NORTH ADAMS â The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts has removed a swastika found carved into a piece of furniture on campus.
A student informed President James Birge about the symbol Wednesday morning, according to an email Birge sent to college community members. The symbol was found in the campus center marketplace, according to the email. The swastika is a symbol of violence, hate, intimidation, and bias, Birge wrote. There is no place for symbols or words that espouse these actions at MCLA. Although we are a Nation that values free speech, speech that incites or promotes hate and violence against anyone goes beyond the concept of that freedom. Free speech is a responsibility as much as a right; we must choose our words carefully and look hard at our well-worn beliefs and biases.