Ever since news broke that Michael Brown had been shot, the volatile nature of America's "post-racial" society has been a constant headline. Once it was announced that there would be no indictment, tension rose higher, and as though someone was trying to push all the right buttons to send the nation into a frenzy, what seems like minutes later, the same verdict is issued for the officer responsible for Eric Garner's death.
When students here began to voice their opinions and their outrage, it became obvious that #OneClemson had fractures in it. I haven't said much on the issue; there are plenty of people voicing every side of the situation, and a million duplicates of the same statements over and over. People know what happened. People have chosen which side they support. I've always been a believer in respecting opinions; I don't particularly care what side you're on, because just like I have a right to feel however I feel, you have a right to feel however you do.
That being said, now that #ClemsonCripmas has added even more fuel to the fire and spawned articles like "Clemson Hates Black People," I decided to share my feelings (and opinions) on whats going on locally.
#ClemsonCripmas
Like always, since I live in the real world and not the social media world, I had no idea that #Cripmas happened until I got an email from the president of the university condemning it. By the time I did get to Facebook, my timeline was overfilled with reactions. At first, I thought it was a blackface incident (that happened once--about 8 years ago), but once I got to the pictures I saw that it was just a bunch of people dressed the way they assumed gang members dressed, throwing up signs, and what not.
To be honest, I laughed. Not because it was funny, but because:
- If there were actually bloods and/or crips around this area, they probably would have shot said students--I'm fairly certain its against gang policy to let people mock you, but that's just a guess because I'm not in a gang.
- If it's a #Cripmas party, why are you throwing up the blood's gang signs? I highly doubt a blood would go to a crip's party unless they were pulling a driveby...
- Where did they get those outfits from--you just have "thug" clothes in your closet?--and what was the fun in dressing up in them? I mean I don't really see the point, can you not get equally drunk in your everyday get up?
- Just because the VP of Student Affairs is gone, doesn't mean that the Tucker Hipps case has disappeared, and it's very likely those photos will only be more justification to sanction or dissolve Greek Life at Clemson for good. #GreatJobGeniuses
Once I got through laughing, I still wasn't mad. Don't get me wrong, it was a stupid idea and definitely in poor taste--I mean you wouldn't have a homeless Christmas party and dress up like you're homeless would you? But I couldn't help feel detached from the foolishness because as I said, I am not, have not been, and will never be in a gang. Yes, crips and bloods are known for being black gangs, but I'm pretty sure there are non-black members (again, I don't know, never had any dealings with them). There are other gangs though, hispanic, white, etc. All races have gangs, but I can only name the crips and the bloods... They're infamous and synonymous with gang life. Were these students just trying to have a gang theme or where they saying "black people are in gangs"? I don't know, because I don't know them personally, I didn't go to the party, and I'm not friends with them on Facebook (in short, I don't care about them in the least). Did they know what people would think? I'd wager at least one person in the group did, but who knows if they spoke up or cared. Were they trying to offend people or retaliate against the protests? I don't know; I don't care. You may be trying to offend me, but that doesn't mean I have to be offended. Perhaps the partygoers used racist language in the photo captions, I really don't know.
What I care about is the seemingly automatic translation of black and gang: my black friends were quickly outraged. I even got a text from an uncle asking me if I was OK, how I was holding together, and if I was safe. It was a poorly-timed, poorly-planned, bad-taste, frat party, not a lynching (though as long as one of the mob participants could say they felt threatened, that would probably still be legal). If you dress up as a gang member, why should I think you're mocking my race, my culture, etc. Black does not equal gangs. Being in a gang is not black culture nor something I associate with my race. If I didn't know the hand signs (well, I actually don't know the crip's hand sign) and I didn't know the hashtag, I would simply see a picture of "wangsters" (to quote 50 Cent). Gang member and black person are not synonymous. Gang culture and black culture are not synonymous. Regardless of what people mean when they do something like this, I am not going to pigeonhole my entire race into that box.
Social Media Chatter
A week or so ago, there was apparently a forum on campus about insensitive, or inappropriate comments on a Facebook page. I'm not sure of the details because:
- I don't pay that much attention to Facebook comments, and
- I didn't know about the forum until after it happened (probably because I don't pay that much attention to Facebook).
I grew up riding a school bus where it was perfectly normal and acceptable for white kids to call me and the other 5 black people n***** but it was automatic suspension if one of us retaliated with c******. It wasn't fair, but by the time I was 9 or 10, I realized the only way it was harmful to me was if I let it be harmful. What's the difference between calling me ugly and calling me a n*****? Absolutely nothing. Both tell me the name caller is ignorant, doesn't like me, and I don't like them. It's actually leaps and bounds more efficient than the people who just smile at you--its the quiet ones you have to worry about. If I've learned anything, I'd rather you walk up to me and say "I hate black people," and go on your merry business than for you to stay in my presence pretending or dropping subtle hints.
Thats right, I appreciate and respect the person who is bold enough to admit their racism. I don't care if person X likes me; they have a right not to, for whatever reason however trivial and ignorant or completely legitimate. If you don't like me, that's fine. I won't sit by you, you won't sit by me. Cordiality and distance works just fine for me.
Overall
The overall situation is that a few white students are mad that some black (and non-black?) students are protesting current issues. Some black students have seen comments from these students and feel unwanted, unappreciated, etc. on campus.
It's a sad situation, but what exactly is the solution everyone is looking for? If someone dislikes you, or doesn't agree with your opinion, that's how they feel. People are who they are. Just as strongly as you may feel one way, they feel the opposite, and you're both entitled to those opinions as long as you aren't interfering with each other's well being. Generally, if I feel unwanted, I leave (unless I'm at home, then I kick that person out). If you don't want me here, I don't want to be here; I can do better.
My solution has always been to surround myself with people who appreciate, value, and respect differences. The rest can talk themselves blue in the face, but they don't deter me from my goals, and I don't give them the power to make be feel one way or the other. What is your solution? What is it that you want to see happen? Are you OK with people disliking you? If not, why does it bother you--are there not people you dislike as well?
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| In case you're wondering why it's #BlackLivesMatter instead of #AllLivesMatter, think of it as #BlackLivesMatterToo--history and #CrimingWhileWhite have already decided that #WhiteLivesMatter. |
