Four years ago, as I prepared to graduate high school, I — like many other members of the Class of 2024 — sat stuck at home on online Zoom school. I frankly do not remember those classes much because, as a native Minnesotan, I spent most of the time glued to my phone, watching video after video of police violence brought upon Minneapolis. These were places where I had childhood memories, neighborhoods where my relatives lived and communities full of people I cared deeply about. I was paralyzed, outraged and could not look away.
Now, as I prepare to graduate college, I had to watch that same violence brought to the only other place in the world I’ve come to call home. I stood aghast, watching people I care about get thrown to the ground and dragged off like sacks of manure for daring to oppose injustice — all right before my eyes. Now they face criminal charges. Our College’s President, Sian Leah Beilock, claims she brought this violence into our home because the protests were “rendering [Dartmouth] only for people who hold one ideology,” calling it necessary to prevent “hateful intimidation.” I disagree. Instead, she brought one of my worst nightmares to life. I was paralyzed, outraged and could not look away.
I’m not a particularly religious person, but I do cherish one of my Sunday school lessons from when I was little. Being able to forgive those who wrong you is one of the most powerful strengths anyone can have. I pray that one day I will have the strength to forgive Beilock for what she did, but today, I must confess that I am weak and cannot.
Thomas Lane ’24 is a former opinion editor at The Dartmouth. Opinion articles represent the views of their author(s), which are not necessarily those of The Dartmouth.
Thomas Lane '24 is a former Opinion editor.
