Building Family: Empathy, Understanding and Respect

Newberry College mourns the loss of precious life in a senseless act of violence that took the lives of nine innocent people at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. The families and friends whose lives they so profoundly touched remain in our thoughts and prayers. Now, we pray for peace and healing for the City of Charleston, for our state and for the nation. 

I was deeply moved by the flood of support from our local community as we shared both our grief and our unity at a prayer vigil here in Newberry earlier this week. The outpouring of love and reassurance from people of every walk of life powerfully demonstrated our capacity to come together as a nation. This is our moment to show the world our strength and our unity as a people.

We embrace diversity and celebrate inclusivity at Newberry College; we believe it strengthens and enriches our campus community. The tragic events at Emanuel AME Church remind us that each new day offers us the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to be other-oriented in our daily lives. 

Through our words and actions we must inspire one another with empathy, understanding and respect. This is the key to our collective well-being … the key to our salvation. There can be no other way to live our lives.

Our governor has called for the removal of the Confederate flag from the State House grounds, which our legislators will take under consideration. The symbolism of the flag is unique for every individual, but for a substantial number of people it elicits deeply negative feelings of inequality, injustice and discrimination. As such, it becomes an obstacle to building a better, stronger society in which each person’s inherent value is recognized and respected. 

We must take whatever actions are necessary to remove the barriers that may impede our collaboration and fellowship. It is incumbent upon all of us to embrace the advantages born from the diversity upon which this country has been built. 

We are not strengthened by divisiveness and exclusivity. For us to progress as a people, we must become a community of inclusivity, respect and equality. Our future depends upon our capacity to unite as a nation, to eliminate the obstacles that separate us and to widen the pathways that bring us together. 

Newberry College stands ready to lend whatever support we can offer to encourage the healing and forgiveness that are essential for us to move forward as a community of friends. We pray that our state leaders will have the wisdom and courage to do what is best for South Carolina and for our nation.

Though sorrowed by the loss of precious life, we stand today united and committed to an unwavering respect for our differences and a deep appreciation of what unites us. Together, we give one another hope for a better tomorrow.

Dr. Maurice Scherrens
President, Newberry College