Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Swastika Vandalism Hits GW

The highly publicized case of a Jewish student who complained about swastikas showing up on her door has abruptly come to a close, after she admitted to putting the symbols on her own door. The shocking news was discovered on Monday, November 5th, through secret security cameras that were set up in Mitchell Hall, the student’s dorm. The freshman admitted to authorities that she did, in fact, draw the half dozen swastikas on her door over the past few weeks.

The story hits especially close to home her at GW, with over thirty percent of the university being Jewish. Local news networks and even national ones like FOX News ran stories about the incidents.

So what is the student reaction to these recent acts of offensive vandalism? Lauren Mann, a Jewish freshman, told GW Radio she was “abhorred that someone could have drawn such an image of hate on her own door, especially being that she was from the Jewish community.” Mann called the student “very disturbed” and said that she “needs to be removed from campus immediately.”

A copycat was caught a week ago drawing a swastika in New Hall, as well. It was also reported that the ‘N’ word was brandished on a poster on a black student’s door here at the university.

These incidents could not occur at a worse time for The George Washington University. Just weeks before these incidents, GW was named the most expensive university and crime has increased substantially on campus over the past month. Not to mention, the huge controversy last month over the posting of anti-Muslim flyers during Islamo-Fascism week.

GW students seem to have very strong opinions on all of these incidents – not only because of the effect they have on GW’s image, but also the way the incidents have made them feel personally.

Carina Sohaili, a freshman, says she is “more disappointed at the students, than anything.” She added, “I didn’t think I went to a school like that.”

Sophomore Ryann Deering noted, “All of these events make me question what we are paying so much to go here for. Is GW really all that cultured when students are drawing swastikas on their own doors? When people are getting mugged every other days and students are putting up posters to frame conservative organizations on campus makes you wonder what has happened to our school.”


- Connie Dekis

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