Idiots are everywhere. UT students respond to defilement of MLK statue More than 50 students gathered at the foot of the Martin Luther King Jr. statue on the East Mall Monday night after the statue was defaced earlier that day. Students found the statue splattered with eggs Monday afternoon while across campus the Robert E. Lee statue was encircled with flowers. "I think this is a call for people to wake up and know that racism isn't over," said Renita Smith, business honors and management information systems senior. "It's close to home." Students will gather at the statue Wednesday at noon for a rally to protest racism on campus. "I hope it doesn't stop at the rally, and people start to pay more attention to the racist things that go on," said Maxine Chambliss, history and government junior. - Lauren Reinlie
That's disgusting. Shows that A&M isn't the only school in the state with problems. (Not that A&M isn't the only school, that there are any schools like this)
I remember when the MLK Jr. statue went up like 2-3 years ago, UT Police used to stand guard at night. UT students volunteered during the day. A diverse campus means squat
smokey is right. There'll be jackasses everywhere. Sucks. Didn't Tiger Woods go through some crap at Stanford?
I think so. I know for sure as a college student, he went through some crap at college and junior tournaments where he'd get threatening letters and phone calls.
I agree 100% with: "A diverse campus means squat" "That's disgusting. Shows that A&M isn't the only school in the state with problems" As well as all the other comments that will follow. This is not a problem on one campus more than another. However, when you look at what was done, this is obviously one person or group that was trying to get attention, and I think that we all agree that there is no place for this in any way shape or form. My closest friend who is black told me something years ago and it has stuck with me and in a case like this I see more of what he meant by it. He said that (paraphrasing here) he does not have a problem with people who are racist or that have differing beliefs than he has, but he has a problem with people who hide behind it. If some one is against a particular race religion or other group, that is fine with him, and he accepts that person for who they are and what they believe. Meaning, if you do not like blacks (as in the KKK) and you march or are out there for everyone to see, that is better than hiding who you are by committing a crime or act of hate to get the point across. Who ever did this are cowards and if they truly feel that way, there is nothing we can do to change their way of thinking, but to go out and do what they did was classless and I hope they are found for all of us to see. The thing we must all remember, just as in the A&M “Ghetto Day” is that this does not represent what a majority of the population feel, and we can not let what a few people do ruin the progress the country has made over the years. Bottom line its rediculous and an embarassment.
Anytime you get between 40,000 to 50,000 young people at one place...you WILL have a few jackasses. I don't like it...but sadly, that's the way of the world. The rest of us get to condem the stupidity.
Has this been posted? My apologies if it has. Heard Matt Jackson talking about this last night on 610 AM. --------------------------------------------- January 17, 2003 'Ghetto parties' fuel A&M probe By CRAIG KAPITAN, HOLLY HUFFMAN and JOHN LEBAS Eagle Staff Writers University officials have launched an investigation at a Texas A&M University dormitory after learning that students were planning a “ghetto party” for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Fliers at Walton Hall advertised the off-campus event, at which participants were to mimic African-American stereotypes. “We’re just having a hard time trying to understand why people would think this would be OK,” said Ron Sasse, director of A&M’s Department of Residence Life. Sasse found out about the event after an anonymous note was sent to his office. The note indicated that similar activities had been staged for several years. The investigation, which will determine if any rules or policies were violated, is being focused on the Walton Hall advisers and the dorm’s student organization. While the student handbook specifically addresses inclusion and diversity, Sasse said he wasn’t sure if any specific rules were violated. “It’s really more of an education issue from our perspective than a punishment issue,” he said. University officials also met with the Walton Hall advisers and went door to door with them to hand out “strongly worded letters,” according to an A&M news release. “Such incidents ... are a disgrace and embarrassment to Texas A&M University,” the letter stated. “[Such] events or acts ... only disgrace, divide and tear down the inclusive community Texas A&M is working so hard to build.” The letter also encouraged students with knowledge of the parties to come forward for the investigation. Such “ghetto parties” are not an unknown phenomenon on college campuses. One of the most notorious occurred in November 1998 at a Dartmouth University fraternity party, which drew national media attention and heated protests. So far, A&M officials said, they believe the parties have been limited to past and present Walton Hall residents. This is not the first time in recent years that Texas A&M students have stirred racial sensitivities. Last January, a cartoon published in The Battalion student newspaper sparked cries of racism. The cartoon depicted a black woman with an apron and exaggerated facial features scolding her meek son for a poor test grade. The controversy subsided after the newspaper’s editor apologized, but many African Americans and others across the state said the cartoon showed a deeper problem of racial ignorance at A&M. Also last year, a major in-house study showed that many minority students declined to attend A&M because they found it unwelcoming. Those who did enroll became more displeased with the campus environment with each passing year, the same study found. About 85 percent of the campus is white, and the university has lost minority faculty and students in recent years despite retention efforts. A&M, which for years was all-white, still carries a reputation among some Texans as a place that is unfriendly to minorities and resistant to ethnic diversity. University President Robert Gates has made greater diversity a priority of his administration. He has announced plans to appoint a vice president for diversity in a highly visible effort to attract more minorities to campus. “I think certainly it is counterproductive to what we’re trying to do here,” university spokeswoman Cindy Lawson said of the party late Thursday night. “Clearly, it’s disgusting. We have to do everything in our power to confront it.” Lawson said officials were disappointed that the event had gone on for years without their knowledge and no one took a stand until now. “It just reiterates that we will have to work harder at this and that it’s a continuing process,” she said. At Walton Hall, resident director Shannon Ensom said she first found out about the party Tuesday. She and the dorm’s 11 resident advisers have met each night since to discuss the party and how it should be addressed, she said. “I just want to make it really clear — it’s not anything that I or my staff are condoning,” Ensom said. The staff has removed flyers advertising the party that were posted across the dorm and replaced them with flyers publicizing a sorority-sponsored Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom March. All Walton staff will be attending the march and are offering to take residents with them, Ensom said. “Apparently ... there are some uninformed residents,” she said. “We will take this opportunity to do some educational programs and diversity training.” But a 20-year-old junior who asked not to be identified said he still planned to attend the off-campus party. He said he didn’t think that any of his fellow dormmates were upset by the “ghetto party” concept. Another Walton resident said he hadn’t realized that the party was being thrown on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. After realizing that, he said, he could see why it was considered offensive. But his friend, who doesn’t live in Walton, said that anyone offended by the party was being “too politically correct.” Senior Greg Hodges, 21, said he didn’t plan on attending, but only because his friends weren’t planning on going. He added that he didn’t believe that the party was offensive as long as nothing “serious” happened. “This was just meant to be done in good humor,” he said. But 18-year-old Walton freshman Akeal Hawkins, who only learned about the party after receiving the university’s letter, said he was offended that fellow Aggies would throw a “ghetto party” on MLK Day. “I didn’t expect this from Texas A&M at all,” said Hawkins, who is black. “You think that this campus is like family.”
Of course, this may not have been UT students that did it, but I find it funny how when soemthing like this happens at UT people use the "oh there's going to be a few idiots everywhere" argument, but when something happens at A&M it's "Look at how Aggies Celebrate Martin Luther King Day!" Implying that the whole school is participating or something.
Either these people are choosing to do wrong by doing these things or they don't know any better. I just don't know which is scarier.
True, and I wasn't talking specifically to you, but there were many posts in that thread (as well as other anti-A&M threads) that don't seem to grasp the distinction between a few idiots and an entire university.
The people that put this on weren't necessarily from Texas...they just happen to be here for a little while. Something similar happened at Dartmouth according to the article. It's just sad that this happens at all.
Falcon, thanks for trying to cheer me up. But UT students are mostly Texans for one. For another thing, as the state university -- and in fact the most reputable of Texas' public universities -- it represents the state to the rest of the country. If some Mainers came down and did this, it wouldn't really help any. This is our school and their behavior reflects on us. As for Dartmouth, I never had any respect for them anyway.
Hanging around the UT campus will lower your IQ. I avoid going there unless it's for a concert or sporting event.
