As most of the campus is aware, last Wednesday there was an incident of written hate speech targeted toward Sacramento State’s Muslim community.

The State Hornet staff would remind students that this was an isolated incident, the exception and not the rule.

We would also like to commend President Nelsen for his swift and thoughtful response to the hate speech.

Sac State has a campus and a culture that embraces diversity and celebrates all members of the Hornet family.

At the end of last semester, in the face of rising Islamophobia in other parts of California, President Nelsen encouraged the Faculty Senate to release a statement affirming its support of the Muslim students, faculty and community members at Sac State.

Sylvester “Jim” Bowie, chair of the Faculty Senate, said in that statement, “Our sense of community and understanding should be the beacon light shining on this Sacramento State Campus.”

We, as individual Hornets and as a campus community, can and will continue to lead by our example of inclusivity.

We will not forget this ugly incident of hate speech, but we will not let it define us. Let us keep it in our memory as a reminder to stay vigilant against the fear mongering ignorance of a few.