Students that feel offended by expressions of bigotry at Syracuse University demand that the chancellor obey their orders to the letter in adopting measures to clamp down on it. They seem inclined to engage in bullying unless they get their way.

They rebuked the administration because it had to wait until morning to address a reported 11:30pm SMS hate campaign, which ultimately proved to have been a hoax (no one actually received the supposed SMS). If it had really happened, it would be nasty, but not an emergency. Such things can wait till morning.

Hitting back at hate in a direct way can backfire and promote hate. It can also make society more repressive. Chancellor Syverud should think carefully about how to discourage bigotry at Syracuse University, and resist pressure to "repress someone right away." He should refuse to be bullied, refuse to resign, think calmly, and aim to reduce bigotry rather than trying to look tough.

The forms of bigotry present in Syracuse University include antisemitism, and I am one of the people targeted by that. Speaking as such, I call for the treatment to cure the disease of bigotry, including antisemitism, not be more repressive than the disease itself.