UVA: Overheated Racial Hothouse

The new academic year at the University of Virginia has gotten off to a normal start — that is, one “racial incident” after another followed by guiltily pious calls for “inclusiveness” and, recently, a call by University president John Casteen for the wearing of black armbands as sleeve-born evidence of “solidarity” with the victims. (See here for a pointer to one well-stated response to these events.)

Almost neglected in this rising chorus of officially endorsed (though not yet required, at least officially) inclusiveness is an eerily parallel increase in violence — against University students. This disconnect in concern is nicely reflected in two front page articles in the Cavalier Daily last Monday.

The first, “Two Students Assaulted Near Corner,” reports two separate incidents.

The police reported that three black males punched one of the students in the face at approximately 2 a.m. in the 200 block of 15th Street near the train tracks. The student was transported to the University Medical Center to receive treatment for minor injuries.

In another incident approximately one hour earlier, four black males jumped out of the bushes in the 400 block of 14th Street and slapped another University student five times and punched him in the back of the neck. Police said the student refused rescue and did not wish to pursue charges.

The weekend before there was another incident where students attending a party at the SAE fraternity were attacked.

Immediately below the above story on page one appears an article reporting that “Homecomings Fans Don Ribbons For Peers.”

University students and administrators distributed 60,000 black ribbons over the weekend as part of an administration-led, week-long campaign to unify the community.

Last Friday, 10,000 black ribbons were distributed to places around Grounds where students could pick them up, including the University Health System, the Law School, the Darden School, the Newcomb Hall information desk and Observatory Hill Dining Hall, University spokesperson Carol Wood said.

The remaining 50,000 were distributed at Scott Stadium by student and faculty volunteers with small cards that explained the purpose of the ribbons.

Volunteers also wore orange T-shirts with a black ribbon on the front and a similar message promoting unity on the back. T-shirts were purchased with a private donation, according to Virginia Carter, director of external communications in the Office of the Vice President.

The ribbon distribution was handled by Daisy Rodriguez and Clarybel Peguero of the Dean of Students Office.

….

Before the kickoff of the football game, a message was broadcasted from University President John T. Casteen, III explaining the need for unity and the importance of supporting each other by wearing the black ribbons.

It goes without saying that “racial incidents” are bad and should be condemned. Still, there’s something about the black arm bands that smacks of moral preening — “Look at me!” they seem to proclaim. “I’m not a racist.” Worse, of course, is Dean of All Things Black M. Rick Turner’s equating of racial grafitti and epithets shouted from cars as “racial terrorism.” Dean Turner, who doubles as head of the Charlottesville NAACP, has yet to be heard from (unless I’ve missed it) on the attacks by Charlottesville blacks against UVa students.

Maybe the problem with the black arm bands is that they’re black. Perhaps if they were a more readily visible color, especially at night, and the victims of the recent attacks had been wearing them, they wouldn’t have been attacked.

Regarding the spirit of toleration and inclusiveness that the black arm bands are meant to encourage, one problem is that there is absolutely no evidence that the “racial incidents” have been perpetrated by members of the UVa community. There is, however, evidence that as an attempt to induce toleration and civility they may be counter-productive. A bit of that evidence is related in the following remarkable letter from a fourth year student (senior, to those of you not familiar with UVa vocabulary) that appears in the same edition of the Cavalier Daily from which I’ve been quoting. It’s worth quoting the whole thing:

Seeking a colorless University

In light of all the incidents of disgusting racism overwhelming the University, I thought I would not have to be thrust into the fervor. However, an incident this past Thursday, Sept. 22, involving a run-in with a few gentlemen provoked me to write. While sitting outside my Spanish class studying, three men (two African-American, one Caucasian), interrupted my studying asking me where my black ribbon was. I answered I did not have one. They in turn responded with an ignorant, “So you’re a racist?” Immediately, one of my classmates began to argue that just because I didn’t have a ribbon doesn’t mean I was a racist. One of the African-American students then shot back So you’re a racist? In addition, this past weekend I was called a cracker by a group of African-American gentlemen while walking back to my residence near the Corner.

With all the things that have been going on in our University, I appreciate the steps the diversity leaders have taken to solve this problem. However, I feel these steps are being taken in the very wrong direction. What if I don’t feel like wearing a black shirt or a ribbon? If this is about racial intoleration, then why don’t we wear yellow ribbons (for the Asians), red ribbons (for Native Americans) or even white ribbons (God knows what type of uproar that would cause)? I’m no art major, but I would think the best color would be a mixture of those colors equally and see what appears. And I don’t believe a few hundred people wearing black are going to change the situation permanently.

I was raised in an environment of toleration. I don’t count on my fingers the number of black or Asian friends I have to satisfy others. I don’t listen to black music; I listen to hip hop. I find it offensive whenever the N-word is dropped, either directed in a negative connotation or in a joking fashion between two African-Americans. By condoning the use of traditionally offensive names, I feel the whole situation gripping this University will never be solved. I have full confidence in the leaders of the various diversity organizations. I believe they have the capacity to educate the community in a positive way to make things not seen in black or white or yellow or red, but in a colorless environment where we can move forward instead of backward.

I am becoming more and more convinced that the best — perhaps the only — way to eliminate or at least minimize racial conflict is to stop emphasizing race.

Say What? (6)

  1. Cicero October 3, 2005 at 1:29 pm | | Reply

    John:

    As I wrote in my e-mail to you:

    Is the wearing of a white arm ribbon now considered a “hate crime” on the UV campus?

    Maybe students who object to these kinds of “diversity” shenanigans should wear green armbands, since that great philosopher, Kermit the Frog, once said that it’s not easy being green!

  2. Victimhood October 3, 2005 at 3:36 pm | | Reply

    I resent the suggestion that getting away from an emphasis on race will help anyone. It certainly wouldn’t help me, as I make a living by way of victimhood. As a victim, I and many others can have many things handed to us that we would never earn by our own efforts. To be readily recognized as a victim in our society is worth a great deal. If you get away from an emphasis on race you are threatening my livelihood.

  3. John S Bolton October 4, 2005 at 4:45 am | | Reply

    State institutions of education are reaching a terminal stage of nihilistic promotion of intercommunal conflict. This one particularly needs to be privatized; cashiering every one of its staff, for their obvious hatred against civilization. Why would they bring racial violence and intimidation to a university campus, and call it idealistic, unless they delight in pushing towards the collapse of civilization? Leftist professoriate and offcialdom have admitted complete intellectual and moral defeat, in that their only hope for power is to provoke racial hostilities.

  4. eddy October 4, 2005 at 11:56 am | | Reply

    The only way we can get beyond race is to make it less and not more important.

  5. Cobra October 4, 2005 at 10:29 pm | | Reply

    Eddy,

    >>>”The only way we can get beyond race is to make it less and not more important.”

    I thought fighting racism was the only way to get beyond race?

    –Cobra

  6. Shouting Thomas October 5, 2005 at 11:25 am | | Reply

    No, Cobra, it isn’t.

    Fighting racism very quickly becomes indistinguishable from being racist, since (as your posts so ably indicate) fighting racism devolves into endless demands for group recognition and perks.

    No, accepting racism as part of the human condition, developing a sense of humor about it, and paying less attention to it… these are the real ways to “fight racism.” Try it.

    I’m perplexed by your constant immersion in racial conflict. I live daily among all races, including blacks. I work with blacks, play basketball with blacks, socialize with blacks, play music with blacks and I date black women. Conflict, of course, occurs, but it is usually playful competition.

    Why and how do you manage to live in a world of incessant racial animosity?

Say What?