While students at the University of California, Berkeley held a vigil in memory of Kate Steinle, her own alma mater — California Polytechnic State University — has remained silent, despite the acquittal of Jose Garcia Zarate, a seven-time felon and illegal immigrant charged in her 2015 death.
Sadly, Cal Poly students seem to have avoided the news that her killer was let off the hook. Nearly two weeks have passed since the verdict. Since then, the campus has yet to hold any kind of vigil or public discussion about it.
Is the Cal Poly community really that callous? Not typically.
Back in October, approximately 100 students, faculty, and community members turned out for a candlelight vigil in remembrance of those who were killed and injured in the Las Vegas mass shooting.
Unfortunately, the event quickly turned political when the local mayor addressed the crowd, calling the shooting “a political issue” and encouraging the crowd to “demand meaningful action on gun reform.”
While the campus community seemed OK with turning a vigil into a political rally, it’s clearly afraid of offending “Dreamers” on campus by opposing a court decision regarding an illegal immigrant.
Cal Poly’s police force is currently investigating the placement of protest flyers depicting Steinle that were posted outside the Dream Center on campus.
One flyer read “SHE HAD DREAMS TOO,” while the other flyer offered background information on Steinle’s killer.
Associate Vice President Kathleen McMahon called the protest a “very unfortunate situation,” while the student who filed the complaint condemned those who were “seeking to transform [Steinle’s] tragic death into a racist ‘dog whistle’ to be used against undocumented members of [Cal Poly’s] community.” How dramatic.
Cal Poly usually takes pride in its alumni — whether it’s John Madden or “Weird Al” Yankovic — but has evaded any and all discussion about the circumstances that led to the death of one of its younger grads.
How sad that political correctness has trumped the fight for justice even at the university level. If Steinle’s fellow Cal Poly Mustangs won’t stand up for her and her family, how can we expect our country to stand up for them?
Also read: Kate Steinle vigil trashed at UC Berkeley
Brendan Pringle (@BrendanPringle) is a freelance journalist in California. He is a National Journalism Center graduate and formerly served as a development officer for Young America’s Foundation at the Reagan Ranch, and an alumnus of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
