Kirk Gulezian

RESEARCH HYPERTEXT:

Anonymous hate speech on Emory Universitys Campus:

As of late, Emory University has been receiving widespread attention for the hate
speech conducted on its campus. A Jewish fraternity recently discovered swastikas spray-
painted on its front porch. A friendly intramural football game turned into a breeding
ground for racial slurs and hateful remarks. Many students are finding themselves in what
feels like a hostile environment.
A new social media application has taken Emorys campus by storm. The
application, known as Yik Yak, allows users to post anonymous messages to those
within a few mile-radius. While there are sometimes positive posts, many of the
anonymous messages are quite hurtful and inconsiderate to the backgrounds of many
Emory students. Racial, sexual, and cultural slurs are used often, instilling a sense of
hostility within the halls of Emory.
I aim to create a social movement within Emorys community. My social
movement will, hopefully, raise consciousness (PP, 30) on Emorys campus. To do so,
there must be a shared focus of attention, (PP, p. 28) meaning I must advertise my
campaign by highlighting the issues that anonymous hate speech result in. I will collect
anonymous quotes from students that have felt victimized by Yik Yak posts. I will create
a visually appealing image incorporating these quotes, will ensuring that I maintain the
anonymity of the students.
I hope to create a power dynamic on Emorys campus, in which hate speech is not
a norm, and a status relationship is created that allows victims to influence decisions of
the oppressor before they occur. My campaign aims to eliminate the option of anonymous
hate speech on Emorys campus, by highlighting the genuine destruction and
deterioration in can cause in certain individuals. Oppressors will actively choose to end
hate speech, and will willingly comply with the actual of supposed interests of another
(PP 61) student.
My end product will include a video of students who choose to publicly express
the ways that hate speech has affected their experience at Emory University. It will stress
the importance of maintaining a friendly, welcoming environment on Emorys campus.
At the end of the video, viewers will be encouraged to take the pledge, a document that
will encourage students to end anonymous hate speech.
By immersing myself in this project, I hope to make an impact on the
environment that Emory students find themselves in. Whether small or large, I hope this
impact will improve the conditions with which students socialize, study, and pursue
various interests in.