Rover, Gentleman, Minstrel, Scholar

andsheblewhow:

newhatshelby:

coffeewithants:

likeghosts:

crassygrass:

so, for those who don’t know, SMCM cancelled classes and campus activities today in order to facilitate a variety of activities and discussions regarding race relations in the world and on campus. this was extremely important because the college, from the staff to the administrative level, has been dealing with and exhibiting some very unsavory and downright oppressive behaviors regarding race.

attendance at the day’s events was optional, but strongly encouraged. however, there was honestly no excuse not to attend, unless you had an off-campus commitment that you could not reschedule. despite this, many white students were expressing a distate for the event, and some were bragging about having a “day off.”

this student obviously isn’t even enjoying his “day off” — but still, the white population of the school viewing today as a day to catch up on work or sleep in and do nothing is privileged bullshit. everyone has work to do. if you’d had class today, you’d still have that work to do and the same amount of time to do it as you normally would. “i have a lot of work” is not an excuse. what you’re really saying is, “i have a lot of work and i don’t have time to think about racism because it doesn’t affect me.”

apparently there was also a tendency for white students to rename the event “white guilt day” — to which, as a white person, i say, so fucking what. first of all, that was not the intention and for you to turn a discussion about the ways in which you benefit from racial discrimination into a discussion about how talking about racial discrimination perpetuated by people like you hurts your feelings just makes you sound like a self-inflated privileged egotistical ignorant pile of shit. don’t want to feel “white guilt?” don’t want to be called “racist” or “ignorant?” then don’t act that way.

i’ll admit, my tactics on this person’s status are a bit passive-aggressive. while i am genuinely curious about whether or not he attended (though i didn’t see him at either of the events that i was went to), if and when he admits to not having gone, i hope that the discussion will escalate further — asking why he didn’t attend; why he thought that the events of the day were less important than his work, which would have had to take a backseat today if there was class, anyway; why he didn’t at least take an hour out of his day to participate in something. and if he did, then i’m wrong and i will apologize for assuming that he didn’t.

but others didn’t. and even if they didn’t boast about their “day off,” even if they didn’t take the day to relax or catch up on sleep, they still sent a message to their non-white peers: your experiences are less worthy of my time than my own personal tasks. great, we got a “day off” from classes and academic responsibilities. there is no “day off” from racism.

^^FUCKING THIS!!

there is no “day off” from racism.

Gfdghlsdkfg we’re talking about this in my Ethnic Politics class and only three people went (!!), and people’s excuses for not going were fucking unbelievable.

People in my house said they already understand racism and don’t need to go to anything else to hear about it…

Oh my fucking god.

The worst part is that I’m afraid to ask my best friends of they went. Cause I’m pretty sure they’d fall under this category.

Ugh. Ugh ugh ughhhh.

And now I’m just super pissed cause this is EVERYTHING I would ever want to talk about at one of the places I care most about in the world and I COULDN’T GO via stupid graduation shit and people are bitching about “white guilt day”. Fucking please. And then I remember how awesome it is that I went to a place where this sort of stuff even happens and takes priority over classes on an institutional level. That’s pretty amazing.

Although I had some small feelings about the way this day was handled, I am so very glad it happened. I had some legitimate (transportation) issues, but there is a small possibility that if I tried really hard, I could have made it. Due to the ramifications of trying to take a car for the day and my past experiences with racism, I didn’t push it.

However, I am very interested in what was discussed, and especially the feelings and opinions voiced by POC at the event. If someone who attended would be willing to relate their experience to me, I would really appreciate it.