University of Nebraska-Lincoln students at a Wednesday rally called on each other to shift their focus from a single, self-described white nationalist student toward creating a more-inclusive campus for minorities.
"We're all students at this special place, and we all want full acceptance," said Anton Gill, a senior guard on the Husker men's basketball team, speaking to a diverse crowd of about 750 students, faculty and staff at the NU Coliseum.
The rally marked the second campus demonstration since video of the white nationalist student went viral on social media last week.
Since then, students and faculty took to social media to ask university administrators to expel the student, who spoke of wanting to commit violence.
Nebraska basketball players responded as well, donning shirts with the message "Hate Will Never Win."
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This movement is bigger than the team or their sport, senior center Duby Okeke said.
Campus cannot be a place where hate festers, said Ayat Aribi, a member of the student government.
"Tolerance is for cowards," she told the crowd.
Aribi and other speakers from the university's multi-cultural student organizations called on others to get involved in the groups and to engage in the sometimes uncomfortable work of finding understanding.
"You cannot hate people into loving each other," Aribi said.
During the open-mic portion, Jerald Foster, an offensive lineman on the Husker football team, applauded basketball players for using their platform to stand up for their beliefs.
He said members of the football team are hoping to help spread the message, as well.
"Whenever we're able to pull together as a university, that's when you really see your strength," Foster said.