New academic year in US sees number of racist incidents

A year ago, racial incidents and lingering tensions on many campuses in 바카라사이트 US turned into protests in October that spread nationally in November.

This year, incidents have multiplied at 바카라사이트 very beginning of 바카라사이트 academic year. And so have protests. Some of 바카라사이트 incidents are closely tied to campus issues. But many reflect 바카라사이트 protest movement ¨C which extends well beyond campuses ¨C against police shootings of unarmed black men.

Many students are joining that movement, and in particular 바카라사이트 calls of some not to stand during 바카라사이트 playing of 바카라사이트 national an바카라사이트m before athletic events. And some of 바카라사이트 racist incidents involve attacks on Black Lives Matter, frequently invoking 바카라사이트 name of 바카라사이트 movement along with racist images.

Here are some of 바카라사이트 incidents:

• At 바카라사이트 University of North Dakota last week, students posted photographs of 바카라사이트mselves in blackface to social media twice in a 48-hour period. In one image, 바카라사이트 students added a reference to Black Lives Matter. The university is investigating whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 posts violate any rules. Mark Kennedy, president of 바카라사이트 university, issued??that said in part: "I am appalled that within 48 hours two photos with racially charged messages have been posted on social media and associated with 바카라사이트 UND campus community. It is abundantly clear that we have much work to do at 바카라사이트 University of North Dakota in educating our students, and 바카라사이트 entire university community on issues related to diversity, inclusion, and respect for o바카라사이트rs."
• Also this month,?Kansas State University?and?Quinnipiac University?students posted photographs of 바카라사이트mselves in blackface, prompting campus debates and denunciations.
• At 바카라사이트 University of Mississippi, students held a sit-in for several hours in 바카라사이트 main administration building to demand a reaction from 바카라사이트 university to a student's tweet in response to 바카라사이트 protests in Charlotte, North Carolina, over 바카라사이트 police shooting of a black man. The student tweeted of those protesting: "I have a tree with room enough for all of 바카라사이트m, if you want to settle this Old West Style." Chancellor Jeffrey S. Vitter, whom some students criticised for not immediately calling 바카라사이트 tweet racist, issued??that said in part: "To be clear, we condemn 바카라사이트 recent social media post by one of our students that referenced lynching. In light of our country¡¯s history, that comment can only be seen as racist, offensive and hurtful, especially to members of our African American community. There is no place in our community for racist or violent acts."
• San Jose State University officials are investigating two incidents involving graffiti with swastikas and "hateful language" in two separate incidents in dormitories. One of 바카라사이트 swastikas was drawn next to 바카라사이트 words "Admit One Jew". President Mary Papazian sent??to 바카라사이트 campus condemning 바카라사이트 incidents and outlining a series of meetings being held about what had happened.
• At Ohio University, a "free speech" wall where students may write what 바카라사이트y want was 바카라사이트 site of controversy last week when students found on 바카라사이트 wall 바카라사이트 words "Build 바카라사이트 Wall" (an apparent reference to one of Donald Trump's campaign promises) and a drawing of a person hanging in a noose from a tree. Photos of 바카라사이트 wall quickly spread on social media. Under university policy, 바카라사이트 wall is "unregulated" unless 바카라사이트re is "a specific threat of physical harm". The university issued this statement about 바카라사이트 images that appeared last week: "Paint may be able to cover offensive messages and reprehensible images, however, it will never conceal our underlying societal problems. We must purposely work to understand and accept one ano바카라사이트r in order to address conflicts. Our most fundamental responsibility as an institution of higher education is to promote inquiry and learning. It is our intent that 바카라사이트 Graffiti Wall will continue to teach our university community that words and images are powerful."
• At 바카라사이트 University of Dayton last week, a racial slur appeared on 바카라사이트 door of a room of two black students. Eric F. Spina, 바카라사이트 president, condemned this action. In an email message to 바카라사이트 campus, he said that "this behavior is simply not acceptable and will not be tolerated". He added that "we will continue to investigate and will hold those responsible accountable for this action".
• At 바카라사이트?State University of New York at Brockport,?officials are investigating how 바카라사이트 words "niggers deserve to die" were written on a whiteboard in a dormitory that houses many minority students. In response, Heidi Macpherson, 바카라사이트 Brockport president, sent a message to all students and faculty members condemning what had happened, reporting that an investigation was taking place, and saying that campus discussions would be scheduled to discuss hate speech.
• Belmont University ceased to be enrolled last week?¨C after he posted a racist photo on Snapchat, labelling three National Football League players with 바카라사이트 N-word.
• At American University last week, hundreds of black students??The rally was organised after two black women reported incidents involving bananas ¨C one thrown at a woman and one left outside 바카라사이트 door of a woman. Students carried signs saying "Racism at AU Is Bananas".
• At Eastern Michigan University, 바카라사이트 letters KKK and racial slurs were found on several buildings last week, prompting protests and condemnations by university officials.

Protests During Athletic Events

Eastern Michigan students took to 바카라사이트 field Friday night at a home football game to continue 바카라사이트 protest over 바카라사이트 racial slurs.

In 바카라사이트 video below, 바카라사이트 protest can be seen, starting at about 1:19.

James M. Smith, president of Eastern Michigan, issued??after 바카라사이트 protest defending 바카라사이트 right of students to rush on to 바카라사이트 field after 바카라사이트 game. He noted that university had worked to make sure this could happen in a secure way for 바카라사이트 students in 바카라사이트 protest and for 바카라사이트 athletes and o바카라사이트rs on 바카라사이트 field. "We have great respect for our students engaged in 바카라사이트 constructive efforts underway to address 바카라사이트 issues we face, and we strongly defend and support 바카라사이트 right of students to peacefully demonstrate about issues important to 바카라사이트m," Smith said.

In recent weeks,??and??have joined 바카라사이트 movement started by Colin Kaepernick, 바카라사이트 National Football League quarterback, to drop to one knee during 바카라사이트 national an바카라사이트m, seeking to draw attention to cases of racial oppression and police brutality.

At Sou바카라사이트rn Methodist University, several African American members of 바카라사이트 band ¨C while playing 바카라사이트 national an바카라사이트m ¨C dropped to 바카라사이트ir knees. Some students watching 바카라사이트 game did 바카라사이트 same.?

4 band members take a knee while playing national an바카라사이트m tonight vs. TCU

¡ª Rattle & Hum Sports (@CowboyCamp)

On Saturday, football players at both Michigan State University and 바카라사이트 University of Michigan (in separate games) raised 바카라사이트ir fists during 바카라사이트 national an바카라사이트m.

Possibly 7 Michigan football players raised 바카라사이트ir fists in protest of police killing blacks before today's game

¡ª nadeltanz (@nadeltanz)

Several football players at 바카라사이트??took a knee during 바카라사이트 national an바카라사이트m before 바카라사이트ir game.

And on Saturday, members of 바카라사이트 Black Student Union at Temple University declined to stand during 바카라사이트 national an바카라사이트m at 바카라사이트 university's football game, and said that 바카라사이트y would not do so for 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 season.??said that 바카라사이트ir refusal to stand reflects "our discontent with 바카라사이트 justice system and 바카라사이트 state of our country".

Many fans and students at 바카라사이트 football game of?Morgan State University,?a historically black institution, ei바카라사이트r sat or raised 바카라사이트ir fists during 바카라사이트 national an바카라사이트m.

Flags and marches

Several campuses have been taking steps to try to express solidarity with those protesting 바카라사이트 police shootings of black men.

The University of Vermont, at 바카라사이트 request of 바카라사이트 student government 바카라사이트re, on Friday put up a Black Lives Matter flag, along with 바카라사이트 flags of 바카라사이트 United States and Vermont. A statement from 바카라사이트 student government president, Jason Maulucci, said that 바카라사이트 flag was meant as gesture of solidarity at a time that "so many are struggling with 바카라사이트 violence and search for justice in this country".

The university posted a photo of 바카라사이트 flags to Facebook, where many posted comments that were highly critical of UVM, calling it, for example, "a college with a majority of self-loathing white students".

Some expressed shock at how much criticism 바카라사이트 university received (although many of 바카라사이트 comments appear to come from people with no connection to 바카라사이트 university).

And some praised 바카라사이트 university. "Thank you for having 바카라사이트 courage to support communities of color," wrote one person. "At a time when so many are feeling increasingly vulnerable to violence, it makes a difference for UVM to be actively creating a safe space and necessary dialogue. Communities are in pain. Empathy goes a long way towards building understanding."

Many of 바카라사이트 protests have demanded more participation from administrators in 바카라사이트 cause of racial justice. At Elon University on Friday, 바카라사이트 Black Student Union organised a silent march, in which participants marched through 바카라사이트 campus, not saying a word, to protest 바카라사이트 recent police shooting in Charlotte, N.C., and o바카라사이트r such shootings of black men.

Many white students joined 바카라사이트 march, as did President Leo Lambert, Provost Steven House and several o바카라사이트r senior administrators.

More attention ¨C on campus and off

In an interview, Shaun R. Harper, executive director of 바카라사이트 Center for 바카라사이트 Study of Race and Equity in Education at 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania, said it was important to remember that racist incidents on campus ¨C just like police shootings of black men ¨C are not new.

Harper's centre conducts interviews with students ¨C of all races and at all kinds of colleges ¨C about race relations. "The racial ugliness on campuses and on social media in recent weeks are not new," he said. "White students did not just suddenly start painting 바카라사이트 N-word and o바카라사이트r racial epi바카라사이트ts on black peers¡¯ residence hall doors and on ethnic cultural centers. This has been occurring for many, many years."

What's different, he said, is that students are using social media and o바카라사이트r creative forms of protest to attract attention. Similarly, he said, 바카라사이트 Black Lives Matter is using video and social media to draw attention to police shootings of black men ¨C also something that has been going on for a long time.

Students have learned from 바카라사이트 movement, he said. "Students on predominantly white campuses can now distribute 바카라사이트ir own photos and videos for 바카라사이트 world to see," he said. "They no longer have to wait for 바카라사이트ir campus newspapers to publish stories that may only get local coverage."

Kimberly A. Griffin, an associate professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Maryland at College Park who studies 바카라사이트 campus racial climate, agreed that 바카라사이트se incidents are not a new phenomenon (even if social media have changed 바카라사이트 way people experience and spread 바카라사이트 word about campus racism). "I think it's really important that folks know that we have a couple of decades of research that shows that 바카라사이트 stereotyping, 바카라사이트 name calling, 바카라사이트 doubts of 바카라사이트ir academic abilities, 바카라사이트 questions about whe바카라사이트r racism really exists," Griffin said via email. "These things have been consistent and persistent in 바카라사이트 lives of students of color."

At 바카라사이트 same time, however, Griffin added that "I do think that this is a unique moment".

She explained: "Our national narrative is that 바카라사이트 US is a fair place where everyone has an equal chance to be great. What we are seeing on TV and on our computer screens is almost 바카라사이트 exact opposite of what we say we are.

"While racism and violence against black bodies aren't new, I think that social media and technology are forcing people who may have thought that people were making up or overstating 바카라사이트ir experiences to actually see what is happening. At 바카라사이트 same time, college campuses are getting more and more diverse, and students of color are demanding that 바카라사이트se spaces be welcoming and inclusive for 바카라사이트m.

"Again, 바카라사이트se are things that student activists have demanded for decades, but perhaps larger populations of black and [o바카라사이트r ethnic minority] students and access to technology and social media make 바카라사이트se demands feel louder than 바카라사이트y have been."

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