“Sin Awareness Day”: otherwise known to Dickinson as that one day every year when a group of men stand in the middle of Britton Plaza and spout all sorts of hateful views that insult and trigger many already marginalized communities on campus. Thus provoking many Dickinsonians, a small crowd always gathers around the visitors, usually arguing, yelling and jeering at his offensive and close-minded perspective on humanity. 

Last year, as a first-year, I was part of that crowd. Listening to those offensive comments angered and irritated me and my first instinct was to directly react to the situation. However, the louder we got, the more agitated and offensive the visitors became and the more offensive they became, the more agitated and defensive we were. I remember that the final straw for me was when, in an attempt to reason with one man in particular, he pointed me out individually and called me “the most insolent woman [he had] ever met.”

Furious, I gave up. I remember storming to the library to finish my homework, but even with my computer and books open, I still could not concentrate. I felt defeated. Going into direct combat with this visitor did not make me feel any better and I certainly did not feel like I made a difference. 

You could imagine the sinking feeling in my stomach when I saw the visitor return again last Wednesday. 

I wanted to go protest with the rest of my peers. I wanted to yell at him and make him feel as belittled as he had made me feel one year ago. I wanted my voice to be heard. 

But instead, I made the most powerful move I could: doing absolutely nothing. Walking by with my headphones in, I would notice the crowd gathering on Britton Plaza and keep on striding toward the library. I was able to focus on what I needed to get done; in fact, I had a pretty productive day. Ending the day feeling fulfilled and positive, I wasn’t about to give our visitor the attention he was seeking and I wasn’t about to put myself into a frustrating situation that eats away at more important priorities in life. 

Coming from a firsthand experience, I am fully aware of how tempting it is to react with anger and aggression to hateful viewpoints. However, in this particular situation, giving in to this temptation does nothing but fuel the visitor’s anger and hatred. Although we are trained to engage in and debate controversial topics as students of a liberal arts college, the men who come to Dickinson’s campus each year who promote Sin Awareness Day are not open to conversation. 

They are simply there to stir up angered reactions from students. As difficult as it can be, simply ignoring some situations not only keeps bigots from getting what they want, but will also ensure a healthier mindset. 

If no one gives the Sin-Awareness Day men the negative attention they desire, they’ll find no purpose on Dickinson’s campus and leave. Without an audience, their effect on campus is futile. Plus, the best way to really shut down people like them is to simply go about your day and contrastingly treat others with kindness, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation and gender. Reacting with more anger and aggression results in a stagnation of progress. 

Trust me, your time isn’t worth their hatred.