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OXFORD — Men are painting their fingernails red this week at Miami University to spread a message of non-violence.

Operation Jungle Red, conceived by Professor Reginald Fennell and students in his men's health class, culminates on Wednesday, April 16, the one-year anniversary of the shootings at Virginia Tech, where a student shot and killed 32 people before killing himself.

The goal is to get 1,600 men to paint one or more of their fingernails with red polish as a way to raise awareness about senseless violence committed by men, said 21-year-old Miami junior and project co-chair Tyler Topel.

"We want Miami to be the leader to get college men to speak out against violence," Topel said. "There are many programs on campus for women that address men's violence as if it's inevitable. We want to stop the violence at the source."

As of Monday afternoon, more than 300 men and women were participating. Organizers are also distributing 21 different fliers that feature facts, statistics and incidents of school violence committed by males. Topel said they hope other campuses catch on and use Operation Jungle Red as a model to start their own male-focused non-violence projects.

Miami senior Ross McConnell, a health promotion major from St. Louis, had the pinky fingernail on his left hand, the "softer hand," painted red. The 22-year-old said Miami men are generally "not the most effeminate," and that he hopes people appreciate their efforts.

McConnell said the Virginia Tech tragedy hit home for him because the Oxford campus is so similar to the Blacksburg, Va., campus.

"It didn't really sink in until I went to the vigil. That's when it hit me — you know what, this actually could happen here," McConnell said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2122 or rwilson@coxohio.com.

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