Because commenting on comments isn’t meta enough, PrezBo and DSpar have released a third statement to Spec regarding the Obamanard fallout. Now that the furor has more or less gone viral:

We join in the sentiments expressed by so many of our wise and thoughtful students that disrespectful comments are not representative of our community.  Our collective undergraduate student body takes justifiable pride in the uniqueness of their individual schools even as they share so many of their collegiate experiences.

In light of this infinite loop of commentary, Bwog would like to reiterate its commitment to serving as a conduit for Columbia community discussion. It’s clear that this discussion can, at times, take a severely hateful turn. But even challenging moments like this one offer an opportunity for progressive discussion and confrontation of social ills. To be clear, Bwog condemns and thoroughly disagrees with the hatred directed at both the Barnard and Columbia College communities. However, we do not view ourselves as arbitrators. Bwog comments are a mirror held up to the student population, soberly reflecting our microcosm of society with all of its imperfections intact. We encourage student efforts to rationalize the terms of this ongoing discussion, and look forward to a near future in which both the Columbia College and Barnard have resolved their differences, and can all get back to procrastinating in Butler together with hearts full of sibling-y love.

CCSC responds:

Members of The Columbia College Student Council (CCSC) firmly stand in support and solidarity with members of our community who are committed to fighting against the hateful, divisive atmosphere that has appeared on campus due to recent events. We are outraged by the comments made by members of all associations and are embarrassed by our peers who hide behind a computer and use the internet as a forum for malicious comments. It is absolutely unacceptable. Regardless of our personal experiences or the title of our individual colleges, we are all members of the same university community.

We understand the disappointment felt by members of Columbia College and we do not disregard it. But that is not an excuse for the recent behavior we’ve seen. We must respect one another and resist any temptation to engage in hateful discourse that will only serve to further divide us. What shocked us most were the misogynistic and hateful comments towards women. We seem to quickly forget that women do not only attend Barnard, but Columbia College and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences as well.

We must denounce the hate that is spreading across our campus, whether it is online or in person. We are committed to providing a safe environment for our student body on both sides of Broadway. Undoubtedly, the attitudes expressed point to the build-up of years of degrading comments and stereotypes held by members of all schools. We, as Columbians, are above this. It is apparent that our complacency with the past stereotypes has led to this troubling situation. Now, we must change.

—Members of the Columbia College Student Council

Updated Wednesday at 1:40 pm, with a statement from SGA:

As the Representatives of the Barnard College student body, we are honored to welcome President Obama as the Class of 2012’s Commencement speaker. This is a truly defining moment in the history of the College, and we feel privileged to be students here at this exciting time.

We are extremely disappointed and embarrassed by the disturbing reaction of some of our counterparts throughout the University. We are deeply hurt and horrified to have been met with an overwhelming wave of hate speech from our peers.

The disappointment that the President will not be speaking at their commencement ceremony is understandable. Regardless of this disappointment, the misogynistic comments that have bombarded the Internet are unacceptable, degrading, and offensive, not only to Barnard women, but to women everywhere.

We firmly believe in the importance of women’s colleges, and take immense pride in our outstanding education. At Barnard College, we are proud members of a community of bright, globally-minded, ambitious women. We look forward to working with our administration and all students across the University to combat this hatred moving forward, and, as always, to representing the voices of our student body.

The Barnard College Student Government Association

March 7, 2012