OU president issues statement about Trump ‘wall’ graffiti

The Hispanic/Latino student group has said the stated support for Trump was not the issue – the “Build the wall” message, however, is. Trump has repeatedly promised that as president, he will build a large wall between the U.S. and Mexico, which critics argue has spurred anti-Latino/Hispanic  and anti-immigrant (legal and illegal) sentiment in the U.S.

McDavis’ letter marks the second time this academic year the president has sent a message to the OU campus community about a debate sparked by the Graffiti Wall, located on Mulberry Street just below Bentley Hall. The first time that happened, McDavis was responding to a “Black Lives Matter” message painted by the OU Black Student Union being painted over with an “All Lives Matter” message, along with profanity-laden language calling the painters, among other things, “neo-progressive f**ks.”

McDavis wrote Friday that, with OU’s International Week starting yesterday (Sunday), it’s an important time to “celebrate what is different, beautiful and unique about being Bobcats.”

McDavis wrote that he had met with members of OU’s Hispanic/Latino community after he saw the “Build the Wall” message.

“I met with students and members of our Hispanic/Latino community who saw words that troubled them on the Graffiti Wall,” McDavis wrote. “Indeed, this wall is a place of free speech and expression; however, the words painted were troubling because they had a very different meaning to some than they may have to others viewing the message or even to those who painted the message.”

McDavis opened the letter by saying, “Words are powerful!” He said sometimes words heal while other times “those same words” can hurt.

“The students, faculty and staff with whom I met explained to me that those words (on the Graffiti Wall) were ones of unwelcome, of divide,” McDavis wrote. “They said Ohio University has always been a place that they consider ‘home,’ and upon viewing these words, they questioned whether they would continue to be welcome – a feeling shared more broadly in our nation as we grapple with feelings of intolerance and experiences of bias. 

“I reaffirmed that the Hispanic/Latino members of our university community are indeed welcome and valued,” McDavis continued.

According to tweets from the OU HLSU group, the president of the group, Carla Triana, explained during a conversation at Baker Center on April 7 why the Trump message was “offensive.” More coverage of that conversation can be found here.

“Not because of the support for the presidential candidate, but because of the statement to build a wall. The statement is directed towards the Latino population,” the tweets read.

McDavis encouraged community members to “learn about cultures that enrich” Athens and OU.

“Today, I share this message to reiterate and reassure you that Ohio University remains a home to ALL,” the president wrote. “We have consistently been a national leader when it comes to inclusion. We have made equality and diversity a campus-wide priority throughout our storied 212-year history and we will continue to do so – I can promise you that.

“Words are only temporary; however, their impact can be everlasting,” he continued. “So, to the members of the Bobcat community who were hurt by yesterday’s words, here are my words to you: I value you. I believe in you. I support you.”

The graffiti message the OU HLSU group put up also included a small statement in Spanish on an adjacent wall: “Juntos somos mas fuertes.”

Roughly translated, that means, “Together we are stronger.”