President Bunker Hill Community College Reflects On The Insurrection And Riot At The USA Capitol

Press release from Bunker Hill Community College:

January 8, 2021

Dear BHCC Community,

"On Wednesday, our nation experienced an unimaginable insurrection during the final, and normally ceremonial, phase of our presidential election. The incursion into the Capitol Building and the disruption of the certification of electoral votes was a direct challenge to our democracy. It breached the peaceful transition of power, a hallmark of our republic and a beacon of hope for so many around the world aspiring to democracy.

Equally disturbing is the white supremacist tenor of the incident, with national leaders at the highest levels fanning the flames. The contrast between the harshness of security enforcement during the summer anti-racism protests, and the casualness with which the rioters were contained and released at the Capitol, was striking and concerning. Our nation has a long road ahead in honest self-reflection, in learning, and in healing.

Even as we despair over this threat to our democracy, however, I urge you to remain hopeful as we consider the future of our nation. As a higher education community, we have faith that progress and learning are possible and that human potential and goodness will prevail. Let us consider our nation’s future in this spirit of hope.

We will begin our spring semester soon, facing immediate challenges of the COVID-19 surge, virtual learning, the basic needs of our community, and one another's health and safety. As we face these difficulties together, we also have hopeful things in our midst. We will have a new administration in Washington; we are slowly learning to be equity-minded in our work and as a society; we have two new vaccines; and we have gained a lot of knowledge about learning and working in the virtual environment. These gifts received in dark times will serve us well as we emerge into better light.

I am hopeful, and I invite you into a more optimistic world as we start Spring 2021."

Pam Y. Eddinger, PhD
President
Bunker Hill Community College

This press release was produced by Bunker Hill Community College. The views expressed are the author's own.