And in this week’s “post-racial” America’s news…
________________________
UC San Diego leaders and civil rights activists have condemned a student party that mocked Black History Month with a ghetto-themed “Compton Cookout.”
Campus administrators said Wednesday that they were investigating whether the off-campus party, held Monday, and its Facebook invitation violated the university’s code of conduct and whether its sponsors should be disciplined. Members of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity were identified as among the organizers, but the fraternity president has criticized the event and said his club did not sponsor it.
In an e-mail to students and staff, UC San Diego Chancellor Marye Anne Fox said the party showed “blatant disregard of our campus values.” She said the university would hold a teach-in next Wednesday “to discuss the importance of mutual respect and civility.
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Penny Rue said the probe would examine whether the fraternity was involved and whether it should face sanctions. She said it was premature to discuss discipline for individual students but said she wanted partygoers to understand how much pain they had caused, especially to African American students.
Rue said she did not know how many people attended the event.
Promising a taste of “life in the ghetto,” the Facebook invitation contained many racist stereotypes. For example, it urged women to dress as “ghetto chicks” who “usually have gold teeth, start fights and drama, and wear cheap clothes.” It said the menu would include chicken and watermelon.
Full Story HERE
[Stay tuned…the new mrmokelly.com website is coming to you in 2010. Set your browsers now.]
3 responses to “UC San Diego Fraternity Mocks African-Americans with ‘Compton Cookout’”
It seems every year during Black History Month some incident of this type happens. Also because of President Obama and his beautiful family the old hates are especially stirred up and have surfaced. What would the attitude be if say on St. Patrick's Day Blacks held a potato recipe contest to mock the famine that happened in Ireland.? I have become more cynical about respectful acceptance of cultural diversity in this country. Some of the truly horrific statements directed at President Obama and his family have reinforced my cynicism. Although I don't say ALL people have this latent racism, I'm afraid there are enough who do. By the way Mo I hope when you have time you'll share some of your insight about The Sprite Step Off Contest.
My son is the only white kid on the step team, and he's gotten pretty good 🙂
Thanks for the observation that racism is not inherent in all whites, no matter what Fat Stupid Keith Olbermann says.
The POTENTAIL for racism exists in EVERYBODY.
You ever see what Mexicans say about Guatamalans?
I'm serious.
But no, not every white person is capable of even ATTENDING one of these events, let alone hosting one.
I absolutely disgust this sort of behavior. There is absolutely no defense for it. As I told my CHILDREN when they were FIVE, "It's not funny if the other person doesn't think it's funny."
Bottom line: Hurting somebody's feelings for the sake of a joke is immoral.
Anybody who attended that party and had no objection to its theme needs immediate sensitivity training.
And lest anybody lose sight of historical issues in the modern day:
Such insensitivity was the entire point of "busing".
If we mix and mingle a little more, insensitivities can be addressed directly.
Am I saying that these idiots lived to closed of a life?
I can't know. All I can say is that there is a better chance to "get it" if you open yourself up to others and their experiences, and these young people clearly have not done enough of that.
"I absolutely detest this disgusting behavior."
I speak real good English.