Senseless, irrational, uncouth, disrespectful and appalling are just a few of the words that cannot begin to describe the numerous “race parties” thrown by Ohio University students this past weekend. The newsfeed on Facebook revealed that some students took the long weekend as an opportunity to have parties and dress up as “gangstas, skanks and broskies” celebrating the 40-year anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s April 1968 death with forty ounces of beer and fried chicken. “Hooray for MLK!” … really?
Where are we as a country, a generation and a school when students are that grossly inappropriate? Has education missed some students completely? I can only assume that students who live off-campus are at least juniors. That means that the people who host these parties are nearly out of college and still lack good judgment. Scary thought. Corporate America should be wary of the graduates who held these parties in the name of “harmless fun.” That’s right. Some hosts claimed the parties were severely misconstrued and, in actuality, just for fun and not intended to insult anyone.
However, “good intentions” are hardly an excuse for what is obviously insensitivity and ridicule (or plain racism, depending on the interpreter). I don’t see how the host of a race party could possibly imagine it to be anything other than offensive. The all-white invitees were asked to dress up as stereotypical black people. The intention is pretty clear. The impact has yet to be determined. Regardless, it sounds like a page ripped out of a 1940s history book, not a 2008 Facebook page.
Personally, I do not profess to be a gangsta, and I am certainly not a skank, but the purpose of the parties is to portray black people as a whole in a negative light during a weekend to commemorate one of the most famous African-Americans of all time. As a black person, no matter what weekend it is, I think this is absolutely shameful. Furthermore, if the hosts of one certain party were ignorant of the impact (how it would be received by the black community), they would not have promptly cancelled the party once their little festival was made public and questioned.
Again, I have to ask: Where are we? These outrageous parties are hardly exclusive to Ohio University. The Athens Messenger recently reported that these types of parties go on at Clemson University in Greenville, S.C, the University of Connecticut, the University of Texas at Austin, John Hopkins University and Tarleton State University in Texas.
Still, people young and old shrug their shoulders and claim that as a country we have to move on and forget about the past. I’m all about progress. However, when the past is roaring like a train to the present, it must be confronted. Parties like this will not be tolerated. They won’t be brushed aside as “students just having fun” or their hosts and attendees given the benefit of the doubt. These parties are not a joke.
What is the mind-set of students who know better? I will not insult the intelligence of a host or attendee by claiming that he or she had the best intention and didn’t foresee a conflict. No, I will determine that everyone involved knew exactly what he or she was doing and who would be offended. They knew. They didn’t care. OU’s latest race parties were boldly advertised on Facebook for the entire country to see.
If OU’s goal is diversity, if most students are striving to unite, if change is really what most Americans desire, then why are race parties like these going on and forcing people to drink the bitter water of the past? Maybe this past weekend will serve as an opportunity for students of all races to come together and determine not to let the ignorance of a few damage the bridges built by the many who have stepped out of their comfort zone while enrolled at this university.
There is a lesson here to be learned about intentions and being able to think through actions and the possible impact those actions will have on others. Malicious intent is rarely cited in the majority of offensive actions. Most of the time, the perpetrators “didn’t mean to offend anyone.” However, “not meaning to offend” is more of a reason to educate ourselves and think through our words and actions to ensure that our “good intentions” don’t result in a negative impact. We can’t always please everyone; some are easily offended and sometimes mistakes are made. However, I do believe there needs to be a continued, concerted and deliberate effort to unify because, clearly, carelessness and ignorance only tear apart. But maybe it’s just me.
Alissa Griffith is a junior journalism major. Send her an e-mail at ag180505@ohiou.edu.
Reader Comments
It's just you.
First...I am so sick of seeing racially motivated columns appear. Can you not find anything else to write about?
Second, in response to the article, "Pimps and Hoes" parties have gone on for ages. These are stereotypes your own African-American community propogates, not white people. Dave Chappelle, Barbershop, and lets not forget just about every rapper have all propogated these images of the black community. When was the last time you condemned your own race for continuing on with these images? Maybe that is next weeks column!? I guess when a white person dresses like this it becomes bad, right?
I feel like you walk outside and look for things to get offended by. Please move on from this senseless race-baiting...please!
In response to Alissa: Well thought out and relevant column. Keep them coming.
In response to jpmo:
It's not just her.
First...I am so delighted to see racially motivated columns in our student newspaper, so long as they are proactive. Why should Ms. Griffith find anything else to write about when issues of race hinder the progress of our civilization everyday everywhere? I would imagine that you are uncomfortable seeing racially motivated columns because they may cause you to question your poorly construed beliefs and seriously askew moral standards.
Second, in case you have never taken a class on logic, supporting a cause because "it has gone on for ages" is not a very logically sound argument. However, I do not doubt that these "Pimps and Hos" parties have gone on for ages; racism has gone on for ages.
In your response you make many statements that are sure to be considered blasphemous by many intelligent people, white and black. By admitting that "these are stereotypes your own African American community propogates, not white people." First, I can't resist if for no other reason than to illustrate your utter stupidity: its spelled propagate. Secondly, since when are stereotypes something that people stopped taking lightly. Persons who choose to make light of stereotypes of persons from other cultural backgrounds are only adding to our problems of misunderstanding between cultures and races. While Dave Chappelle and others use these stereotypes often in their comedy, they use them in something called satire. Dave Chappelle poked fun at the stereotypes in order to take the hurt and the pain out of the words and stereotypes that affect many minority persons.
I don't know what you think about black people, but I think I could make some educated guesses. These are not things that all of Ms. Griffith's race propagates. Many African Americans are highly intelligent, highly educated, highly motivated people looking to buck the stereotypes that hinder their chances of making success for themselves. The stereotypes that you seem to advocate have been portrayed in white controlled media. It has been a systematic and strategic attempt by white controlled media to keep idiots like you thinking that all African Americans fit these stereotypes. What a shame that it has worked.
You have an obligation to apologize to Ms. Griffith for even suggesting that she should condemn her own race for "continuing on with these images." I would imagine that you have no idea about the roots of these issues, and you should be devastatingly ashamed of yourself.
Stereotypical images have been used in the mainstream since emancipation to dehumanize black Americans. Many have no basis in real fact, rather are attempts to make black people look stupid, gullible, and willing to do the white man's work. This is the inherent problem in these "racial stereotype parties." These stereotypes do not need to be embraced by the white public nor do they need to be celebrated at a party. It is not a joking matter. For our society to make any progress towards racial unity these stereotypes must be ignored, not celebrated.
In closing, keep your ignorance to yourself and let Ms. Griffith speak her mind. I suggest that you read what she has to say and think about it more than once. Try to look at it through her eyes. No wonder these racially motivated parties do not offend you, you're clearly a very foolish white boy. But I would imagine that if Ms. Griffith took the time to write this column, this is an issue that affects her, something that you may not understand. Rather than attacking that, I suggest you develop something humans call "empathy." Try to see it through her eyes. If you cannot, I truly feel sorry for you.
Additionally,
Not a coincidence: Ashley Herzog was the first to comment and congratulate Alyssa's on her last column condemning Hillary Clinton.
Mr. Herzog has yet to say "great column, Alissa" on this one. I doubt she will.
"First...I am so delighted to see racially motivated columns in our student newspaper, so long as they are [strikethrough]proactive.[/strikethrough]black!" Eh, flossy?
Oops! I guess jflossy posted her comment before bothering to read my column this week. I guess you might have "stereotyping" issues of your own to deal with.
Alissa,
I am having a hard time understanding your objective for writing this column. Although I agree that race parties are offensive and in poor taste, I believe the overwhelming majority of Ohio University students that don’t participate in these parties would also agree.
Was your objective to inform? If like you said, so many people know about these race-based parties and are doing nothing, what suggestions are you making to the people, like yourself, that know about these parties and merely “shrug their shoulders?” Ethically, should we be shutting these parties down? Legally, I am not sure that is possible because they are protected by the same first amendment that allows you to freely write this column.
Was your objective then to change the minds of the people facilitating and participating in these parties? If so, do you consider your column to be progressive? Do you consider your criticism to be constructive? What part of your column encourages people to change?
Alissa, I agree with you that race-based parties stall progress regardless of intention, however I am failing to see the progress you are encouraging. I believe that you would be a much more effective journalist if you just addressed these questions before you decide to write your next column.
Also, in reference to your conclusion, you wrote "I do believe there needs to be a continued, concerted and deliberate effort to unify because, clearly, carelessness and ignorance only tear apart. But maybe it’s just me."
But wasn’t it just last week that you carelessly used racial accusations in your column “Hillary Clinton does not care about Black America?” Would you consider that column to be an “effort to unify?” Not only was that column counterproductive, but it was also based entirely on inaccurate information.
Give this letter to the editor of the Athens News a read if you disagree. http://athensnews.com/index.php?action=viewarticle§ion=opinion&story_id=30369
Alissa, please, let the race columns go, please. I just don't get it. Honestly, if a group of African-American's wanted to have a "Crackers and Rednecks" party, I could care less. I'm certain those are stereotypes of the white race. Hell, I'd love to attend, I love being able to laugh at myself. I can see it now. A giant group of people dressed in overalls and wearing flannel and missing teeth. Wearing cowboy hats and boots and eating mayonnaise. It would be hilarious, and the vast majority of white people wouldn't care. Why? Because we can take a joke.
It would be solidly different if no people like that existed, but it's true that they do. Just as it's true that there are plenty of African-American's that love fried chicken, have gold teeth, spend a ton of money tricking out their cars, wear a ridiculous amount of jewelry and dress like sluts. There are also a ton of white people that do it too!
It would also be different if comedians like Dave Chapelle didn't have episodes of their show where they stereotype their own race by doing the same thing. He makes fun of his own race in one episode by saying that black people don't like Sunny D, they want "grape drink" and forget grape juice, no he want's "some of that purple."
I can't fault anyone for wanting to have one of these parties if it's truly in jest. Clearly the ones of this past weekend had racial motivations as the coincided with MLK Day. You weren't addressing these parties specifically so I have to respond negatively to your column.
Having the party to make fun of a race and disrespect one of the greatest men of the modern era simply for the fun of it is wrong. But having a party with the "Pimp and Hoe" theme for fun isn't wrong. It's simply fun to dress up like something you're not.
Alissa, part of being a good journalist is looking beyond your emotions and looking at why people join this profession in the first place. Most of join to change the world in some way. We join so we can travel or meet people or change their minds or tell their stories or advocate for change. All you seem to want to do it complain.
News flash, African-Americans have been complaining for decades and it's done nothing. There was a fantastic episode of the Boondocks on last night in which MLK wasn't really dead, but had been in a coma for decades. He came back to see a black race exactly how the parties describe them and told them how it disgusted him. He wondered why he had done so much and suffered for so many years to produce what they were now. And, while throwing a few choice words around, he said that today's African-American's would rather complain about their problems than fix them. If you want to fix what's wrong with today's society, stop simply complaining and actually try to fix something. Advocate for change, not only of the white race but of your own. Stop writing columns that merely focus on minute wrongs that people of one race have done to yours and start advocating for us to all stop seeing ourselves as different based on color and start seeing ourselves as different based on culture and for those differences not to matter.
Seriously, you're never going to get a job.
I only wanted to make comment to the columnist, but I feel as if I need to speak up here.
thexfactor19_ou,
After reading your most recent comment, I have been trying to think of ways to articulate to you how bigoted that comment was.
Why did you take sooo much time to make a comment like that? What was your issue with what Alissa said that made you so concerned? What were you trying to solve by making that comment?
I feel as if Alissa's concern is substantial and the concern is only perpetuated by comments and associated behaviors by people like you.
The truth is, there still exists a racial prejudice in this country and we need to acknowledge it. What extent is this prejudice? How is it ultimately affecting the lives of people? What specifically can we do to eliminate it? I DON'T KNOW!
These questions are a broad umbrella of questions that we have to answer if we effectively want to make progressive change.
While my concerns with her article were in regards to her approach to these issues, it really frustrates me that while some people are wanting and struggling to solve these problems, people like you are denying them and attacking the people for simply having concern for these problems.
thexfactor19_ou, I don’t necessarily think you are a conscious bigot, but your words suggest you are “one who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ.”
And that is the American Heritage Dictionary’s definition of a bigot.
Some of you are woefully ignorant of prejudice's prevalence. Your own vice president for Student Affairs has advocated for the abolition of these practices, which you might have noticed if you'd read the rest of The Post instead of seeking out Alissa Griffith's latest column for your weekly ethnic quibbling ritual.
But here's a link to help you out ...
http://www.thepost.ohiou.edu/Articles/Opinion/22520/content=false/
Racially-themed parties are an embarrassment to our university, to our national culture and to any racial demographic whose members promote them. It makes us look like a mob of backward cretins.
But, Alissa deserves to be commended for not responding to the (actual) race baiting that her column incites on a regular basis. That takes a lot of class and self-control. Even within this thread, you can see how difficult it is for other columnists to resist defending themselves when their ideas are attacked.
You dolt Herzog-- Your column wasn't even posted at the time Flossy made his/her comment.
I actually agree with thexfactor19_ou to some extent.
As a black American, I can see why people would get bent out of shape over people stereotyping a race. But let's take a minute to think about this. Why would something like making fun of stereotypes be seen as regression? Is it not an accomplishment that people can see how ridiculous these stereotypes are and find clever ways to essentially point and laugh? I know I personally don't eat fried chicken, watermelon, or drink 40s, but when my mom doesn't feel like cooking there is a fresh box of KFC on the table. Clearly there are reasons that people have these labels for certain groups of people, but regardless of who is perpetuating these stereotypes, essentially all anyone is doing with these “race parties” are satirizing these silly stereotypes because it's FUNNY.
If this is such a crime, Irish people should be pissed. What do we do every St. Patick's day? Dress up in green, some drink beer, since everyone knows this is what Irish culture is all about. Hispanics as well. Since Cinco de Mayo is the day that people can wear sombreros and drink Margaritas and Tequila, right?
Does anyone see a pattern here? They are all college students. Many of college students like to party. Many of them like to drink. That's all it is. It's an excuse to drink and have fun on a day they get out of school. People are taking it to extremes that it doesn't need to be taken. Protesting? Lame. Why are we protesting comedy?
Seriously, there are few things that bother me more than people who can't take a joke. Maybe what this nation needs are more people who don't have a stick shoved so far up his/her anal cavity that he/she cannot find the humor of these events. They are not perpetuating stereotypes by satirizing them! Maybe unless someone is too stupid to know the difference, but that's a completely separate issue.
Yes black people do have to take some blame for promulgating the stereotypes mentioned in the article.
And yes the parties while done with good intentions were in bad taste.
However as stated above, the issue was dealt with by the school. Continuing to beat this issue into a bloody pulp will do nothing but create unnecessary racial tension. Instead of condemning some kinds for dressing up and getting drunk, the time used to write the article would have been better spent trying as hard as possible to never become one of those stereotypes. The best way to disprove a stereotype is to be an example of the contrary.
"While Dave Chappelle and others use these stereotypes often in their comedy, they use them in something called satire. Dave Chappelle poked fun at the stereotypes in order to take the hurt and the pain out of the words and stereotypes that affect many minority persons."
Funny you should say this as a defense, but when Chris Yonker committed a similar satire, the mobs came after him with pitchforks and torches.
So let me get this straight there is a racial double standard. If you are a minority you can do no wrong with satire and in fact can make quite a living off of it, but if you are white you cannot say, do, think, speak any satire.
I don't agree with having race parties on Martin Luther King Jr. day, and think all themed parties are pretty stupid to begin with. I am of Irish and Scottish heritage, but no one seems to care that each March people think it's OK to drink green beer till they puke, wear clothes that make them look like a slutty leprechaun, talk with Irish accents, drink Irish whiskey and Guinness, and spread the stereotype that all Irish people are drunks. How about all the hispanic people out there and Cinco de Mayo? What a way to celebrate a cultural stereotype. Let's drink Coronas, yell at each in Spanish, and drink tequila until we puke. How about toga parties? The Greeks were just a bunch of sexual, drunk deviants right? So that's OK. The list can go on and on.
I think Miss Griffith made a valid point to bring up these parties (I honestly did not know of these parties on facebook?), but once again she makes it a black/white issue. Not everything/everyone is anti-black. Then again maybe everything is racial when you make it a point to look deep for it and then speculate, form an irrational and non-factual opinion (See the column about Senator Clinton). I am sure I could find several racial underlyings in my everyday life if I imagined some of them or just painted them that way. Racism does exist and most people realize that. We don't need Ms. Griffith to constantly wave the flag of racial tension. If you want to anger people and upset them then when you finish your journalism education you can be happy with your National Enquirer post or perhaps you could do one better and join Fox News where you can bend the truth all you want and upset people. Better idea though, use your column to inspire change, rather than raise controversy. Making it black vs. white on every issue only raises racial tension.
drakel, the_truth, and Southeastern made my point exactly!
Why do people have these parties... because stereotypes are funny! Why does Dave Chapelle make fun of them on his show? Because they're funny!
My grandmother came over from Ireland, I could care less about St. Patrick's day, in fact I love a reason to drink green beer. Hell, I honestly love friend chicken too... and watermelon!
If someone has a party on MLK day, obviously it's racially motivated and wrong... I'm not sure how that can be construed a bigoted statement... but ok... but if someone is having on of these parties for the fun of it, who cares?
I don't criticize Alissa because she does, I criticize her because like Southeastern says, not everything it a black/white issue. The column would be better spent looking at the people who hold these parties simply because it's MLK day, not all people who hold these kinds of parties. I've been to one before that happened in like September and it was a blast. No one who attended did so because they were trying to make fun of the African-American race, we went because it was fun to dress up and pretend you're something you aren't for a night.
People comment on Alissa's column so much because she loves to stir up racial tensions that really don't exist. I mean, anyone who thinks there isn't some level of racism in our nation is an idiot, and like I said, anyone holding the party because it's MLK day is to some extent doing it out of malice, but not everyone who attends one of these parties the other 364 days of the year is a racist.
There are honestly times I see myself as Stephen Colbert does. I don't see color, I just love to make fun of stereotypes and much as the next person.
It would seem that everyone can agree on one thing: a college theme party—it is what it is. But folks, when we ascribe said gathering to a national acknowledgment of social achievement (be it Dr. King or St. Pádraig), it suggests we're of the belief that such efforts amounted to nothing more than debauched patter.
It’s no question that human nature has a flair for the competitive. Maybe the stereotyped masquerading is a jab at perceived pride. Not that pride is a bad thing—people should always have pride in themselves, as well as their individual or collective contributions to their surroundings. A fat dollop of pride is healthy. Tastes good. Makes us strong to the finish like Popeye and spinach. This life is perplexing to all of us—no matter who’s at the top—and we all want to feel like we’ve affected this place when it’s all said and done. But on those rare occasions when wholesome pride escalates to unbridled vanity, it has a habit of cutting loose on social accord. So we’re all a tad edgy when it comes to things like race and gender. But gunning for one columnist on a routine basis isn’t exactly contributing anything progressive to the discourse.
Now, as for Ms. Griffith’s column—it really isn’t anyone’s prerogative what she opts to write about, now is it? So you’re too sated for a second helping. Turn the page. Personally, between beating a dead horse and refereeing dialogue, I’d rather err on the side of unmitigated discourse.
That has to be the most eloquent and even-tempered comment anyone has posted to this thread! Props to you, Kevin Casey.
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