Violence in Las Vegas
October 3, 2017
Dear Friends,
It is heartbreaking that I write again in the wake of a national tragedy that causes us to shudder at the scale of loss of life—even as we remind ourselves that each life is precious and fragile—and at the all-too-human capacity for evil.
Our late colleague Elie Wiesel, whose life we celebrated last month, immersed himself in the ancient texts that informed his teaching, not because the texts were old, but because they spoke of what is enduring in human experience, including the idea that it is all too human to be inhumane. We have seen it again in Las Vegas. In coming days, we will also see accounts of astonishing bravery and self-sacrifice on the parts of individuals on scene. These accounts also speak to what it means to be human.
We have two jobs, it seems to me. The first, which derives simply from our being human, is to console and assist where we have occasion and means to do so. Counseling services are available to students, faculty, and staff through Student Health Services and Behavioral Medicine, the Faculty & Staff Assistance Office, and through our spiritual leaders based at Marsh Chapel.
The second, which derives from our membership in a community of scholars, is to seek to understand the causes of grotesque acts of inhumanity that we might work toward making the world a better, safer place.
The victims of this horrific event are in our thoughts and prayers, as are their stricken relatives and friends.
Yours,
Robert A. Brown
President