http://www.wvwnews.net/story.php?id=4604
by James Edwards
Lafayette College in Easton, PA, is in an uproar over a couple of “racial incidents”:
“Students leaving a http://www.wvwnews.net/story.php?id=4596 Wednesday night at Lafayette College said the almost two-hour discussion centered on finding ways to create a more cohesive community to prevent racial incidents such as two that recently occurred on campus.
“About 100 students and faculty members attended the closed session where http://www.wvwnews.net/story.php?id=4473 President Daniel Weiss encouraged them to talk about the problem.
“Lafayette officials are investigating the two race-related incidents and whether they are related.”
And just what were these “racial incidents”? Well, the second one concerns “racist” graffiti in a campus restroom. We’re not told what the graffiti actually said, but we’ll take their. That seems like something that would certainly fall under the category of “racial incident.” But the first one? It was simply some white guys arguing with a couple black guys. I’m not exaggerating:”The first occurred on April 22, the day of Pennsylvania’s primary election, when two college students, Chioma Iwuoha and Tiye Kinlow, were using chalk to write pro- Barack Obama slogans on the sidewalk in front of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house, according to college officials.
“The student-run college newspaper, The Lafayette, reported May 2 that a crowd formed around the two black students, and one of the fraternity members allegedly told them: ”There is no need for change in this country. The only problem with America is welfare, and those people need to get jobs.”
“Iwuoha and Kinlow, who also could not be reached for comment, filed a complaint with the college.
”Appropriate action will be taken as soon as we have possession of the facts surrounding the incident. Finally, efforts also are under way to bring together the students at odds in this matter for productive exchange,” Weiss said in written statement sent to all students on Friday.”
Filed a complaint with the campus cops? Appropriate action will be taken?
For arguing with two black guys?
When I found this article, I thought there’s got to be more to this story. Either threats were made, or racial slurs were hurled, or something. It simply can’t be the case that white guys arguing over politics with black guys is now the basis for filing a complaint with the police, let alone having the college president not laugh in their face and explain the 1st amendment to these guys. How in the world can this be classified as a “racial incident” and cause the president to call a two hour meeting to discuss it? So I looked around, and I found another article about it. The headline is “Racial remarks directed at Obama supporters.” So I began reading, only to find the same quote:
“There is no need for change in this country. The only problem with America is welfare, and those people need to get jobs.”
Now, this article did include the additional information that the frat members had hosed off the pro-Obama graffiti the black guys had chalked on the sidewalk in front of their house. They’re also upset about that:
“The students involved said they felt as if the remarks not only included implicit racism, but claimed false ownership of public property. “[The sidewalk is not their property, it’s the school’s. It’s everybody’s,” Iwuoha said. “It was like washing away our First Amendment.””
Washed away their First Amendment? The sidewalk belongs to everyone, which is why no one is supposed to be defacing it. Most normal people prefer graffiti free sidewalks, and in any case, if someone has a “First Amendment right” to express their opinions by writing on sidewalks, others have the same right to express their views by erasing messages they disagree with.
This is one of the big “racial incidents” that has Lafayette College in an uproar, and which campus police are investigating.
From now on, folks, argue or disagree with a black person at your own risk.