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[cccpres2b]

What a disturbing practice, to attempt racial terrorism by displaying nooses on the college campus, in the quad no less.  Last week at California State University Fullerton, during an African American Heritage week of celebration, one day several nooses and a banner stating "Ni**ers, you don't belong here!" was on display in the campus quad. The racist display was in view from early morning around 7:00am until after 10:00am.  So many questions come to mind. How was the display allowed in the first place? Why was the display left up for so long? Is there any security camera on the quad to apprehend the racial terrorist and for evidence of the perpetrator in action? What is the administration's response to this act?

I work with a student from the university. The response at Fullerton was slow. It took two days for students to have a reaction, mainly the Black Student Union held a special meeting. The Black Student Union from nearby campus CSU Northridge, CSU Los Angeles, and CSU Long Beach convened at CSU Fullerton a week later to discuss the inicident. Why is the BSU at CSU Fullerton so apathetic? Where are the students involved in social justice? Don't they even care anymore? Sadly, being that we are in Orange County, I feel that many students of color have so little concern for their racial identity development, they probably don't feel concerned when they are being threatended. I guess in some topsy turvey way, those racial terrorists have no power over them, because the students don't even know when they are being terrorized. Strange, but true.

Are we in a new time of racial ignorance? Being color blind, has also made people ignorant of racial hate. I guess that's a good thing. 

[pandora]

I worked with a lot of students of color when I was in grad school in California, most of them from the L.A. area.  I can see them thinking of the episode as a prank that was not really worth their time or attention -- or being savvy enough not to take the bait or give the students who put up the "display" more attention than it deserved (I'm sure the display wasn't "allowed").  I think you're being pretty hard on these students with regard to their commitment to social justice.  The students I taught and worked with were extremely smart about racial identity politics, and actively engaged in community work and campus activism -- I can see a lot of them just rolling their eyes at the whole business.  If you could provide a link to an article, that would be helpful.

[cccpres2b]

http://articles.latimes.com/2007/nov/16/local/me-noose16

I suppose it could come across that I am being harsh on the students. I was just dismayed by a conversation I had with my intern and her sense that the students were not taking it seriously. I had a conversation last week, but evidently the "incident" took place last fall. Evidently, it has affected her enough to bring it up these months later.  I would hope that we all feel responsible for eraticating hate where ever hate happens. I'm not saying we need to become vigilantes, but really, shouldn't SOMEONE (meaning me and you) say/do something? Hopefully these types of occurances can be "teachable moments". I'm a big believer in learning about life by the life around you, just as much as learning about life by studying some white guy in tights from 16th centruy England. That's right I'm bashing the Bard.

[kiana]

I'm curious, but would immediate protesting in outrage gain them anything? It seems that that's the reaction that the idiots who hung them in the first place want -- that is, to push buttons, to upset people.

[larryc]

I'm curious, but would immediate protesting in outrage gain them anything? It seems that that's the reaction that the idiots who hung them in the first place want -- that is, to push buttons, to upset people.

The public expression of outrage is the greatest moral good of our time. Everyone knows that.

[locutus]

I work with a student from the university. The response at Fullerton was slow. It took two days for students to have a reaction, mainly the Black Student Union held a special meeting. The Black Student Union from nearby campus CSU Northridge, CSU Los Angeles, and CSU Long Beach convened at CSU Fullerton a week later to discuss the inicident. Why is the BSU at CSU Fullerton so apathetic? Where are the students involved in social justice? Don't they even care anymore? Sadly, being that we are in Orange County, I feel that many students of color have so little concern for their racial identity development, they probably don't feel concerned when they are being threatended. I guess in some topsy turvey way, those racial terrorists have no power over them, because the students don't even know when they are being terrorized. Strange, but true.

People have different attitudes regarding reacting to racism. Some folks feel a large vocal response needs to meet every little incident, others ignore anything that doesn't directly effect them. In regards to your students maybe they just don't feel that threatened. Do you think there's a chance something violent actually will happen? If not then what's the point of another 'look how outraged we are' moment?

Also I'm a little curious what you mean by "have little concern for their racial identity development" If I were cynical I would say that sounds like code for "they're not black the way I think they should be"

[cccpres2b]

Having a demonstration is not the only acceptable response a student body can make to make changes in organizational culture. How about some extra money to host a conference on African American leaders in eduation? How about an executive level position geared toward diversity, aka Chief Diversity Officer? How about hate-free committment in the quad with an ad campaign? How about a new student program designed to address hate culture on campus? How about an appointment of a tenure-track professor of African American studies(who may or may not need to be a person of African American heritage)?

Also, FYI, just as there is development within a person's intellect, there is also a racial identity development that takes place, usually during the college-going age. All people have a sense of their identity, what it is or what it is not. Just like you would hope a person's intellect moves from a understanding of either/or thinking to the both/and way of thinking, so too does a person understand us/them vs me/all. I know this is all very high brow logic, but one would think that there would be a general understanding that people go through various stages of understanding their own race.

see link below for more guidance.
http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/tlink/development/theme_identity_and_cohort/race_stages.html

[locutus]

No I understand the existence of racial identity development. I have very high brows. What I didn't understand was why you think these kids in particular aren't interested in it. From your post it seemed like it was based on their response, or lack there of, to the noose incident.

Sadly, being that we are in Orange County, I feel that many students of color have so little concern for their racial identity development

Why do you think students aren't interested in racial identity development?

[larryc]

see link below for more guidance.
http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/tlink/development/theme_identity_and_cohort/race_stages.html

What a bunch of nonsense! 

"The development of a positive sense of racial/ethnic identity,  not based on assumed superiority or inferioirty, is an important task for everyone."

Says who? Why must people define themselves by some imaginary social construct?

Maybe your students are uninterested because they see through this.

[reslifeguy]

What a bunch of nonsense! 

"The development of a positive sense of racial/ethnic identity,  not based on assumed superiority or inferioirty, is an important task for everyone."

Says who? Why must people define themselves by some imaginary social construct?

Maybe your students are uninterested because they see through this.

Janet Helms says something similar in her theory of white racial identity development.

[cccpres2b]

What a bunch of nonsense! 

"The development of a positive sense of racial/ethnic identity,  not based on assumed superiority or inferioirty, is an important task for everyone."

Says who? Why must people define themselves by some imaginary social construct?
---------------------------------------------------

I was under the impression in academia that a person benefits with better understanding of themselves and their world around them. That does include race. I understand everyone is sick of the word diversity, its too bad the term became popular and kicked around to death before a deeper and more nuanced, research-based  understanding existed.

Bottom line, I am merely expressing my thoughts about a unique incident that occured not five miles from the college in which I work, and in my own home town.  I explained that I had a conversation with a student who attends this university and this student had many conversations with other students. The students and friends of the student, felt that students don't feel connected to their history as African American students. The students indicated that they feel other African American students, don't have a sense of their own history, and racial identity development, of who they are as a people.

If people do not find it important to "develop a positive sense of racial/ethnic identity" then how can we expect people to respect and understand other people's race/ethnic identity? Race/ethnicity is something everyone has, for goodness sakes. Even you west european mutts, have a racial identity, its called whiteness, as referred by Janet Helms. As a bi-racial person myself, Mexican/Polish, I find it sad when "white people" think race does not apply to them. I find it even sadder when people of color (a term I find find wholly acceptable) think race does not apply to them. That is all...

It is for real reasons that we classify certain groups as "underrepresented". When groups have no representation they have no voice, no research, no data, worse still biased data, or no presence at all. Thus we have diversity. A real and necessary issue that must continue to have importance. 'Nuf said?

[pandora]

Even you west european mutts, have a racial identity, its called whiteness, as referred by Janet Helms. As a bi-racial person myself, Mexican/Polish, I find it sad when "white people" think race does not apply to them. I find it even sadder when people of color (a term I find find wholly acceptable) think race does not apply to them. That is all...

Hi cccpres2b -- I looked at a few of your early posts in which you talk about your work in Student Affairs.  It is true that the majority of posters here seem to be graduate students or faculty, with some administrative folks and a few others who are no longer working in academia -- there are fewer posters with your professional background and perspective on academic life, so I will be happy to hear what you have to say about various issues, including ones in this forum. 

However, you seem to assume (above and in earlier posts) that your audience here is (a) white and (b) doesn't really know very much about racial discourse and theory -- both very faulty assumptions.  In particular, it seems curious that you would assume that a community of highly educated professionals would include NO people of color.  You may have noticed from reading some of the other threads in this forum that there is a persistent problem of discussions generating more heat than light -- a lot of snarking, preaching and head-butting, and not a lot of substantive discussion.  This is one of the reasons why there isn't a lot of activity on these threads. You'll have to decide what kind of discussions you want to generate here.

[ginness]

Does having a 'healthy racial identity' necessitate outrage in a case like this? "You're black, and this offensive! Now be angry, dammit."

Sounds like you are upset that the the black community didn't live up to your personal beliefs regarding diversity, race, and prejudice.

[reslifeguy]

Personally, I find the lack a knee-jerk reaction to be a sign of maturity and a healthy identity. Yes, the noose being hung on campus was offensive if it was designed to create fear, and that seems to be the case, but going on with life seems to be the best way of dealing with it.

I find the American propensity for over-reacting or panicking in these kinds of situations rather unsettling, and I for one am glad that such over-reaction did not occur in this case.

[st_alfonso]

see link below for more guidance.
http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/tlink/development/theme_identity_and_cohort/race_stages.html

What a bunch of nonsense! 

"The development of a positive sense of racial/ethnic identity,  not based on assumed superiority or inferioirty, is an important task for everyone."

Says who? Why must people define themselves by some imaginary social construct?

Maybe your students are uninterested because they see through this.

Or they're in stage one of white identity development.