The Central Michigan University president is speaking out after an anti-Semitic Valentine's Day card was passed out at a student organization meeting on Wednesday night.
The card, which reads "my love 4 u burns like 6,000 jews," depicts a photo of Adolf Hitler, and was allegedly given out after a Valentine's Day party for the College Republicans at Central Michigan University.
CMU President George Ross said they are "deeply disappointed" by the situation, saying "Such hurtful, offensive language, while protected by the First Amendment, is unacceptable and is not consistent with our values and standards."
According to the college Republican's Facebook page, the organization had a Valentine's Day party where each member decorated a bag and other members placed cards inside of the others' bags.
"Unfortunately, a very inappropriate card was placed into a bag without other members' knowledge," the Facebook post says. "A bag was then given away to students sitting in Anspach, once again without members' knowledge of its contents.
"The College Republicans as an organization did not distribute this valentine. We in no way condone this type of rhetoric or anti-Semitism. We apologize for any offensive behavior, and want students to know that we do not tolerate this sort of behavior," the statement continues.
Ross said members of the president's and provost's offices, Office for Civil Rights and Institutional Equality (OCRIE), Office for Institutional Diversity, Student Affairs, Student activities and Involvement and the CMU Police Department met this morning to investigate and review the situation.
Right now, they are working to determine next steps, and the OCRIE has launched a formal inquiry, according to Ross.
"We caution against concluding that the action is representative of the entire student organization or its members and remind all that threatening others as a result of such an incident can have legal consequences," Ross' statement said. "At Central Michigan University, we stand up against hate, protect the safety of all, and build bridges of understanding that bring people together."
