Dear students, faculty and staff,
Our hearts are heavy in the wake of the mass shooting that killed 11 and wounded six others during worship inside the Tree of Life Synagogue Saturday morning. This attack is described as one of the deadliest assaults against the Jewish community in American history. On behalf of Michigan Social Work, we express our profound condolences to the victims’ families, friends and the Pittsburgh community.
Many in our Michigan Social Work community feel frustrated, threatened and perhaps even hopeless, over the frequency of violent acts we see and the hate speech we hear.
As social workers, we must act to unequivocally reject violence, hatred, bigotry and injustice. We resolve that the recent pattern of violence and hatred in this country must not become “the new normal.” We affirm the basic human values that represent the core of the social work profession -- social justice, respect for the dignity and worth of all persons and the importance of human relationships.
Tomorrow, we will change the topic of the previously planned Student Town Hall to invite our entire community to remember the victims and to discuss this tragedy.
Please join us on Tuesday, October 30, 2018, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. in room B780.
Gun violence abrogates our human rights, the fundamental right to live and to feel safe. Together, we have the power to stand united and to help one another and to foster a progressive, peaceful and respectful society.
Sincerely,
Lynn Videka
Dean and Carol T. Mowbray Professor of Social Work
