“Last night a disturbing racist post that was made to social media was brought to my attention. This post was hurtful and destructive to our campus community. While social media can certainly bring about positive change, it can also be a place that deeply hurts and harms others.”
—University of Wisconsin Whitewater Chancellor Beverly Kopper, in the process of race-baiting, victimizing two innocent students, showing atrocious judgment, and proving herself to be an incompetent, hysterical fool.
This unforgivably unjust official condemnation of two students because some race-obsessed juvenile fanatics took offense at this photo of their facial treatments warrants immediate firing for cause, if not a lawsuit.
An investigation was launched ..let me repeat that: AN INVESTIGATION WAS LAUNCHED because of an obvious photograph of two kids wearing facial masks!…and the two students were interrogated by college authorities because some idiots complained about a photo that was obviously no different from this..
...or this…
or this…
The students said they had both undergone a facial for fun and never thought that posting the image of them undergoing their treatment would cause a racial incident. Well, of course they didn’t. They assumed that their college campus, being a place of alleged enlightenment, was sane. But this is Barack Obama’s America, where presumed racism is a tool and a weapon of the media and the left.
Race-baiting has allowed the Democrats to blunt criticism of the atrocious performance of an inept and arrogant black President who won’t admit error or accept accountability; it has allowed activists to make every episode where a black suspect has been killed in a police confrontation into a presumed civil rights violation. Crying racism is this era’s red-baiting or rumors of witchery, manipulated by zealots, liars and those greedy for power, as such allegations have always been. In the process, this cynical use of race allows true racists, of which there are too many, to discredit legitimate critics.
Oh, good job, everybody. Good job.
The news report says, “Chancellor Kopper accepted the students’ explanation and they will not face any disciplinary action.” What? They won’t face disciplinary action? How about the hateful, racist, trouble-making students who cried “Racists!” for no reason, caring nothing about the reputations they scarred and the innocent students they traumatized? Why won’t they face discipline? What about Kopper, who owes the two abused students an abject apology as well as the school, the student body and the public at large on the way out of college administration to her new career as a junior meter maid, where with luck she will do less damage.
This will stop when we all stop tolerating it.
And it has to stop.
__________________________
Post Script: I am often accused of being angry here. In fact, I am very seldom angry, so matter how aggressive I may state my position. This episode, and what has led to it, makes me angry.
Ethics Alarms 
You should be angry. You deserve to be angry.
You won’t like me when I’m angry…
That’s racist to Verde-Americans…
It ain’t easy being green.
Was the Hulk green with anger???
I always thought green was envy…
“Blackface Lives Matter”
Well, Avocado-Face Lives Matter….
At this point, I’d almost have more faith in humanity if I believed that these people are actually Trump campaign sleeper agents.
“her new career as a junior meter maid, where with luck she will do less damage.”
No thanks. I can imagine her now – a little Hitler giving tickets to legally parked cars.
There is such a thing as righteous indignation. Anger is appropriate in this case. The default accusation (“disturbing racist post… [that] was hurtful and destructive”) prior to any investigation, is not indicative of an intelligent, scholarly, sane, just, or fair approach to life, and certainly not what you’d hope to get from a university chancellor.
Maybe you could do some pro bono work for the unjustly accused students Jack.
Not licensed in Wisconsin!
Aww c’mon; you must have one friend in Wisconsin?
I’m only being half stupid here; I can’t help feeling that the only way to stop this stupidity is to waste time and dollars fighting these people on their own terms. Please note that I am NOT saying we should talk rubbish and slander everyone we can but that we should be pulling the law down on their heads!
The people who see racism in this are the racists. People work so hard to find something to complain about. It would be nice if they worked as hard to find things to celebrate.
PERSPECTIVE, THE BIG PICTURE by Jack Marshall:
Crying racism is this era’s red-baiting or rumors of witchery, manipulated by zealots, liars and those greedy for power, as such allegations have always been.
Thanks. I will try to remember that when I need to bring the blood pressure down to the level of permitting rational thought.
It’s incidents like this that make me glad I left college behind over 20 years ago and I have no children to send there. I saw problems enough emerging when schools looked the other way on theft, vandalism, and disruptive behavior by social justice types and it was policy that each time you used a gendered pronoun you would be docked a full grade. Now the places have become rededication camps where you almost have to hide to graduate.
And, of course, the “race awareness seminars” will continue as planned. Sure, this may have been a false alarm (or was it? We will never know for certain) but we’re only a few seminars away from ending the systemic racism of American academia.
This is political correctness gone completely insane. The world if a freaking twisted up mess.
We need to send a message to the ignorant PC masses!
The chancellor should be fired!
The college should be sued for libel and/or slander and be forced to make a VERY public apology and retroactively refund every penny of tuition to the two students and give the two students free tuition for the rest of their degree program.
Every student that called these students in the photo racists should be sued for libel.
There are consequences for our words and actions and this incident should not be swept under the rug.
At the very least, to someone not from Wisconsin, I misread “Whitewater” as “Whitewash” that made this incident look maybe not so innocent (for about **five** seconds).
Clearly, they should rename the town to avoid future racist incidents…
I’m in Wisconsin and this sucks and does not represent the majority of Wisconsin; although it’s been said that Madison is a community surrounded by reality, now I think we might be able to add Whitewater to that.
If this continues, people will wonder why racism is bad,.
Based on Rutger’s response to a blowhard comedian, and other safe zones, and free speech zones, and diversity initiatives, is the university’s response really that surprising? Perhaps we should ban all references to the color “black” in every aspect of life. “Blackberries” can be known as the fruit formerly known by a racially insensitive slight, or more simply “purple-berries”.
jvb
Jack,
Two (minor) clarifications:
1) The incident you wrote about happened in conjunction with another post which featured two white female students repeating the line “Nigga, we made it.” several times.
(Aside: If I had a nickel for every time I’d seen privileged white girls ironically use “nigger,” in either the context of a song or spouting nonsense, I’d be swimming in moon pies. Is it stupid? Sure. But that’s a far cry from making it racist.
2) While the photo in question is the product of a misunderstanding, I don’t know that it’s solely the result of “Barack Obama’s America” that some were so quick to find offense. Without proper context, the photo could easily be interpreted as insensitive, especially with the inclusion of the “hand gesture” used, which is often (mistakenly) associated with young blacks.
Please understand, I’m not making excuses for the administration or the BSU for their collective overreaction — only that your average student who may found offense weren’t completely (initially) out of line. If I were sent the photo by someone I knew without subtitle, I might also be liable to respond with “That’s not cool” without realizing it was just a makeover. The sad part is that the BSU is currently labeling the incident, even in spite of the misunderstanding, as a “teachable moment” — which it is. Unfortunately, they’re not talking about teaching tempered outrage or waiting for all the facts.
What I find the most scary, however, are the calls for the administration to “do” something. Even if these incidents were every bit as racist as some have portrayed them, what’s the crime? Spouting ignorant nonsense, being a racist? If so, I know loads of otherwise free people who deserve locking up.
While the photo in question is the product of a misunderstanding, I don’t know that it’s solely the result of “Barack Obama’s America” that some were so quick to find offense.
I assume you wouldn’t think that. I am very sure of it. This would not have happened in 2007. Never. Anywhere.
“Without proper context, the photo could easily be interpreted as insensitive, especially with the inclusion of the “hand gesture” used, which is often (mistakenly) associated with young blacks.”
Only by someone who wants to see it that way. The junk on their faces wasn’t make up, and was obviously like those other face-mask photos I posted, not black-face—and even black-face in that photo wouldn’t be per se denigrating on any rational basis.
Even if it was an excusable mistake, putting out a mass accusation of the students without due diligence is a firing offense.
Jack,
Correct, but the photo wasn’t released in 2007; it was released in 2016. I’m not suggesting the current racial climate isn’t to blame, only that it can’t be all be lain at Obama’s doorstep.
I know, I know, he’s “the leader” and all that — but he’s only symptomatic of the trend, not the cause.
I’m not sure what you are saying. In 2007, this wouldn’t have happened. After almost 8 years of the public being told that there is racism everywhere, and that mean anti-black forces are the only thing keeping this President from parting the seas, now—in 2016— there is a presumption of white racism if a white citizen sneezes too loudly. That culture was built and nurtured, intentionally, driving US race relations backwards. Obama and his supporters are the reason for the U-Turn, the single most significant legacy of his presidency.
Neil Dorr said, “I know, I know, he’s “the leader” and all that — but he’s only symptomatic of the trend, not the cause.”
The actions of Obama and his race baiting supporters have been like pouring kerosene on an open flame, eventually the flame WILL ignite the kerosene and the fire will spread uncontrollably.
One of the things that I don’t think you’re taking into account is that this is almost uniquely an American problem. Sure, there are BLM bozos in other first world countries, and other first world countries have some absolutely appalling racial issues they have to deal with, but domestic racial tensions are worsening in America, and I just don’t see similar issues being expressed similarly elsewhere.
I think it’s fair to ask: “Is this a grassroots or a top-down problem?” Do you think it’s more likely that the American people have generally become more discriminatory, and if so, what do you think the stimulus for that is? Or do you think that your leadership has been beating the drums of racial grievance, and at the very least this has contributed to the current state of affairs?
These aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive, but if you’re willing to admit that Obama’s administration has contributed, I don’t understand what your point is… He has a duty to build bridges, not burn them.
The claim that Obama has nothing to do with the collapse of race relations is really beyond the pale. He has near total uncritical, loyalty of African Americans. To stave off disillusionment and anger, he has refused accountability at every turn, blaming political opposition, and allowing his supporters and surrogates to repeatedly attribute standard political opposition to racism against him personally. Meanwhile, he repeatedly entered local disputes taking ill-advised sides base on race, notably and most damagingly in the Trayvon Martin case. Had Obama been successful, which would have required negotiation, compromise and persuasion skill he doesn’t have, he would not have felt the need to scapegoat others and encourage racial division.
Can anyone explain why “racism” is bad?
You mean, unethical? Sure: it’s life incompetent, as it is irrational and judges individuals based on assumption and stereotypes regarding the group; it’s unfair, as it violates the ethical values of equity; it’s irresponsible, as it makes society less pleasant, accommodating and productive for all; it breaches the Golden Rule; and it history shows that it doesn’t work, work meaning “leading to a better culture and society.” thus failing any reasonable balancing standards.
I put “racism” in scare quotes for a reason.
“They assumed that their college campus, being a place of alleged enlightenment, was sane.”
I have identified the problem.
And I don’t know what the answer is. Because of the direct and growing connection between government and education, and the fact that governments are inherently inefficient at doing anything, and the fact that this government in particular is pushing a very easy to follow narrative…. I can only see this trend continuing for the foreseeable future. Even if the next administration wants to 180 this trend, they will be inherently inefficient and they will face extreme systematic opposition, so any changes will take time.
It would seem on its’ face that the answer is to duck and run, but higher education absolutely necessary for any degree of success in life. It’s like kids today need a bloody BA to stack cans on a shelf (and that’s about all a BA is good for, sorry arts students). I don’t know what the best answer is…. Correspondence, maybe?
Wow – how did Obama get in here?
Seriously? This kind of hair-trigger super-sensivity to any imagined hint of racial commentary never existed until Obama’s support team had MSNBC and the Jackson Lees crying racism at politics as usual, legitimate criticism, indignation at high-handed tactics and general incompetence. The insanity is directly the result of Obama’s betrayal of his promise and and the expectations he created without the talent or ability to fulfill them. So he allowed cynical operatives to undermine racial trust so he could blame failure on race. I’m sure he believes it: narcissists can’t admit flaws. But that’s where this stupid incident, BLM and the new segregation on campuses came from.
Check this out. The president of the university is unrepentant, to put it mildly:
http://www.channel3000.com/news/uwwhitewater-chancellor-responds-to-disturbing-racist-post/38059654
She’s essentially doubling down. She says the two exfoliants won’t be disciplined but they will be made to see the error of their ways.
The beatings will continue until moral improves.
Who ARE these people? WHAT are these people? How did they get this way? Are they infiltrators from outer space, and some malign planet of the offended?
Yes, I’m “otherizing” her. She and her ilk have to be otherized. They are infectious, apparently.
I don’t have this on factual, first hand evidence and I am speculating, but I suspect this sort of behavior, which is evidently echoed by a lot of the black kids in not historically black colleges, is the result of at least four solid decades of African American Studies programs proliferating all over the academy. All the jargon is the same. It’s got to be coming out of text books and Ph.D. theses and undergraduate and graduate seminars. Look no further than Cornel West and Melissa Harris Perry for first and second generation examples. People in the academy listen to and defer to people like West and Harris Perry. They’re considered distinguished scholars.
morale
i wonder if this is the true goal of this campaign to dumb down racism.