In lieu of this month’s hate-speech attacks on both the Muslim Students Association and Association of Black Students, it’s time for my yearly writing about religious and minority freedom on SMU’s campus.

And to be quite frank, I’m tired of having to write these pieces.

Over the past two months, I have had more students come to me with concerns about their freedoms not only at SMU, but in Highland Park and Dallas as well. I hurt for those students.

They’re trying to create a safe space at SMU and receive an education, and yet they have to deal with overcoming oppression at an institution that promote the pursuit of higher education. Hate crimes like this shouldn’t be happening.

The fact is, folks, we live in a diverse world. We may not see it much here, but when you cross the boundaries of the Platinum Corridor, we run into a great deal of diversity.

For many, it may feel like I’m preaching to the choir, so to speak. And the intent of my article is not to pass judgment on those who have not been exposed to a great deal of diversity.

However, we are all a part of a very small minority who has the opportunity to receive a phenomenal education and make a big difference in the world.

In order to do so, we have to educate ourselves about those who are different than us.

That doesn’t just mean the white kids need to make a few black friends, or the Christians meet a Muslim student or two.

It means that we all need to engage those around us who are not of the same race, not of the same religion and those who do not come from a similar background.

And I think SMU tries to create those conversations on campus. There are countless events throughout the year that try to educate students about the cultural and religious diversity that exists on campus. But are we really listening to those students who just want to expose the rest of the population to their culture and their beliefs?

I can’t, in good conscience, say that we are listening. I can’t say that I always listen either. And that’s a problem.

One of the reasons why I am so passionate about the Religious Studies Club is I fully believe that we try to expose not only students at SMU, but the community that surrounds SMU to individuals who they would never interact with had they not attended one of our events.

I cannot speak for other organizations on campus that do the same, but I think they share my sentiments.

I hope they share my sentiments.

I will never understand what it feels like to be a Muslim student who has to watch their back on Sept. 11 because some think they are responsible for what happened eleven years ago.

I will never understand what it feels like to be a black or Hispanic student trying to make friends where everyone seems so incredibly different from them.

However, I do know we have all felt nervous in different environments. So, to some degree, we can all relate. But we can always educate ourselves further.

Want a good place to start? Attend “The Elephant in the Room; Battling Bias” this Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in Hughes-Trigg. I’ll leave you all with that, and with good hopes that you’ll attend.

Graves is a junior majoring in communication studies.