Letter to the Editor:
MU needs to condemn racism, open dicussion
Published March 2, 2010
I am writing to call attention to a hateful event that occurred on the University of Missouri's Columbia campus Friday morning. As classes got under way, students noticed some person or persons, scattered cotton across the front entrance of the Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center. This place serves as the campus-wide locale "where the contributions of Blacks to world history are explored, celebrated, taught and shared. The GOBCC provides intellectually stimulating and socially distinguishable programming by sponsoring an array of special lectures, performances, workshops, forums and social events that enhance the experience of Black students on the University of Missouri campus."
To say the least, I am disgusted by this action, I am frightened for my safety as an African-American student in such an environment, and I am repulsed by the lack of attention being paid to this event by our administration.
In the year 2010, during the month we collectively celebrate Black heritage, and when our country is currently ran by a man of African descent, I am ashamed to say I attend the University of Missouri alongside others who are attempting to categorize this as minor or isolated. Unfortunately, racial tensions exist at this campus and are heightened daily; this event is has just taken it to another, more public level.
I urge the University of Missouri to take swift and public action through campus-wide statements condemning this experience, seeking out the culprits, and hosting campus-wide town hall meetings to assure students that the University will not tolerate such incidents, hate, or discrimination. Finally, I urge you to publicize what is really going on here before it's covered up (or at least attempted to be).
Comments (11)
9:26 a.m., March 2, 2010
mustudent said:
you are frightened for your safety? seriously? this had to just be some kids out playing around. it was cotton balls they left not bullets. "I urge the University of Missouri to take swift and public action through campus-wide statements condemning this experience" - they did the day of. what do you want them to do? continue to publicize something this small? show it doesn't get your panties in a wad and people will stop doing it, period
9:52 a.m., March 2, 2010
Jennifer M said:
Do not be ashamed, Jennifer, of your university for you have been afforded the opportunity to receive a college education. Shift your pain to excellence, succeeding and taking advantage of every opportunity that your university will give you. Hold your head up high and be above the ignorance. The unidentifiable ingrate or ingrates who scattered the cotton balls may one day be in dire need of your assistance as their attorney, doctor or human resources director of a major corporation. No one can take your education away from you. Don't be afraid. Think of what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Ruby Bridges, Vivian Malone (and many unknown) stood for and even died for. Many have walked in your path including myself as an African American woman who attended law school in the midwest. I had to jump hurdles through my educational career when I was told that I wasn't smart enough to excel in school by my 1st grade teacher. This same message was told to me in law school by one of the Deans (mind you I graduated #1 from my high school, magna cum laude from college and admitted to law school as a Merit Scholar!) . Insensitive and cruel but I had to rise above it and I know you will too! Pray for your peace of mind, for your school community and even the ignorant and cowardly individual(s) who won't even identify themselves for you have been set on a path of excellence! If you aren't familiar with the work of Time Wise, please read and follow him. See here: http://www.timwise.org/ He's a white male scholar who speaks about the tenets of racism and white privilege. If he hasn't spoken at your school, he would be an asset. May God Bless you! -Jennifer M Spelman College, BA C'96 University of Iowa College of Law, JD C'00
9:59 a.m., March 2, 2010
wow said:
How come the only people I hear from about this are extreme viewpoints from both sides? I guess moderate, reasonable people recognize this for what it is and just don't care. Let's not give the fly-by-night cotton-throwers any more attention.
12:42 p.m., March 2, 2010
Zoktan said:
Racism is very common in Missouri. In Kansas City, Missouri, we see racism and discrimination on a daily basis. The election of Barak Obama as a US president has contributed more for the racist suckers to come out and mistreat African Americans in Kansas City and other parts of Missouri.
5:18 p.m., March 2, 2010
MU said:
Is this a joke? Fearing for safety? You should be expelled for your lack of understanding in wrong doings. Of course it was wrong and shouldn't have happened, could you amagine what America would be like if everyone responded as you did to this???
5:55 p.m., March 2, 2010
Darrelle Edwards said:
You're worried about your safety because of cotton balls distributed on the BCC's front lawn? Spin that story to the white women that have been attacked by black assailants around this campus in the past few years. We never hear the term "hate crime" thrown around then.
2:18 a.m., March 3, 2010
ScottD said:
Work on the multitude of dysfunctional problems in the Black community and then you'll see a cotton ball is not a tHreat. GROW UP BABY!!!
3:59 a.m., March 3, 2010
Brandon said:
This is just laughable. This edition of the Maneater has something like 7 or 8 articles alone dedicated to this stupid thing?? What about the rationale folks who really don't give a F*CK?? Those who can put this sh*t into perspective and realize "This isn't so bad after all. If you just pick up the cotton balls and ignore it, things will be fine"? But no, we have all these student groups claiming to be "representing blacks" and whatnot overreacting to something that can hardly even be called vandalism! When you overpublicize something like this, you just give the racists more reason to do this kind of stuff. I mean, don't you know that when someone tries to ban a book, oftentimes it just gets sold a lot quicker BECAUSE the intent to ban makes people say "Hmm, what WAS in this book that's so hot and juicy?" Same thing here.
5:56 p.m., March 3, 2010
Morgan said:
@Brandon These are not articles, they are letters to the editor. You obviously care, as you've commented on about everyone of them. Take a chill pill.
9:07 p.m., March 3, 2010
Dr. RBG said:
And all this commentary is a prime example of what this young lady is speaking about—racism at Mizzou. I think you small minds don’t get the metaphor. I think it’s absurd if you think that she’s scared of the actual product—I think she’s frightened by what can come from this incident, and I’m with her on that tip. This has the ability to incite some violence. So let’s do some math… Blacks make up like 9% at Mizzou, there was a racist act committed (not the first one might I add). Of that 9%, 8.9% were pissed off by the act, of that percentage probably 5% don’t care a f**k, are itching to get out of Missouri/Mizzou or planning on leaving, and looking for a good reason and a nice exit. Hmmm, racist act plus angry kids equal a problem on your racists’ hands. If you’re walking through campus and someone knocks you down, bumps you hard, or hits you while you’re getting “white boy wasted” at the Field House this weekend-- don’t question, just remember you too should be frightened by the cotton, specifically the response it produced.
6:37 a.m., March 2, 2010
bo said:
lol i think its funny