Feb

27

Blackface and Redface Pictures From Germany

Filed Under Black/African American Issues, Blackface Parties, International Racism, Pop Culture, Race and Racism, Sociology, Uncategorized | 38 Comments

Rachel’s Tavern Commenter Anony-mouse sent me the pictures of people in blackface and redface. They were taken at the Mainzer Rosenmontag parade in Germany. Anonymouse describes the situation:

Am I overreacting to these photos? Most of us left this German version of Carnival. These were taken last Saturday at the Mainzer Rosenmontag parade. There were white Germans dressed in black face and black costumes carrying spears. There were blond haired Germans with their faces painted red carrying tomahawks. This is called stereotyping and was insulting to many people who were there. We left shortly there after when one the Germans tried to explain it was in good fun and one should not take it personally.

(Perhaps Anony-mouse or someone who reads German can translate for me, and tell me about the significance of this particular parade. I tried to look it up, and everything was in German.)

I think it is important to keep in mind that these images of people of color circulate not only in the US, but around the world. Here are the pictures:

german-parade-indians2.jpg

german-parade-africans.jpg

german-parade-indians.jpg

Feb

26

A Graph of IR Marriage and Uh, Somebody Let Me Know Who Wins the White Rapper Show

Filed Under Black/African American Issues, Family Issues, Gender and Sexism, Interracial Relationships, Original Essays and Analysis, Race and Racism, Sexuality and Heterosexism, Sociology, Uncategorized | 29 Comments

So I was asked to speak tonight at the Annual Beginning Dinner.? The dinner is held at the end of Black History Month every year, and it is sponsored by Black Students United, my university’s? black student organization.? This means that I won’t be able to check the site again until late tonight.? I’m probably going to miss the White Rapper Show finale, so somebody needs to fill me in.

In the mean time, I thought I would put up a graph depicting the race and gender break down of interracial marriages from the mid-1900s.? We had a debate in the comment section last week, and I promised Ann that I would find? the studies which indicated that marriages between black women and white men were more common until the 1960s. Here is data tabulated by David Heer from 1974.? The 1960 Census was the first one to keep data on intermarried couples, and the change between 1960 and 1970 is important because laws against interracial marriage were ruled unconstitutional in the 1967 Loving vs. Virginia case.? What is most striking to me is that the race/gender make-up of intermarried couples switched in the 1960s.? I also checked several of the other studies at the time.? As Ann correctly noted, none of those early demographic studies covered the nation as a whole.? One researchers Monohan (see citations below)? was able to get limited samples of cities or states, but comprehensive data was limited because it was not kept in many states.? What is also striking is that there still were thousands of Black white marriages in the south in 1960 even though they were illegal in many of those states in 1960, which likely means that many of these couples were acting in defiance of the law.? Surprisingly, the number of IR’s decreased in the south after the Supreme Court’s ruled laws against intermarriage illegal.

Table 1. Number of Black/White Marriages by Type and Region, US 1960 & 1970

irs-1960-19701.png

Heer, D.M. 1974. “The Prevalence of black-white marriage in the United States, 1960- 1970. Journal of Marriage and the Family 35:246-258.

I know many of you may also be interested in the current rates of Black American intermarriage. In the year 2000 Census there were 78,778 black woman/white man couples, and 208,789 black man/white woman couples, which means 72.6% of Black white marriages in 2000 were between black men and white women.? For those who are curious about Black intermarriage with other groups.? ? ? Here are the stats:

Asians (BM/AF=27,520; BW/AM=4,472)

Pacific Islanders(BM/PF=2,248; BW/PM=492)

American Indians (BM/IF=7,398 BW/IM=3,751).? ?

(Note on Data: Remember the Census does not consider Latinos a race, so I have excluded Latinos from this analysis.? I also exclude those people who marked more than one race.? This is only for people who marked one race. BW= Black women and BM=Black man)

I don’t have a great deal of commentary other than to say regardless of the racial group Black men are much more likely to outmarry at this point and time.

Additional? References:?

Monahan, Thomas P. 1970. “Interracial marriage: data for Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.” Demography 7:287-299.
Monahan, Thomas P. 1976. The Occupational class of couples entering into interracial marriages.” Journal of Comparative Studies 7: 175- 192.

Feb

26

Too Fat, Too Dark, and Too Smart??

Filed Under Black/African American Issues, Education and Academia, Gender and Sexism, Sociology, Uncategorized | 20 Comments

The national? office of Delta Zeta Sorority was disappointed with its chapter at DePauw University, so they decided to come in and conduct a review, which resulted in them purging the sorority of all of the women of color and the overweight women.? The New York Times reported on the story.? Here is a quote:

Worried that a negative stereotype of the sorority was contributing to a decline in membership that had left its Greek-columned house here half empty, Delta Zetas national officers interviewed 35 DePauw members in November, quizzing them about their dedication to recruitment. They judged 23 of the women insufficiently committed and later told them to vacate the sorority house.

The 23 members included every woman who was overweight. They also included the only black, Korean and Vietnamese members. The dozen students allowed to stay were slender and popular with fraternity men conventionally pretty women the sorority hoped could attract new recruits. Six of the 12 were so infuriated they quit.

Virtually everyone who didnt fit a certain sorority member archetype was told to leave, said Kate Holloway, a senior who withdrew from the chapter during its reorganization.

The article also suggests that one of the “problems” with the sorority was that it had a reputation for attracting brainy women, who were in math and science.? In order to revamp their image the national office of the organization tried to remake the sorority in a way that would make them more attractive to white fraternity guys, which apparently in their view meant that the women had to be skinny, white, and dumb.

This is not the first time the sorority? engaged in discriminatory behavior.

This is not the first time that the DePauw chapter of Delta Zeta has stirred controversy. In 1982, it attracted national attention when a black student was not allowed to join, provoking accusations of racial discrimination.

Earlier this month, an Alabama lawyer and several other DePauw alumni who graduated in 1970 described in a letter to The DePauw, the student newspaper, how Delta Zetas national leadership had tried unsuccessfully to block a young woman with a black father and a white mother from joining its DePauw chapter in 1967.

Despite those incidents, the chapter appears to have been home to a diverse community over the years, partly because it has attracted brainy women, including many science and math majors, as well as talented disabled women, without focusing as exclusively as some sororities on potential recruits sex appeal, former sorority members said.

It sounds like the sorority was doing just fine.? If they needed to get their numbers up, they should have no problem attracting other intelligent women.

Unfortunately, this story supports all of the worst stereotypes of fraternities and sororities–they’re bigoted, party animals, who don’t care about school.?

Thanks to Rory for the link!

Feb

24

This is a Troublesome Word Choice from the AP–”Little Rock Schools Freed From Court”

Filed Under Black/African American Issues, Education and Academia, Media Praises and Critiques, Original Essays and Analysis, Race and Racism, Sociology, Uncategorized | 51 Comments

I came home tonight to read this headline–”Little Rock Schools Freed From Court.”? There is something that really bothers me about the choice of the word “free.”? For those who are not so familiar with US history, Little Rock was front and center in the movement to desegregate? schools.? In 1957 the Governor of Alabama called up the National guard to prevent 9 black students from entering Little Rock Central High School.? The Governor did this in defiance of the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision in which the US Supreme Court ruled racial segregation of schools unconstitutional.? You can learn more about the events at Little Rock in this time line, and you can learn more about the 9 black students who who integrated the school here.

What bothers me is the use of the word “freed.”? When we use the word “freed” in relation to the Civil Rights movement and African American history, I think about the freedom struggle of African Americans.? I do not think of traditionally white controlled schools being “free” from a desegregation order.? ? The implication is that a desegregation order is a great burden that hinders freedom.?

When I first read this headline, my reaction was: couldn’t they choose a better word than “freed”?? Then I speculated that? maybe this headline is an anomaly on the Yahoo! site, but I realized that Yahoo! was reprinting a headline from The Associated Press, which is the source for most news outlets.? Although some news outlets alter AP headlines, many of them copy the AP headline verbatim.? Here are a few headlines that use the word “free” in all it’s forms and tenses:

San Diego Union Tribune Judge frees Little Rock schools from federal supervision, 50 years

ABC News Little Rock Freed of Deseg Supervision

San Jose Mercury News Little Rock schools freed from court

USA Today Little Rock schools freed from federal supervision 50 years after

I’m not saying the headline is racist or evil.? I am saying that the word choice is poor.

One of my core beliefs about media criticism is that it is important not only to offer criticisms, but to point out alternatives.? My impression is that I am not the only person who didn’t like that headline, and several news outlets chose a different headline.? Instead of using the word “free,”? they chose the word “release.”

Arkansas Business Online LRSD Released from Court Supervision

Wall Street Journal Judge Releases Little Rock Schools

WTVG ABC 13, Toledo, OH Fifty years later, Feds to stop supervising Little Rock school

Given that Civil Rights advocates used the term “freed.” It is at the least ironic to use it when referencing a school district which has been under court orders to desegregate for a half century, and at the worst, it is? insulting to the real freedom fighters, especially those very brave 9 high school students who risked their lives to desegregate that high school.

Language is very powerful, and even something that may seem subtle or harmless has an impact on how history is interpreted and understood. I understand these two terms are synonyms, but they have different connotations when placed in a historical context.? When I think of the term “free” in association with the Civil Rights movement, I think of the “Freedom Rides,” “Freedom Summer,” the “Freedmen’s Bureau, or the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.”? I don’t think of freedom in relationship to desegregation orders; release is a much better term.

Feb

22

Serious Question…..about Colorblind Racism.

Filed Under Serious Questions, Uncategorized | 64 Comments

I found this article from a college paper, and I thought this would be a good opportunity for a serious question.? Having read the article, I? think the student is well intentioned even though the article wreaks of colorblind racism.? ? So this leads me to my serious question.

If you were going to respond to this student by writing a letter to? the school paper, what would you say to counter his argument against Black History month? (Keep in mind they probably wont publish more than a couple hundred words, so keep it short.)? If you agree with him, feel free to add your own view in support.?

I hear this argument frequently, and I think of it as the typical colorblind racist argument.

PS- I? believe this is at Professor Kim’s school.

Feb

21

Confederate Flags Belong in Museums Not at Speedways

Filed Under Black/African American Issues, Original Essays and Analysis, Pop Culture, Race and Racism, Sociology, Uncategorized | 29 Comments

Apparently, many NASCAR fans have a penchant for Confederate Flags, and some of them are upset about this editorial discouraging people from flying the Confederate Flag at a race at the California Speedway.? They decided to come into? the newspaper’s website and overwhelm the comments section with? all the typical arguments.? The same kind of comments I delete from here nearly every day.?

Check out a few of the lovely comments. Let’s begin with this racism apologist RT:

We are constantly reading from sports writers like yourself that too many times politics are brought into sports yet here you are starting a debate that doesn’t need to be debated. The fighting of the Civil War was not about slavery but of state’s and man’s freedom to govern themselves. Once that war ended the healing between brothers started and continues. Shame on you for fueling this debate and stick to what you are supposedly paid to do and write about sports. Or better yet, transfer to the commentary section.

What strikes me about RT’s comment is how he decided that the Civil War was not about slavery, but about “man’s freedom to govern themselves.”? Geez, I guess he has forgotten that slaves did not have the freedom to govern themselves because they were enslaved. (Grammarphiles I know this is a tautology )? I’m also curious who the healing was with; does he mean between whites in the north and the south?? Does he mean whites and blacks?? I’m not sure, but this is the classic, “why are you even daring to talk about racism strategy?”? Where some racism apologist minimizes racism, pretends to be a neutral/unbiased observer, and subsequently chastises the person acknowledging racism by telling them politely to shut up. Classic colorblind racist strategy.

Next we have George Monroe.? Who decides to play the “southern heritage card,” follows it up with nice rant against California, and then argues that he is a college professor who teaches constitutional law.

No, I agree as a proud Southerner who grew up in the shadow of the Darlington raceway and knew many of the early NASCAR drivers that the Confederate flag should not be flown at NASCAR events–in California that is. We would not want the proud symbol of our heritage and coursge in withstanding 142 years of illegal US occupation of our homeland to be smeared by being flown in the most socialist and un-American state in the union. To ignorance we can only say that no slave ship ever flew a Confederate flag. Our ancestors fought for the freedoms that had been written into the Constitution. When Lincoln proposed a Constitutional amendment that would protect slavery if the South would support his tariffs that would have, and did, bankrupt the South, the reponse was that slavery was dead and they would not support him. So please don’t fly our flag. As an educated, non-racist, Southern college professor who teaches American Constitutional history and government, I do not want it desecrated by ignorance Yankees who have no idea what it means.

I love how all of these southern heritage folks very conveniently forget that racism is part of that heritage. Don’t get me wrong I don’t think racism is unique to the south, but this country was built on the blacks of slave labor (I caught this typo and decided not to change it because it is just too ironic-the word is supposed to be backs.).? The Confederacy was organized, in part, to uphold the state’s rights’ to retain slavery.? If this guy has a PhD, I would hope that he had learned this in his history classes.

Next we have LDT, who can’t find anything “racist and regressive” about the south.? In fact, I think LDT is still fighting the Civil War.

Lincoln fought against the constitution of the United States and everything that the U S stood for. He began the striping of power from the people that is so obvious today. He also did away with the only power that the people and that States had to keep the federal government within the constitution and that was the right of secession!

I wonder what LDT thinks about the War in Iraq.? Ok, sorry…I just thought the Civil War was over.

Next up is? the classic “you are the real bigots strategy.”? It is first used by a poster with the initials HBO, but then Charles comes in to save the day for the “you are the real bigots” racists.?

Why is OK for blacks and other minorities to display pride in their heritage but when whites (especially southern whites)display pride or even indicate that they are proud of their heritage, they are immediately labeled racist and insensitive to others? This double standard has got to stop. If you are offended you have every right to leave. Nobody is forcing you to stay. If someone were to found a White Coaches Association or a National Association for the Advancement of White People you can bet Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton would have a field day with the ensuing media circus. NASCAR’s roots aren’t in the north or the west or the east, it was started in the south and people should be proud of their heritage. There was a time when you weren’t anybody in NASCAR unless you had some “shine” in your background.

If you only knew, how many times I hear this crap.? The NAACP was founded for the same reasons as the Confederacy?? Well let’s investigate this. You can find more about the origins of the NAACP here, but I would just like to highlight this quote:

The NAACP was formed in response to the 1908 race riot in Springfield, capital of Illinois and birthplace of President Abraham Lincoln. Appalled at the violence that was committed against blacks, a group of white liberals that included Mary White Ovington and Oswald Garrison Villard, both the descendants of abolitionists, issued a call for a meeting to discuss racial justice. Some 60 people, only 7 of whom were African American (including W. E. B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, and Mary Church Terrell), signed the call, which was released on the centennial of Lincoln’s birth. Echoing the focus of Du Bois’s militant all-black Niagara Movement, the NAACP’s stated goal was to secure for all people the rights guaranteed in the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution, which promised an end to slavery, the equal protection of the law, and universal adult male suffrage, respectively.

Gasp!!!! The NAACP was founded by white people, gasp again!!! I guess they were race traitors, sell-outs, or anti-white bigots because giving black people their rights under the law obviously means taking rights away from white people.? Especially, their right to own slaves and fly the confederate flag. (Yes, I know I’m being unusually sarcastic and snarky, but how else do you respond to these people.)

Then, we have the “I know a black man who supports the Confederate Flag” argument.? Because if we can find one Black person who supports this, then it must be Ok.? This guy doesn’t realize it works better when the one black guy you cite is also your friend, but I digress.? Let’s get to the quote from LF:

We’ve been through this many times before: hate groups have no right to define the meaning of the Confederate flag. The flag means different things to different people. I have even heard that a black man said that he wanted to kiss this flag because it reminded him that he is probably much better off in the USA than he would have been in Africa. The Civil War is by far the greatest legend of American folklore. Without Confederate flags, America would not look like America anymore. These attacks on Confederate flags are cultural genocide. To me, the flag has little or no present-day political or social significance. I see the flag as a fun thing and also as a symbol of the South, peace, tolerance, and national unity. When we fight over this flag, we set a very poor example for places where civil wars are still going on, like Northern Ireland. Also, censorship and attempted censorship of Confederate flags impair objectivity in the interpretation of history concerning the Confederacy.

I’m not even going to bother with the rest of the argument, but I have to admit that it is rather hilarious to bring up genocide.? Dude why don’t you go talk to some American Indians about genocide.? Now that’s a real genocide.? Plus, doesn’t genocide involve mass killings.? When was the last time white southerners were killed in mass, and don’t use the Civil War because nobody was fighting to kill off white southerners.? The fight was over maintaining the Union.? And last but not least, you have to ask yourself why the KKK and other hate groups so love the confederate flag.? Which came first the KKK or the Confederate Flag?

Ok, this guy GL just can’t judge time properly, and he uses the “I know a black man who supports the Confederate Flag” argument, so? I had to throw him into the mix for a good laugh.

The Rebel Flag is not a hate symbol, racist, It has nothing to do with that this is all opinion not fact because it happened almost 2000 years ago and you people who want to ban it from sports and everything need to get over it! I can give you millions of people who will play sports with the rebel flag flying above and most people can and will do it because it is a flag not a hate and racist symbol. I know Cowboy Troy played with charlie Daniels with the flag draped behind them and Cowboy Troy is black too and the guy who played Sherrif Little on the dukes goes to dukesfest every year and signs General Lee’s with the flag on top and I know a black man in one of the carolina’s also had the flag on a pole and walked up and down a Highway and proved the flag does not and will never stand for racism and a lot of black people fought for that flag wether you wanna believe it or not. So leave our flag alone dang you people!

If these folks don’t think the flag is offensive and it is about southern pride, not white supremacy, can somebody please tell me why they always have to find somebody black to back them up?? However, I am very happy to learn that the US has been around for well over 2000 years!?

Now if all else fails and you can’t convince them that the Confederate flag is not a symbol of hate, you can always blame the Jews like JM:

Any sign of white racial consciousness and racial solidarity is deemed “hate,” “racism,” — evil-ism by egalitarianists, and pretend-egalitarianists, (with 99.9% of the politically correct in the latter). While Jews and nonwhites are encouraged to be racially conscious, to organize along racial lines, to appoint racially defined leaders, and to discriminate when it serves their ethnic interests — whites are punished for showing just a hint of racial aggression. Why do you think that where Jews live as a majority, Israel, they aggressively, sometimes violently promote the interests of the majority. Where Jews live as a minority, they aggressively, sometimes violently, promote the interests of minorities.

Racists, you gotta love ‘em.? It doesn’t matter what the subject most of their arguments are the same–ignore the topic at hand, chastise the person willing to acknowledge racism, deny/minimize the existence of racism in the past or present, say your opponents are the real bigots, look for a lone person of color to support you, and? blame the Jews.?

Before we get to the comments, I would like to admonish people to stay away from shameless NASCAR or southerner jokes.? The problem isn’t auto racing or southerners; it is racism.? While there may indeed be survey data that suggests racial prejudice is higher among white southerners, they are by no means alone in using these arguments.? There are also many white southerners who are on the side of racial progress, and many northerners who are not; let’s not turn this thread into an excuse to make blanket generalizations about southern folks.? These kind of arguments come up every time the subject is racism.

Footnote: Several of these people put their first and last names.? I am not reprinting their names in their entirty because I don’t want them Googling themselves and trolling around this site.? I am not trying to protect their identities, and if you want to see their names, you can click on the link to the article.

Feb

21

Dying Alone, A Really Depressing Story

Filed Under Sociology, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Every now and then I? hear a story that I feel compelled to comment on even though it really is outside of my area.? That is the case with the death of Vincenzo Riccardi.? He? was found dead in his home, and apparently, he had been there for over a year.? He was dead for a whole year, and nobody knew.? In fact, the police found him because a pipe had burst, and the utility workers needed to fix it.? When they entered the home, they found his body? had been preserved by the dryness of the house.? Otherwise he would have been there even longer.? I couldn’t really tell if he had any living? relatives, but it does say he was living alone since his wife had died years ago.? I look at this case as a sad sign of post-modern times.? I’m reminded of this study? which found that Americans have fewer and fewer confidants, and this data recently released from the Census, which found the number of people living alone is higher than ever.? This really troubles me, but I can’t really pretend that I’m not part of the problem.? I live the quintessential post modern life.?

I’m in a big apartment building, where I can’t name any of my neighbors.? In fact, I rarely see them at all.? We do have friends in the building, but that only because my partner’s college friend moved into the building.? I definitely don’t feel any sense of community where I live, and it does bother me.? What also bothers me is the fact that I do not have any friends in New York.? I have been here three years, and I haven’t made a single friend.? These are things I want to change.? I don’t like this suburban/urban lifestyle, where people retreat into their homes to get away from the chaos, which we are also retreating from each other.?

Unfortunately, I expect to see more people like Vincenzo Riccardi.? When they are gone, nobody will notice

Feb

20

Sexualized Images in Media Harm Women and Girls, Duh!!

Filed Under Education and Academia, Gender and Sexism, Media Praises and Critiques, Pop Culture, Uncategorized | 43 Comments

Sometimes its hard not to laugh at these headlines because they are so obvious. ? I guess it is nice to have some research to back up the obvious–hence this report from the American Psychological Association? on the negative effects of media? sexualization? on women and girls.? First, they operationalize sexualization:

The provocative research included a study of published research on the content and effects of virtually every form of media, including television, music videos, music lyrics, magazines, movies, video games and the Internet. Researchers also examined recent advertising campaigns and merchandising of products aimed toward girls.

Sexualization was defined by the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls as occurring when a persons value comes only from her/his sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclusion of other characteristics, and when a person is sexually objectified, e.g., made into a thing for anothers sexual use.

Then later they lay out the negative effects:

Cognitive and Emotional Consequences: Sexualization and objectification undermine a persons confidence in and comfort with her own body, leading to emotional and self-image problems, such as shame and anxiety.
Mental and Physical Health: Research links sexualization with three of the most common mental health problems diagnosed in girls and womeneating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression or depressed mood.
Sexual Development: Research suggests that the sexualization of girls has negative consequences on girls ability to develop a healthy sexual self-image.

The report also suggests families and health professionals take an active role in countering this trend.? They even suggest media literacy classes.? What is missing, unfortunately, is any? direct accountability for media outlets.? The report does not suggest that media stop doing this; rather they suggest that we teach girls and young women how to cope with it.?

What do you think?? If we really wanted to take on patriarchal media capitalism, would it work, or should we focus more on teaching girls/women how to cope?? What kinds of actions could? people use to get media outlets to change?? What about the good old fashioned boycott?? Is that dead?? What do you think?

Here is the link to the APA study.

Feb

20

Erase Racism Carnival #9 is Up at Righteous Sister Speaks

Filed Under Race and Racism, Racism Round-Up, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

Go over and check it out at Righteous Sister Speaks!!? We are looking for hosts for future erase racism Carnivals if you would like to volunteer.? For more information on the carnival check out Ally Work.

Feb

19

Another Racially Themed Party–”South of the Border”

Filed Under Education and Academia, Original Essays and Analysis, Race and Racism, Uncategorized | 19 Comments

Another week.? Another racial costume party.? Students at Santa Clara University decided to have a “South of the Border Party.”? Here is a quote:

Photographs taken at the private, off-campus party and splashed on Internet sites reveal a crude and narrow portrayal of Latino life. One student hammed it up before the camera with a stuffed balloon on her belly, under her blouse. Another posed for a close-up shot of her puckered mouth, thickly lipsticked and lined in black. One student wore a janitorial costume complete with the long, rubber gloves commonly used to clean bathrooms.

Once again the photos were posted on facebook.

This is not the first Latino themed party to draw scrutiny.? Last year? a? Tri-Delta? sorority and? Zeta Beta Tau fraternity at? University of Illinois hosted a “Tacos & Tequila” party, which lead to protests on campus and subsequent sanctions from the campus fraternity and sorority boards.? The University of Illinois is also home to the facebook group “Students Against Racially Themed Parties.”

Both of these cases also reveal the patterns of racially themed parties.? In the Santa Clara case there was another party labeled “Fresh Off The Boat,” and at Illinois? there was? party called “Big Booty Hoes & Ghetto Bros.”

The student newspaper at Santa Clara has been covering the story, and they have a few of the pictures from the party.? The editors? blurred the faces out of the pictures, with an “interesting” justification at the bottom of the article.? In their defense the student paper? gave an excellent editorial on racially themed parties.? Here is a quote:

These theme parties are nothing new, and many Santa Clara students have attended them, dressed up or not. The people depicted in the pictures of this specific party were just the ones that got caught. Whether it be a “South of the Border,” “Ghetto” or “Fresh off the Boat” party, feeding into ethnic stereotypes at parties has become a pastime of predominately white, upper-class students at colleges nationwide.

What is it about our backgrounds and education that has made us think that racism is a form of entertainment?

It may be the way our generation has been raised on satire. From “The Simpsons” to “Family Guy” and “Chapelle’s Show,” manipulating ethnic stereotypes for humor is nothing new to us.

But the true issue at hand is that many white students are ignorant of race issues that minorities face on a daily basis, in some cases because of a lack of contact with people from minority ethnic groups or disadvantaged economic backgrounds.
And in that respect, Santa Clara is failing in its mission.

Would the women at the party have chosen to dress the way that they did if they had done an Arrupe placement in a community where immigrants work long hours at custodial jobs just to pay the bills? Maybe not.

The paper makes a good point.? Racism and poverty make great fun for those who are not the victims of it, and it is? important that? universities take a lead role in educating students about this.? Unfortunately, many students are? not getting an? appropriate education on racism and its destructive effects from their primary school, their secondary schools,? or their families.

Thanks to Bean for the heads up on this!!

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