Letter to the Editor

President Audrey Bilger’s half-hearted gesture at acknowledging the Trump administration’s illegal border patrol enforcement in her recent email address to the school was embarrassing and insufficient. Reed College has long made a name for itself not by toeing the line, but by standing for progressive values. In the last few weeks, the American public has seen videos of ICE officers murdering two completely innocent and unarmed American citizens. Bilger’s statement, which repeatedly describes how emotional this experience is, refuses to take any meaningful action or stance on the issue. Hate is not a political opinion, supporting illegal miscarriages of justice is not a position we should tolerate. The students of Reed College require a full-throated condemnation of ICE and a declaration that the college will endeavor to protect its students and community from its attacks—not just emotional support. Former Director of Community Safety Gary Granger’s actions made the community fearful that the college would sooner collaborate with law enforcement than protect its own community. This is unacceptable. Reed boasts a diverse student population, including many immigrants and international students. If we are the safe and accepting community President Bilger claims we are, then it is the responsibility of the college to make it so—and that requires taking a strong position against the actions of the Trump administration.