MLK Party at Tarleton State

[starang21]

Originally Posted by JonoBN41

"The African-American man who claims he was the one who started the tradition of the now infamous Martin Luther King “celebration” among Tarleton State University students now admits that this year’s party bears virtually no resemblance to the one he and two of his roommates hosted three years ago.

“OK, well, I admit that this party was a little different than mine,” Williams said. “But I still don’t think it was racist.”

Williams also steadfastly defended his good friend and former roommate, Jeremy Pelz, who posted pictures of the party on his Facebook Web site. Despite the fact that many of the pictures showed white students poking fun at black culture and history, Williams insisted that those students who attended the party are not racist and meant no disrespect to the black community or to Martin Luther King."

“I know for sure that they (the party-goers) weren’t being racist,” Williams said. “They were just having fun.”

http://www.empiretribune.com/article...ews/news02.txt

so.....?

of course they're not racist. their best friend is black.

But Williams also admitted that that party was a different kind of bash than the one held recently. For starters, there were no buckets of fried chicken at the “original” MLK party. No 40-oz bottles of malt liquor in brown paper sacks. No afros. No toy guns and no baggy pants. Williams said he couldn’t recall anyone dressed as “Aunt Jemima” either.

[UGAalum94]

Well, I think the point of posting the article may have been to suggest that the party was perhaps not a complete and accurate reflection of the hosts' racial attitudes. Someone who actually knows the hosts doesn't think they're racists, for what's its worth.

ETA: I honestly think that some people think so little about race that they don't anticipate how bad something can look. They don't reflect on the fact that dressing up like some cross-racial stereotyped or mixed-up stereotypes will look some much worse than same race or class stereotype. Now, before anyone wants to lecture me on how unfunny any of it its, consider the nature of most comedy shows, and get back to me. SNL, MAD-TV, Chapelle, Mind of Mencia all rely on stereotype for "humor." You and I may think it's dumb, but it's popular outside of Tarleton State. Rather than being a reflection of these students' deeply held racial views, it may have been just a very ill-advised theme.

[UGAalum94]

My above post isn't trying to diminish the fact that having a racially themed party (no matter how humorously intended) on MLK day is a special kind of stupid.

[shinerbock]

All white people are considered racist until proven otherwise.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

All white people are considered racist until proven otherwise.

Well, if you're dressed as Aunt Jemima with a gun on MLK day, I'd say the burden of proof is on you.

[macallan25]

That doesn't make you a racist. Maybe insensitive........but not a racist.

[macallan25]

Originally Posted by starang21

so.....?

of course they're not racist. their best friend is black.

This was a black guy claiming he didn't think any of the guys were racist.......not a bunch of white guys doing the whole "I have a good friend who is black so i'm not racist."

.....not that I really care though, I figured you'd post something like this at some point.

[UGAalum94]

That alone doesn't mean you're racist, as far as I'm concerned, but I also think it provides enough information for a reasonable person with no additional information, like most GC readers, to draw the conclusion that there's a good chance you might be.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by macallan25

not that I really care though

you cared enough to respond.

and i'm saying they can't be racist. their best friend is black.

[shinerbock]

Starang, and we're interpreting that as sarcasm. People on here often accuse people of racism despite evidence to the contrary.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

Starang, and we're interpreting that as sarcasm. People on here often accuse people of racism despite evidence to the contrary.

ok, and?

who said they're racist?

impossible.

they have someone who's black vouching for them.

[JonoBN41]

There's a big difference between making fun of a group, and hating that group. Comedians, talk show hosts, and shows like Saturday Night Live poke fun at various definable groups - be they political, sexual, racial, or religious - all the time, but they don't hate them.

As for racism, I looked it up in my trusty dictionary just to be sure. It has two definitions.

1. The notion that one's own ethnic stock is superior.
2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

I'm going to stick my neck out and assume two things here:

a - def. 1 applies to virtually no one on GC.
b - def. 2 applies to virtually everyone on GC (whether they will admit it or not).

If people parody a certain group, that can be taken with good humor or indignity. In all honesty, it's the indignity of a vocal few that tends to make me dislike a certain group more than any inherent quality of the group itself.

As PM_Mama00 said, "We shouldn't have to live our lives walking on eggshells about everything."

[starang21]

Originally Posted by JonoBN41

There's a big difference between making fun of a group, and hating that group. Comedians, talk show hosts, and shows like Saturday Night Live poke fun at various definable groups - be they political, sexual, racial, or religious - all the time, but they don't hate them.

As for racism, I looked it up in my trusty dictionary just to be sure. It has two definitions.

1. The notion that one's own ethnic stock is superior.
2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

I'm going to stick my neck out and assume two things here:

a - def. 1 applies to virtually no one on GC.
b - def. 2 applies to virtually everyone on GC (whether they will admit it or not).

If people parody a certain group, that can be taken with good humor or indignity. In all honesty, it's the indignity of a vocal few that tends to make me dislike a certain group more than any inherent quality of the group itself.

As PM_Mama00 said, "We shouldn't have to live our lives walking on eggshells about everything."

there's also this one....

2. discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race

scroll down on dictionary.com

good humor should be taken by whom? the people offending or those who are being offended?

if you don't particularly care about the feelings of those you're offending....then you'll never walk on eggshells.

[macallan25]

So I guess you are the final authority when it comes to deciding what is and isn't discriminatroy/abusive?

......because the way I read it the black guy that started the party originally didn't get any of that out of it. Its quite clear that he took it for what it was.....poking fun at a stereotype.........not hating/discriminating/being abusice towards another race.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by macallan25

So I guess you are the final authority when it comes to deciding what is and isn't discriminatroy/abusive?

......because the way I read it the black guy that started the party originally didn't get any of that out of it. Its quite clear that he took it for what it was.....poking fun at a stereotype.........not hating/discriminating/being abusice towards another race.

But Williams also admitted that that party was a different kind of bash than the one held recently. For starters, there were no buckets of fried chicken at the “original” MLK party. No 40-oz bottles of malt liquor in brown paper sacks. No afros. No toy guns and no baggy pants. Williams said he couldn’t recall anyone dressed as “Aunt Jemima” either.

who defines what's "abusice?" if you have a 10 person group, and 9/10 say they're offended....and that last person says they're not...what sort of conclusion would you come to? and who are you to say what people should/should not be offended by?