Quotes: On March 26, BUS held a meeting to discuss the issue of racism on campus. At this meeting, it was exposed that all of Rankin’s alleged encounters with former BUS leadership were gross exaggerations at best. In her column, she cites Teddy Harris and DaMareo Cooper as racists; however, at the meeting she hailed them as allies.

We do not promote or condone hate-speech or discrimination of any kind.

She did not want to spark a conversation about race. In fact, she stated on KentNewsNet.com that her original intent was to bring to light “the fact that group [BUS] members, leaders and supporters have been notoriously racist over the years … and still to this day.”

The thing you fail to mention in all of this is that none of the people who called you these names were members of the Black United Students executive board. If someone in the audience of the Third Eye Blind concert called one of us the n-word, we wouldn’t write a column implying USG is a group of racists.

When Beth gets threatened, the Akron Beacon Journal runs a front-page article. When our president gets threatened, it gets deleted from history like it never existed.

It is an elitist attitude to think you are doing us a favor by taking time out of your day to help the minorities. But help us how? The same way the Christians helped the savage Native Americans repent their pagan religion and embrace a new god? The same way the Europeans helped the ancient Africans become civilized, even though they had been intellectually enlightened for almost 10,000 years.

If you really wanted to help, you would have done then what you are doing now: Tell those people you are not a white bitch, but in fact someone who cares about helping advance people past these racist ideals.

Stop promoting the ideals you THINK you are fighting against.

http://www.wacan.org/wacanupdate/Article20080514NotWhitebitch.html

Eye of the storm — how can you judge all blacks by the actions of the few who called Beth something inappropriate? Furthermore, everyone isn’t a little bit racist — that’s the excuse racists use to make racism seem normal and unproblematic. People who are “a little bit racist” cause huge problems because they end up denying jobs, credit, housing, or education and even justice to other people.

Heather, yes, black people, like all people, do have to be nice to white people and all people. Being black doesn’t exempt you from being nice — being people means you have to treat fellow humans with civility. Even when explaining to whites why they don’t have a place in a black haven you have to be kind.

Uh, han, how are blacks “blaming the past” for any reality that doesn’t have a direct correlation to their present day status.

A.H.H. I see you are half and half. I’m four races, which is why I take umbrage with your comment that you see both sides. No matter how many races you are the only perspective you have is your own — and there are no single white or black perspectives to have access to. Furthermore, I know of people with my same mix of four races and since we all look and are perceived differently, were raised differently, and have different relationships to different heritages and communities, each of us have wildly different experiences. One thing that drives me crazy about Obama is his racist belief that being mixed race gives you superior insight.

I think whites don’t really now what racism is either, they have some vauge idea but don’t really know squat about it. Does that not mean she has gotten some negativity for being white, no; but that is expected when someone is in a place where there are some who have been discriminated againist when they went to a all white place and got some looks and some word were expressed.

I believe she knew what she was getting into and wanted to write about it to get on some whites heart strings on reverse racism.

JH ^ you must be so blissful

Black people do not owe white people an open invitation to participate in groups or activities that are for black people and sponsored by black people.

Black people do not have to be nice to white people, not even you, fair anti-racist white. You, above all white folks, should understand from whence such pebble tossing, name-calling vitriol might come.

I can’t believe the petty, trifling bullshit that hurts white folks feelings. Honestly, are you not just a bit ashamed?

If you are not ashamed, you have been severely mis-educated, and that is not all your fault. But your job is to get educated. By reading, and by shutting up, and listening. Shut up, and listen to what these people who have called you a bitch are telling you. Be humbled. You are not the answer to the problem.

A very short list: Lynching. assassination of beloved black leaders, red-lining, all sorts of discrimination that white people never had to deal with. Day to day racist bullshit. Creepy compliments like “you are so articulate.” Institutionalized racism (which actually comes from white people, yes, people like you good hearted anti racists that continue to hide out behind words like ‘institutionalized” and “structural’ (whew, that takes the heat off me!)

Having genuine relationships with black people-and i don’t mean a love relationship with one black person-is a way to find out if you are welcome to join groups of black people. See if black people, especially black women, accept you, like you, find you worthy of being friends. If you can’t get along with black women, go figure out why that is before you try to bust in on the black Student Union. Ask your black friends if it’s appropriate for you to attend. Just ask, because your friends will tell you the truth, and when they do, listen to what they are telling you. They might have told you” your are gonna be called a white bitch. You are going to be questioned.” Your good black friends will ask you some questions. They will, if you are lucky enough and good enough to have earned their trust and care.

Why should they care for you and trust you? Really? What have you done to earn that?

As a white person in a black group, you suddenly might realize that you are visible. Seen as white. treated as suspicious until you prove, through shutting your mouth, listening and taking some shots and realizing that you deserve them (yup, ya do, even if you never owned a slave and read Harriet Tubman’s biography when you were 10.) Looked at with suspicion, the way black folks are looked at by white folks. Questioned. Black people are owed some answers, don’t you think?

For you to answer questions, you have to prepare by searching your soul, questioning yourself, re-educating yourself and listening to your black friends. Then figure out if your participation is needed. It won’t be needed at every event, function or group. Be humble, accept, and keep on with the re-education.