemen).

Following this order, Dr. Doyle sent out a timely message, one of assurance and acceptance to the ACC student body, advising students from the aforementioned countries to avoid traveling abroad and encouraging those same students to seek legal advice should they feel they need it.  She even provided a handful of links to Metro-area legal consultants and agencies.  And for all of that, she must be thanked.

But is it enough?

President Doyle failed to outline any steps or actions she, or the school itself, would take in ensuring the protection of its international and Muslim students.  A line about not providing any information regarding immigration status except under request by law was given, but this doesn’t exactly spell out protection for international students.

So what’s the big issue?

Well, should a federal administration hostile to international or Muslim students actually attempt to identify (or possibly register) them, almost any request for pertinent information regarding immigration status would still be a lawful request under the Orange Trumpet’s behest.  As Dr. Doyle pointed out, the school would comply with such request.  This does not ensure the safety of our students.

What is ACC going to do to defend and protect its Muslim students?  Its international students?  Its LGBTQIA+ students?  Unfortunately, if the behavior of the campus police towards hate crimes on our own campus is any indicator, then students might be met with the cold wall of silence and paperwork.

Last November, a hate crime was reported to the ACC campus police department.  When the Pinnacle attempted to gain information from campus police, they were met with request forms and silence.  After more and more requests, still no word.  As of today, the Pinnacle has yet to receive any information as to what happened exactly or whether anything was truly done about it (besides the obvious removal of the vandalization).

And since details are unfortunately murky, we are left unsure as to what exactly happened.  Some speculation suggests hate symbols were drawn, such as swastikas.  Others suggest racial/religious/homophobic slurs.  But none of this can be confirmed nor denied until information is released.

What would help ensure the safety of students would be acknowledging that the current federal administration is hostile towards many minority groups, most vehemently against Mexicans and Muslims, acknowledging that this administrative hostility empowers those who are already hostile towards minority groups, and that ACC will not tolerate hateful behavior.  Providing an outline of what the school intends to do should our international students come under threat, including what campus and Littleton police will do in response, would be incredibly valuable.

Essentially, letting the student body know that the school will take to its defense when it is attacked by a hostile federal administration is what would assuage some of our fears.

Knowing that we have the institution of our education at our backs supporting us in an uncertain future is exactly what students need to know, particularly those who are becoming too afraid to speak out.

When the whole country shouts about injustice and threat about specific policies or executive orders, any silence on the matter speaks volumes.

Note: this editorial was originally published while containing an unverified claim (“Swastikas were drawn on a bathroom stall in the Annex building”) and has since been rescinded after editors were alerted.  Information regarding the official investigation into the crime has yet to surface. -2/13