The Student Government Association censured Senator Samuel McCrory at the meeting Wednesday over a statement calling specific identity-based groups, like the Black Student Union, “discriminatory.” A censure is a formal reprimanding of an official due to inappropriate actions or statements.

In April, Sam McCrory showed up to the SGA inauguration ceremony wearing a “white lives matter” face mask. Since then, he has sparked considerable controversy during meetings going so far as to imply that white nationalist groups should be recognized at WSU “no matter how outlandish and extreme [their] beliefs are.”

These are just a few of the unnecessary comments he has made at these public meetings. These kinds of comments at SGA meetings are not productive. Instead, it takes time away from important conversations senators could be having about students’ campus concerns. These comments should not be tolerated at WSU.

As a returning adult senator, McCrory is supposed to use his platform to represent returning adult students’ concerns. However, McCrory was a write-in candidate elected by one vote. Senators are supposed to be elected by the student body to represent them, but if a senator only received one write-in vote, who is he really representing other than himself?

Students need to vote in SGA elections. Last year, only 5.9% of students voted in SGA elections — 742 of 12,575 eligible voters. If you want student government senators to represent you and your values, you need to make your voice heard by voting when election season is here.

The Sunflower supports individuals’ freedom of speech rights, but does not tolerate hateful rhetoric that makes individuals feel unsafe on their own campus. Hate speech does not belong at WSU. Hate speech does not belong anywhere. SGA publicly censuring McCrory is a necessary step in making sure that senators are held accountable for their actions.

Editor’s note: This editorial was updated to add clarification and a quote from McCory.