Trackbacks & Pings

1. Racist noose incidents becoming a new trend on 10 Oct 2007 at 10:26 am

   [...] crazy part is that Carmen over at Racialicious pointed out the following comment on the Columbia Spectator’s Editorial Board [...]

2. anamaria does not approve « Sara Speaking on 12 Oct 2007 at 12:40 pm

   [...] Hat tip, Racialicious. [...]

3. Reading While Black on 12 Oct 2007 at 4:07 pm

   [...] would think what with the anger and hatred shown towards blacks today, black people wouldn’t continue to perpetuate the dividing tactics used on our slave [...]

Comments

1. dnA wrote:

   We seriously dont think of black people all that much, I promise you.

   Which is why that was the first comment on the board.

   MMMMMM….you can taste the stupid!

   Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 8:37 am ¶

2. dalia wrote:

   actually, i was wondering where i could get that chain…

   Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 8:39 am ¶

3. Lyonside wrote:

   Dalia – why do I think lots of people would consider wearing one in solidarity? Definitely not what Disney envisioned, I’m sure… and with the potential to be abused/trivialized (just like everyone who wears a Christian-style cross isn’t a Christian [I clarify because "the cross" as a symbol is not exclusive to Christianity], so anyone wearing a noose wouldn’t realize the intent or history)…

   Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 9:44 am ¶

4. Kai wrote:

   This moron who doesn’t think about black people sure is bent out of shape about them, huh? I like it. Maybe black people also hustled themselves onto those transatlantic ships just to show how evil slavery was too, though white people weren’t really thinking about it, dollars to donuts.

   Thanks for the heads up, Carmen. When you say that you’ve “never seen it this bad” on college campuses, what are some examples of this badness that you’re seeing? And can you tell where it is originating?

   Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 9:55 am ¶

5. Carmen Van Kerckhove wrote:

   Hey Kai, I’ll email you offline about it.

   Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 10:12 am ¶

6. deb wrote:

   We seriously dont think of black people all that much, I promise you.

   Based on what the writer says in the first sentence I thought he meant that society doesn’t suspect black people as perpetrators of such incidences. That he suspects that the noose is the handiwork of some radical black bent on wanting to keep the racial fires burning.

   Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 10:49 am ¶

7. Fiqah wrote:

   Ah, of course. The Disney folks, so renowned for their historical racial sensitivity. Does anybody remember the scene in the original Fantasia with the hoof-shining centaur pickaninny? Seriously…

   Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 10:51 am ¶

8. Tony wrote:

   Hmm, that’s funny, when my black dad married my white mom. None of the death threats they got came from any “afro-centric” people, and I’m pretty sure the others were not “liberals” in any way shape or form.

   Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 11:01 am ¶

9. DJ wrote:

   I can agree with pieces of the Spectator editorial, especially seeing validity in an “agent provocateur”. Let’s be honest bros – some of us love the drama!
   But really: whites think of blacks all the time – did they get my job, are they dating someone in my family, did they buy the house next door, I wonder if they’re really that big……(yuk, yuk). And let’s not forget that rap wouldn’t have #1 albums and singles if it weren’t for the purchasing power of the white teen/adolescent community: Kanye, Fitty et al are thought about ALL THE TIME.
   And Fiqah: don’t forget that Oscar-winning “Song of the South” (catch you on the yahoo-excite tip!)

   Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 11:16 am ¶

10. Fiqah wrote:

    DJ: Yay! Welcome to one of my favorite sites!
    Everybody: I found a link with a still from the original Fantasia if anyone needs a visual.
    http://triptronix.net/ishbadiddle/archives/2002/11/21/12.22.01/

    Also, if you haven’t please read At the Hands of Persons Unknown: The Lynching of Black America by Philip Dray. I think it’ll help people understand just what level of historical symbolic significance a noose has.

    Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 11:51 am ¶

11. khia213 wrote:

    Carmen,

    Please share your experiences on campus with all of us. Hiding this ignorance doesn’t help any of us to deal with it. And I’m pretty sure my Alma Mater has contributed its share. (And if it hasn’t yet, it will.)

    Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 11:58 am ¶

12. Carmen Van Kerckhove wrote:

    khia213 , I’m not really at liberty to give an itemized run-down of all the incidents I’ve heard about at various schools because some things were told to me in confidence.

    But suffice it to say I have noticed an uptick in the number of racial incidents in the schools I’ve been dealing with.

    They range from student newspaper editorials declaring that students of color have no right to be at the school to general ignorant behavior (speaking to black students in “blaccents”, referencing gang-banging, etc.) All of these have caused considerable tension – at a level I haven’t seen before.

    Of course it’s all anecdotal evidence, but this kind of thing usually is. But my sense is that the general trend has been a rise in overt racism at colleges.

    Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 12:06 pm ¶

13. deb wrote:

    Fiqah, that picture is so clearly photoshopped!

    

    Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 12:13 pm ¶

14. Rachel wrote:

    We really need to get some empirical data on recent racist incidents on college campuses. I’m not convinced that, as a whole, my 21 year old students are more racist than my 32 year old peers were when I was in college.

    It does seem, however, that there are a few differences that have happened over the past few 10 years.
    1) We have greater comunication technology to epose these incidents. Facebook, Myspace, blogs, etc., people are putting their racism out there, and those of us opposed can also publicize these events.

    2) Young people are becoming more and more removed and ignorant about our racist history. The emergence of colorblindness and their historical ignorance has allowed them to think racism is over. Thus, they think racism is something that is more of a joke or isolated only to people like KKK, Nazis, etc.

    BTW-In my own experience, my older no-traditional students are some of the most opened minded and least racist students I have. They will rarely argue that blacks or people of color broadly have advantages over whites. They certainly hod some racist beliefs, but they don’t buy into that idea that racism is something that is used by people of color against whites.

    3) Many people under 35 have grown up in an era when talking about race is openly, honestly, and realistically is rare. So when the subject of racism comes up, they really are clueless. While the problem is more common for young whites, a significant number of young people of color believe the same ignorant things that their white peers do.

    And this is coming from the professor, who has had 3 students on three separate occasions in the past 3 weeks say that 50 Cent represents “typical African American culture.” One was an international student, one was a white American born student, and one was black. If we don’t talk about candidly about this, then we are never going to challenge racism.

    Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 12:35 pm ¶

15. Rachel wrote:

    Sorry for the typos, I’m heading out to my class on Race and Ethnicity of all things

    If my site was up, I’d put up a full post about this.

    Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 12:37 pm ¶

16. Fiqah wrote:

    Deb: Noooooo!

    LOL, alright, I have been called out for crappy sourcing. Here’s an actual film clip from YouTube:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AKwCMmvI_U&search=centaur

    Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 12:37 pm ¶

17. Keke wrote:

    Lately, I’ve been seeing that it’s a growing trend overall. I’ve noticed on blogs, comments, and in articles there seems to be a general consensus that minorities are at fault for whatever problems we may have. There is a sense that “racism doesn’t exist anymore” and any use of stereotypes and hateful commentary is simply a form of intelligent parody and shouldn’t be taken seriously.

    I’ve noticed that the media has become a lot less thoughtful about its treatment of minority people as well. From the callous depiction of the African American rape victim as a common criminal to the rise in “code words” that are racially tinged.

    Even on many blogs dedicated to high brow discussion on politics and society, as soon as the discussion turns to race, the commentary gets ugly. I’ve wondered myself why things are getting so hateful. I am really afraid that we really are going backwards. I could be wrong, and it’s just my perspective, but I’ve begun feeling that racial insensitivity and hate are definitely on the rise.

    Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 12:44 pm ¶

18. eric daniels wrote:

    The tragedy is that all they have to do is quote MLK or invoke the names of Black Icons from the 50’s and 60’s and claim ‘MLK said” judge a person by the content of the charcter” and it usually comes from the most racist whites or insensitive conservatives like the letter writer who claims “we don’t think about you people”. I always ask them then why you get your drawers in a bunch when more than 1 black person congregate together anywhere. It is about “Black Guilt” and it’s dangerous.

    Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 1:52 pm ¶

19. DeeDee wrote:

    The response to the Columbia Spectator is true. Many white people DON’T think about black people that much. That’s why we can still receive poor health care even when we’re financially wealthy, we can be charged higher interest rates when purchasing cars and houses even when our credit rating is up to par and our children can go missing without even a blink from the local or national media. And oh, I didn’t mention. We’re also forgotten when it comes to upholding the tenets of the United States Constitution.

    Right in line with the racism that’s existed for the last 400 years! Thanks for proving my point.

    Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 2:01 pm ¶

20. Sarah wrote:

    The racial tension at Miami University in Ohio was one of the reasons I just couldn’t stay there anymore (besides bullying, isolation, a terrible roommate, overpriced tuition, unchallenging classes, and the resultant suicidal depression).

    Not at all a diverse campus to begin with, all of the racial groups tend to self-segregate at Miami. There were a lot of racially-motivated fights and robberies between young black and white men while I was there. For example, a truck of black men from Cincinnati drove to the campus and beat up a white student who had roughed-up someone they knew beforehand. Once the local bars banned baggy clothes, low-riding pants, and do-rags after one black student brought a knife into a bar. Not to mention all of the racist, sexist, and homophobic speech/”jokes” I overheard.

    But most of that stuff is kept on campus and out of the local papers. No one I talked to really wanted to discuss the incidents or confront the issues they raised. I’m just worried a lot of the details of incidents like these are being covered up by the colleges themselves.

    Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 2:53 pm ¶

21. deb wrote:

    Oh, snap! Fiqah. You found a youtube link! A-flippin’-mazing.

    Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 2:57 pm ¶

22. Vox wrote:

    Carmen, I am curious as to other incidents as well. I’ve been updating a college racism roundup for several months now, and I know I’ve been adding more incidents than weeks in the semester so far this year. I’ve had to cut my “new links” list to only the past two weeks because it was getting so long.

    I’m seriously worried about this trend and what it (and the racist incidents in high schools — I’m compiling a new list as I write this) means. This one is especially worrying, though; this is a teacher’s college. If it was a student, then that student will soon be poisoning young minds with their effed-up beliefs, like the educational system doesn’t do that enough on its own. It it was a staff member or professor, they’re influencing hundreds of future teachers with this.

    Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 3:53 pm ¶

23. merq wrote:

    I cringed when I read the quote (in the CNN article) about how “shocked” one CU student was at having this happen in their ultra-egalitarian utopia.

    Imagine how hard I laughed/cringed/gnashed my teeth when I saw the racism timeline (that only went back three years!)

    Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 4:21 pm ¶

24. Corbin wrote:

    Woowww… ish is unreal.
    And yea, I have to agree with you Carmen about increased tension on campus, and I feel like a lot of it has come to the surface with discussions and demonstrations about the Jena 6 and reactions to them.

    Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 7:22 pm ¶

25. FlyNerd wrote:

    Too crazy… leave it to Disney to bring bling to the current noose craze. Thanks for the info, I’m linking this story on my blog!

    Posted 10 Oct 2007 at 8:40 pm ¶

26. egypt4 wrote:

    I’m not sure things are worse on college campuses now. Maybe more overt? Or less overt until they explode into something big?

    I remember when I was a kid, in elementary school even, hearing and telling racist jokes. The kind that begin “A black guy, a priest, and a such-and-such…” And my parents were actually pretty liberal (white) folks who at least talked the talk and did indeed have black friends (not some of their “best friends” though, har har).

    Anyway, amongst my well-intentioned liberal white friends with kids (basically, adult children of people like my parents), there’s NO WAY any of us would ever let our kids tell racist jokes like that without having a big conversation with them, finding out who told them that joke, talking to that kid’s parents, etc. If they even heard such a joke in the first place. My kids are black so I do indeed have a different consciousness that many white parents of white kids, but I still think times are a-changing in some ways for the better.

    But, Carmen, I also think you really have your finger on the pulse. So please do share more if you can.

    Also, my perspective on all this might be really screwed because I worked at Duke over the past year and still can’t wrap my head around the events there from spring 2006. And the resulting disbarring, lawsuits, etc.

    Posted 11 Oct 2007 at 3:35 am ¶

27. Rob Schmidt wrote:

    We could use a whole blog devoted to racism in schools and colleges. The subcategories could include editorials and cartoons, parties and initiation stunts, and of course nooses.

    Posted 11 Oct 2007 at 10:29 am ¶

28. Rob Schmidt wrote:

    Don’t forget there’s a constant drumbeat of students cheering for “Indians” to kill or be killed at schools with Indian nicknames and logos. And there was a whole series of anti-Indian incidents at Dartmouth last year (http://www.bluecorncomics.com/dartrvw.htm).

    Posted 11 Oct 2007 at 10:34 am ¶

29. Jen* wrote:

    Just wanted to leave a link to the racist town I spent most of my life in. {I’m in a smaller, less-enlightened area now, so I’m quite careful…}

    http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/101107/met_147071.shtml

    Posted 11 Oct 2007 at 2:28 pm ¶

30. Mogs wrote:

    well, of course hanging nooses as hate crimes is bad, but i don’t think it’s right to drag Pirates of the Caribbean into it and say that the necklace is racist. symbols can certainly have different meanings based on context. personally, i think that necklace is kinda cool.

    Posted 11 Oct 2007 at 5:12 pm ¶

31. Jill-FeministReview wrote:

    I saw this on the local NYC news the other night and they framed the story as “her academic rival w/ pending lawsuite denies involvement.” C’mon, did anyone really she was? It was just such an obvious (failed attempt) at creating contreversy where there was none instead of actually engaging in the issue (racism on campus) at hand.

    Oh and Rob– I would sooo read that campus racisim blog!

    Posted 14 Oct 2007 at 4:25 pm ¶