Statement Regarding Buffalo Shootings (May 16, 2022)

Dear Colleagues and Students,

All of us at UM-Dearborn are horrified by the despicable racially-motivated shooting in Buffalo, New York over the weekend. Although we are still learning the details of the event, it appears that the shooter was radicalized online and motivated by a white nationalist conspiracy theory and specifically targeted a Black community. I speak on behalf of the university in condemning not only this disgusting act but all acts of racial violence and discriminatory behavior.  

Extremists typically want to polarize groups so that violence spirals into more violence. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was prescient and inspiring when he said, "Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love...Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." 

Our society must rise to the growing challenge of online radicalism. I am confident and proud the members of the UM-Dearborn community will do their part to take on discrimination, inequities, and hatred and turn the vision of a peaceful, equal, and inclusive culture into reality.

That assault-style rifles are so readily available on our streets and can be so easily coupled with prejudice, what Sinclair Lewis described as the most cherished birthright of the ignorant, is devastatingly frightening. Our university remains committed to being a welcoming environment, inclusive of everyone, regardless of racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, gender, or religious identities. As a scholarly community, we have the power and the responsibility to combat hate through education and opening minds. And to that, we are deeply committed.

Our dedication to peace and kindness binds us together to make a strong community that learns with and from each other benefitting from our different and similar life experiences. 

If you are grieving, please know that you are not struggling alone, university resources are available to students, faculty, and staff experiencing an emotional or psychological toll that this type of violence may inflict. Students who need assistance can contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). Faculty and staff may seek support through the Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office (FASCCO). If you are experiencing or see something that concerns you, either on campus or online, don’t hesitate to contact public safety at 313-593-5333.  

With heartfelt sadness and sympathy for the families and friends of all the victims of this terrible event.

Domenico Grasso
Chancellor