Sept. 11, 2001

Indiana University students, faculty, staff and administrative leaders united Tuesday in a call for civility, respect and tolerance. IU President Myles Brand emphasized that "IU continues to be a place of diversity and respect, and we will enforce that."

IU Vice President for Student Development and Diversity Charlie Nelms echoed the president's sentiments Tuesday night in a forum at the Indiana Memorial Union. Nelms said the tragedy provides the campus with an opportunity to reach out and to share. He also stressed that "to withdraw is, in essence, to satisfy the objective of the terrorists."

Nelms urged students not to wait for a committee, an event or an official call to action, but instead to act "human to human." He encouraged them to heed the words of Mohandas Gandhi, who said we must be the change that we want to see in the world.

Naimah Raushanah Bilal, president of the Muslim Student Union, delivered a powerful plea at the Union Board forum.

"American Muslims have family and friends who worked in the World Trade Center and for the federal government," she said, her voice cracking with emotion. "American Muslims share a sense of profound sorrow with our friends and colleagues for everyone touched by this tragedy and pray that they all receive comfort, strength and guidance.

"Regardless of who is ultimately found to be responsible for these terrorist murders, no ethnic or religious community should be treated as suspect and collectively blamed," she continued.

"It is our hope that we can avoid finger-pointing and rather work together as a unified nation to see our way through this horrific event. Our prayers are with the victims and their families," she concluded, sobbing.

Brand also stressed that members of the IU community must reach out to one another. "Let us not harm ourselves," he said.