Why Black Harvard Won’t Speak Up For Chanequa
 

http://newsone.blackplanet.com/natio...-for-chanequa/

Have you heard about this and what are your thoughts?

Most Black student group leaders have declined to comment on the situation, and several have instructed the members of their respective organizations to do the same.

I feel the same.

The article was too long so I probably missed it, but what's the basis for thinking Campbell is not involved in the shooting? Just because she was active in the Black community at Harvard?

From what I've gathered from articles and friends there, there's not a ton to suggest that she wasn't involved; rumors had been surfacing for some time that she was involved in drug dealing.

I don't disagree with the students who won't sign because they have to think about their futures too. It's harder to be a student activist now because of the unforgiving nature of the internet; plenty of the student of color activists I knew in college have done a complete 180 and have expressed a desire to shed that part of their past--it's pretty much impossible now.

It's a shame, too--she was a Prep for Prep kid, got a ton of scholarships and competitive internships, and was set to graduate from Harvard. Now, the same type of people who many people worked hard to get her away from are the ones who brought her to where she is now. I hope it doesn't get much worse for her.

Well, there ya have it. I come from the "you did it, you're done" school of thought.

The Black students should find a more deserving person and cause to rally behind if Harvard's investigation found what it found on Chanequa.

There's also the stuff about either the victim or shooter (I forget which one) accessing the dorm through her student ID which, if that's the case, is a pretty major offense.

I think the students are correct in leaving this one alone. She also said some stuff about being targeted because she's black and poor. I think she expected Al and Jesse to come to her defense as well. If they're not touching it, it must be sketch.

I think they learned a lesson after Jena 6.

No they didn't learn much. One of them (I believe it was Al Sharpton's people but it may have been another large scale activist org. for people of color if not him) in 2008 had activists in West Palm Beach taking up for these animals who brutally trapped and raped both a woman and her young son in their own apartment and then forced them into a bath tub and poured various liquids into their wounds and ran away.

The activists claimed that the animals were being treated unfairly and would not get fair sentencing. I haven't heard much about them coming back since then b/c their was a big fuss over why they would defend the criminals of such a heinous crime.

I'm just pointing out the type of people they're willing to defend (as long as they have a penis anyways).

I highly doubt regardless of what she did or did not do that Jessie nor Al nor their respective crews will rally for her. They are too busy defending men regardless of their actions.

I agree with them that all people are innocent until proven guilty and deserve a fair trial. Attorneys often do not believe their clients are "not guilty" but believe their clients deserve justice regardless of the outcome of the trial.

As for Chenequa (I really hate that name and the spelling), I assumed that Harvard had their investigation and came to that conclusion rather than jumping to the conclusion. I may be wrong. Whatever the case, citing Cornell West and other Blacks who have an issue with Harvard doesn't mean that Chenequa (ugh) was treated unfairly.

^^^I totally agree, that name is just irking me.

But anyway,
I remember hearing about this story when it first happened. Back then there were even less details being shared then now. When i first heard about it, all the details were scarce, disorganized and just plain didn't make sense.

But I agree with the stance that the black students/faculty are taking in the matter. I wouldn't want to rally for someone who might possibly be guilty of the charges either, especially in a situation as delicate as this and considering that she has a shady rep as is. The only thing I think needs to be done on the public's part is to try and seek out more information. I would like to know what the real (detailed) reason is that they have to kick the girl out of school.

Also not a fan of the name or the spelling. If I was in the same position, I wouldve kept my mouth shut.

From similar experiences in my UG days, you can fight for what you want but at the end of the day, administration can have their way and next thing you know YOU'RE the one not graduating.

So what happens now to Chanequa? She doesn't graduate? How does she finish her schooling? Who is in her corner to defend her innocence?

I'd imagine her attorney is in her corner to defend her innocence...possibly her family as well.

I don't blame the groups at Harvard for not speaking out - if you're going to make a statement on campus, you have to choose your words carefully so that the administration will be more likely to listen to you. You don't want to become one of those public interest groups that just blindly speaks out against administration actions (like the "Cause Heads" in the movie "PCU").

She finished all of her classes; she was prevented from coming on campus. Apparently, she'll receive her diploma in a few weeks.

Ahhh, the Cause Heads. I remember them quite fondly from my college days. I wonder if, because of the economy, students who would normally speak out aren't because jobs are harder to come by. Also, what you say once, because of the Internet, can follow you for years. So glad I'm not in college now!

If this is true, I don't see a huge problem.

Silence is golden and it's great that the Black faculty and students at Harvard are choosing to be rich. :)

This about sums it up. I wouldn't rally around someone that I didn't believe either.

As to the banning from graduation, my question is is there a policy and/or a precedent. If it is Harvard's general policy to prevent students who are facing criminal allegations from graduating, then there is not much that she can really do about it.