1st known case: Offended by Black-Legs

[hoosier]

(Columbia) March 23, 2004 - The second of two meetings was held Tuesday to discuss the incident at a sorority fundraiser.

Tim Tice, a second year history student at the University of South Carolina, is at the center of the controversy, "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. I wish, I'm not a racist, I have nothing like that."

It all stems from a performance at a sorority fundraiser three-weeks-ago. Tice re-enacted Janet Jackson's infamous performance at the Superbowl with his legs painted black.

Justin Williams is president of the Association African-American Students at USC, "It really offended a group of African-Americans at the event."

Tice called the performance a misunderstanding, "My legs were painted not for the Janet Jackson skit I was doing, it was for the skit after that which I had a tux painted on my body. I couldn't wear pants for the Janet Jackson skit, because it would smear the paint, because the paint didn't dry on my legs on time."

Williams is willing to forgive, but, "The way it sounded, it was an issue of ignorance not malice, but you never know. We are in the South, we do have a history. What we're trying to do is educate."

Williams told News 10 there will be one more opportunity to voice concerns on the issue. The Association of African-American students is holding a meeting next Tuesday afternoon at 4:30pm in the Russell House.

Williams described it as kind of an open mic night. USC students, faculty and even the community can come and discuss concerns they have regarding racial issues on campus. Williams says USC President Andrew Sorenson has been invited to attend.