A statement from President William J. Murabito:
The NCCC Family is outraged by the deadly tragedy that occurred on Saturday, May 14 in a grocery store on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo. Our condolences go out to the families, friends and loved ones of the victims of the shooting and to all of those affected by the senseless violence perpetrated this past weekend.
As Interim SUNY Chancellor Deborah Stanley stated, “We cannot allow intentional acts of horrific violence to destroy our peace and divide us against each other.” Racism, hate and violence have no place on this campus, and we stand committed in our support of equity, diversity and inclusion at all levels of this institution. As a community college, our priority is to create an environment for all students to feel safe to learn and to be good neighbors to all in the surrounding area. We have a responsibility to educate and prepare our students for life beyond the classroom, and we take this opportunity to strive to promote greater understanding, humanity and light, especially at a time of such darkness.
We promise “never again” and casually move on to our everyday lives. We cannot expect change unless we become personally committed to action. The rhetoric of the extremist motivates those in society prone to violence; this cannot continue.
The investigation of the monster who murdered ten innocent people in Buffalo will identify many clues to why and numerous missteps that could have prevented this horrific act. Our community must insist on change that will limit access to weapons that are placed in the hands of violent, deranged individuals. Only then can we reduce the impact of hate as we continue to understand and work to replace hate with support and celebrate our differences.
We move forward together today in solidarity with the strong Black community and the City of Buffalo. May the outpouring of love and support continue into the future, helping to heal and guide us to better days ahead.
William J. Murabito, Ph.D.
NCCC President
Original source can be found here.
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