Students dressed in black marched to Chancellor Gene Block’s office Thursday afternoon to protest the “Kanye Western” themed raid held Tuesday night, which was organized by the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and Alpha Phi sorority.
About 200 protesters held signs with messages such as “Black culture is not a theme,” and chanted “Black Bruins Matter,” among other messages.
At the raid, which many students described as racist, partygoers dressed in baggy clothes, plumped lips and padded bottoms. Some students were also seen with brown paint and black soot on their faces.
Jerry Kang, vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion, said both Alpha Phi and Sigma Phi Epsilon have been placed on immediate interim suspension of all social activities pending the outcome of an investigation.
Within minutes of the start of Thursday’s rally, members of the Afrikan Student Union chanted and marched up Bruin Walk, gathering over a hundred followers before stopping to speak in front of Kerckhoff Hall. Those in the crowd called the partygoers’ acts shameful.
“(Our culture) is not a costume,” students chanted.
Chibunkem Ezenekwe, a first-year undeclared student who saw students dressed up at the fraternity house Tuesday night, said she thinks the incident reflects what she calls a climate unwelcoming of black students.
Ezenekwe said she was upset to see students represent her culture by wearing baggy pants, stuffing their butts and wearing paint on their faces.
“This was my introduction to being a black Bruin on campus – to being an adult,” she added.
Jewel Bourne, a fifth-year English and gender studies studen and member of the Afrikan Student Union, said she learned of the party through social media, and said she is incredibly angered.
“The saddest part is I’m not surprised,” Bourne said.
Bourne said she feels people question whether she belongs at the university because she is black.
Protesters then marched from Meyerhoff Park in front of Kerckhoff Hall to Murphy Hall, stopping in front of the UCLA Title IX office and Block’s office.
[gmedia id=20]
UCLA alumna Marci Brooks, who graduated in 2013, said she intended to study English when she came to UCLA, but changed her major to African American studies after observing the campus climate.
Brooks said the low representation of black students on the UCLA campus is problematic, and there is no opportunity to foster black culture when so few black students are admitted.
Kamil Oshundara, a board member of the Afrikan Student Union and second-year world arts and cultures student, said she thinks the students dressed up at the party represented a culturally appropriated image of the black community.
“You cannot just pick and choose which parts of black culture you want to exhibit,” she said.
Oshundara said she thinks the problem arises when students on campus don’t understand issues black students experience and fail to acknowledge the presence of racism on campus.
“Chains, rings and baggy clothes don’t define our community,” she said. “Students need to understand that is cultural appropriation and racism.”
Vice Chancellor Kang addressed the crowd gathered at Meyerhoff Park in front of Kerckhoff Hall.
“I want to underscore as an individual, first, that Black Bruins Matter,” Kang said.
He added the way the fraternity and sorority members acted was condemnable, though not illegal, and called the event an act of grotesque minstrelsy.
Students are free to celebrate in ways that draw on popular culture, but their specific choices can cause harm and pain to fellow members of their community, the university said in an email statement Wednesday.
“Put simply, just because you can do something does not mean you should,” the statement said.
Members of the Afrikan Student Union said the raid was insensitive, and the fact that it was held during Black Bruin Welcome Week made the matter worse. This week, coordinators hosted activities such as a convocation for alumni, students and staff to gather and discuss what it’s like to be black individuals at UCLA.
READ MORE: Throwback Thursday: ‘Frats’ and ‘brats’
Janay Williams, an ASU chairperson who witnessed students covered in brown paint and black soot Tuesday night in an attempt to portray the complexion of black students, called out to the chancellor outside his office on the second floor of Murphy Hall.
“We hope the chancellor hears us, and the world hears us, because the truth is that UCLA is racist,” yelled Williams, a fifth-year ecology and evolutionary biology student.
Williams added ASU students and alumni will present a list of demands to the UCLA administration by Monday. The demands are intended to help make the campus climate more comfortable for black students, she said.
ASU is urging the chancellor to admit the incident was an act of racism, Williams said. She added she hopes to address these concerns in meetings with UCLA administration, and ASU will respond with a larger protest if the administration doesn’t respond to its demands.
Why is it so hard to believe that racism exists? Does anyone who denies this was racism have an example of racism in America today they can share? It seems like conservatives have a knee-jerk reaction in refuting racism whenever it happens. They’ll openly say they condemn racism and that they’re not racists, but mysteriously would never be caught dead calling it out. You know, it actually is possible to stand up against racism and be conservative. It doesn’t make you a bad conservative to think racism is disgusting.
Racism does exist- in EVERY race, not just one or another. If you want to end racism, stop thinking that one race is better and must be protected in a psychotic way. I know many racists but none are white. These are all in other so called minority races, but its okay to be racist when you’re black. Just dont be white and say anything remotely politically incorrect. Grow up Isaac!
I don’t know what you’re responding to as I didn’t ask about whether racism exists. I asked for real-world examples of racism conservatives might want to share.
But society says one is better. You have the same qualifications as a white person but have a black sounding name you won’t get called back for an interview, the white person will: http://www.nber.org/papers/w9873.
Actually that’s false. If you’re an Asian you are less likely to be called in favor a black person. At the university level whites and Asians are denied their rightful position for blacks with lower grades because of institutional racism known as affirmative action.
What you are seeing these days is people starting to say no more to the racism from left and blacks. The people who have had the privilege of playing the race card their whole life are lashing out because it’s not working anymore. Technology is proving that the only racism left in this country comes from the left and blacks.
“Technology is proving that the only racism left in this country comes from the left and blacks.”
Such a fascinating statement. Please, PLEASE do tell how you came to this conclusion.
Easy, for example the left believes that blacks are incapable of obtaining IDs.
When you have some data to back yourself up let me know.
If you have a name like Cletus or Gomer or Homer or Zebulon, good luck getting called for an interview.
Excellent point
Well, you’re sort of right: any individual can be biased against any number of groups. However, societal level biases and institutionalized racism disproportionately affects non-whites.
Conservatives called out State Senator Ed Hernandez trying to pass a bill with the goal of reducing Asian-American enrollment in the UC system.
So there’s your example of conservatives fighting racism.
First off, affirmative action actually helps Asians…
Second, conservatives felt like whites were being attacked, NOT Asians.
Third, Latinxs, Blacks, Natives, and Southeast Asians are VERY underrepresented on campuses all across the country. And that’s even when affirmative action is legal.
How does affirmative action help Asians. You might want to join us here in reality.
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-adv-asian-race-tutoring-20150222-story.html
Most racism these days comes from the people you see protesting. The only racism tolerated in this country is the racism against whites and Asians at the university level. Luckily those days are coming to an end. People are starting to see this people using their privileged race card is not working anymore. We don’t live in a day of low information anymore people can do their own homework and the lies from the left and these black racists are being exposed more and more.
You’re familiar with the fact that Affirmative Action has been banned in California, right?
yes they use “income-inequality” now or whatever. Either way it’s the same purpose.
But what about the persistent discrimination non-white folks face everyday that handicaps non-white, low income folks? For instance, lack students are punished more severely: http://indiana.edu/~equity/docs/ColorofDiscipline2002.pdf.
Because everybody who believes in it thinks that the way to convince people is to bully, shout, shame and insist. Almost nobody goes about trying to PROVE it. [These guys did: http://www.nber.org/digest/sep03/w9873.html. A bunch more like this and you will never have to make an argument again]. But in the process of proving, you will have to admit that, at least legally, and in the public sphere, there have never been more protections for minorities, there have never been fewer people to self-admit to racial prejudice and ACTUAL racism (as defined by the word that it means, and not various asshats’ conflicting personal agendas) has essentially vanished from our society within a generation. What IS real is the wealth disparity and the effects thereof, which are due somewhat because of past racism. Maybe 50% of the country is resisting this narrative because it’s not true. Do the work, show that the opportunities are different, not just the outcome, and the debate is easily won. Until then people will believe their own eyes and ears, and I don’t recognize this racist world you describe.
You can’t say that racism is still over but the effects (economic and social issues) still exist as a result of “past racism.” The fact that these effects exist means racism too exists.
White people claim that racism doesn’t exist. People of color, who experience racism, don’t claim that it doesn’t exist. Think about the reasons why that might be the case….
I have never heard any person of any color claim racism does not exist.
That’s just silly, and it shows that you are not a serious person.
This point of view requires you to suspend your understanding of cause and effect. The effects of the Korean War can still keenly be felt in some parts of the world — this doesn’t mean the Korean War is still going on. Black Academics and media writers have deliberately conflated cause and effect in order to sow confusion and mislead the public into believing there is a mass conspiracy to keep Black people down. The reason white people can’t seem to be persuaded of this is because when they look around, they see a Black president, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Attorney General, and head of the Justice Dept. They see anyone who gives a hint of open racism be “social media lynched” and lose their job (Paula Deen, Donald Sterling, Hulk Hogan). They see ironclad laws on the Federal, State and local level prohibiting discrimination in housing, employment and lending. What fear and ire is directed towards African Americans (and I do not deny that there is some, although much less than is commonly portrayed in Black media) can be much more simply attributed to their behavior. Occam’s Razor – the axiom that the simplest explanation is usually true – supports this. I can be persuaded otherwise by EVIDENCE. Surely, as a staunch believer, you can provide some?
The effects of the Korean War are still keenly felt in Asia. Does that mean that the Korean War is still going on?
The effects of the Korean war are still felt today. Does that mean the Korean War is still going on?
Why is it so hard to believe that black on white racism exists?
Racism doesn’t exist towards white folks. You just have to understand that. Black slaves who hated white people did so as a response to the system that works against them. Jews who hated nazis did so because of a system that worked against them. Natives who hated “pilgrims” and “settlers” did so because they established systems that work against them. These people who aren’t racist. The racists are the white folks who established these systems. Whites will never know what it is like to experience racism. They. Just. Won’t.
I’ve read this a couple of times. It is hilariously funny. What I can’t quite figure out if you’re serious, or this is just a parody post.
Grow up, no race is superior to another. For racism to stop that means all people need to quit. Therefore throwing a Kanye West party and having people put on their look alike is no different than Blacks dressing up as White people (ie Michael Jackson). Grow up people and get a life.
^lol this person
“throwing a Kanye West Party and having people put on their look alike is no different than Blacks dressing up as White people.”
People of color have had to dress up and act as white people in order to be RESPECTED and avoid DISCRIMINATION in America.
Pls. educate urself, k bai.
(http://everydayfeminism.com/2013/09/cultural-exchange-and-cultural-appropriation/)
People of color have held this country hostage too long with false accusations of racism. Those days are finally over.
He’s quite correct: everybody needs to simultaneously give up on racial solidarity if the problem of race relations is to be solved. That’s an idea for the future (and a good one). Your statement about the past has no bearing on it, unless you think revenge is a good social policy.
Also, your link is dead, but I can probably paraphrase: “Cultural appropriation is wrong and bad. We won’t define it so we can make sure it only works in 1 direction (white–>everyone else), but we’ll be sure to couch it in pseudo-academic (Cultural Marxist) terms. The important thing is that it act as a guilt valve so people will be able to rest easy knowing their Halloween costume causes offense to no one. In the meantime, the wealth gap just grew another 5%.
You pretty much summed up the article. They botched the link, but the article is still there and just as stupid as you would expect something from Everyday Feminism to be. http://everydayfeminism.com/2013/09/cultural-exchange-and-cultural-appropriation/
^Lol at thinking everyday feminism is a legit source.
Clothes do not make a person, and how does a white person act? I will have to learn that one, because I wasn’t aware that all white people acted alike. Is that like all Black people look alike? I’m confused, please enlighten me.
You might think “no race is superior,” but that’s not what is reflected in society and its institutions. Your comparison is instantly ignorant of, I don’t know, hundreds of years of oppression and struggle. There is a difference. I don’t understand how you can’t see it. I hope you grow up and live your life respectfully and in pursuit of changing the difference, so that you can say, and act on, your statement that “no race is superior.”
The let and black racists for some reason like the make whites gods among men and superior master race. They use it as an excuse for the privilege of playing their race cards and demeaning institutionalized racist programs such as affirmative actino and hate crime legislation. Never mind that affirmative action harms Asians and other people deemed “too superior” by those standards.
There is no superior race, just richer and poorer. $$ does not make one superior, just wealthier.
There are a lot of rich Persians in LA. I haven’t met anyone who thinks they’re superior.
Yes, there’s definitely racism in the world. This stupid party, however, isn’t an example of that racism.
“Williams added ASU students and alumni will present a list of demands to the UCLA administration by Monday.” Let’s hope the UCLA adminstrators act like adults and tell them to pound salt.
Of course black Bruins matter. What a moronic slogan (and not very original). ALL Bruins matter. ALL LIVES Matter. So disappointed in my tax dollars being used to pay for VC Kang, rushing to judgement based on groundless accusations, playing to the PC crowd. And don’t pull out the tired “people deny racism exists”. No, I’m not denying racism exists. Who here on this board does ? Rather you deny the possibility that this particular situation is CLEARLY NOT ABOUT RACISM. Can you think of another high profile couple that is more the butt (pun intended) of jokes – through all forms of media – than KIMYE ?? Are Seth Rogan and James Franco racist for mocking them? Is Ellem Degenerous? “Minstrel” Blackface is very distinguishable, VC Kang. Please enlighten us to the actual existence of these individuals. You want to increase racism ? Keep doing what you’re doing. People are sick and tired of being called racists at every turn. Don’t support Obama’s policies ?You must be a racist. Don’t support illegal immigration ? You must be a racist. By this same logic, why do you suppose anyone supporting Hillary Clinton over Dr. Ben Carson shouldn’t be called a racist ?? It’s because there is an agenda, and most in the academic community support that position, along with the media, because it benefits their livelihood and assures their authority. Do you see any of the Greek Community coming to their own defense ? Odd, isn’t it ? No, they are threatened by the PC thought police. Hence, any reporting on the topic by the complicit media comes from one point of view. And that is the only point of view is that is perpetuated. George Orwell couldn’t have predicted it better.
Yes, all lives matter…The point of #BlackLivesMatter is to point out that Black lives aren’t being treated as if they do. So when you counter with #AllLivesMatter you are advocating for what should be, and not what really is, in an attempt to deny that there is a problem.
A very FEW black lives aren’t being treated as if they do. It unfortunate though, that the focus and incorrect accusations and rushes to judgement, are only directed at whites. The amount of black on black crime is ridiculous. Probably 90% of blacks are killed by other blacks. Where’s the outrage ?? You’re upset about someone impersonating Kanye ??? Why dont you be a bit more offended by the largely unreported violence that occurs daily, in places like Chicago, by blacks, against other blacks.
Why would you even bother saying “probably” in front of a clearly made up statistic? The presence of injustices elsewhere in the nation does not mean that it is okay for abhorrent, ignorant behavior to take place here. Black Bruins call this campus THEIR HOME, and you’re really going to tell them to care more about Chicago? Anybody who cared the slightest bit about blacks in this country would know how incredibly offensive and disgusting it is to use blackface – there’s a reason people cheered when Kang used the word minstrelsy.
1) As a matter of fact, it’s EXACTLY 90%, at least for every murder when the race of the assailant and victim are both known: [http://www.politifact.com/florida/article/2015/may/21/updated-look-statistics-black-black-murders/]
Don’t question a statistic unless you’re willing to do the research.
Okay, fair enough – their wording made it seem like a guess. Do you have anything to say about the actual point of the comment?
Well, there’s a tension between the individual’s right to free speech, the desire of the majority of the country to have positive race relations, and need certain of special interest groups for maximizing (or fomenting) conflict that has characterized the University since the 1980’s. Students, influenced by the radical feminist, marxist, and cultural studies theories that they are learning into the classroom, channel their ideas into real-life protest movements, often resulting in University-mandated policies which fly in the face of reason: One such example is Georgetown demanding a “safe space” and “trigger warning” labels for a lecture by the moderate conservative feminist Christina Hoff Summers [http://dailycaller.com/2015/04/20/georgetown-feminists-demand-safe-space-because-of-conservative-lecturer/]. It is a culture of playing up offendedness with the intention to curtail others’ free expression, and in the light of this longstanding and wide historical trend it is imperative to view all limits on citizens’ rights with suspicion. That being said, the raid itself strikes me as in incredibly poor taste, even for fraternities, which have a bad track record for this sort of thing and are, for the most part, essentially paid social clubs designed to consolidate employment and mating opportunities between children of the wealthy and often white alumni. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2015/03/27/ou-investigation-sae-members-learned-racist-chant-at-national-leadership-event/]. The BSU was right to point it out, but my objections begin when the Chancellor became involved. The top official of a publicly-funded university has no business taking sides, particularly before the investigation is concluded. Had the BSU handled matters on their own – in public- it would have been a much stronger argument for their perspective, as well as an endorsement of the practicum of the often disastrously self-destructive theory that underlies a great deal of contemporary African-American Studies. As it stands, they essentially cried and ran to the teacher, who is too afraid for his own job to serve the interests of academic justice. Given the academic and social climate it’s hardly surprising. It’s all fun and games until people start getting suspended and/or expelled.
Speaking of made up stats: “The presence of injustices elsewhere in the nation …”
What injustices? The out of control black on white violent crime?
“Why would you even bother saying “probably” in front of a clearly made up statistic? ”
How is that “clearly made up”? It seems your knowledge base is quite weak.
You realize that most violent crime is Intra-racial…so saying black on black crime is to blame is yet another attempt to deflect the issue.
Most inter-racial crime is black on white.
No, it’s not. You’re just wrong.
It’s not even close, even with the feds counting hispanics as white.
Matthew Hartwell=Guilt-ridden white liberal who is pathetically trying to atone for the sins of his racist ancestors who died CENTURIES ago.
Name calling…very original. I’m actually a social science researcher, and the study of information and actual cases informed my opinions…not hokey religions or antiquated weapons.
You say “black lives aren’t being treated as if they [matter]”. Do you know this, or do you simply believe this because your social group reinforces the notion? Would it shock you to learn that police kill 2.1 whites for every black person? http://www.copinthehood.com/2008/02/police-involved-shootings-and-race.html
Would it shock you to know that the number of deaths of black people at the hands of police occurs in perfect proportion to the number of police interactions? Even broken down by age group?
I say this not to push a competing agenda but only to spread awareness of the facts, which are utterly obscured by a propaganda war where I don’t see any winners.
If you look deep into it, I think you’ll find that the racism occurs at the systematic level, with the advent of Broken Windows policing (over-policing) of minority neighborhoods, which leads to a higher number of interactions. Given this policy’s propensity for paving the way for (white) gentrification, it is indeed fair to say that “black lives aren’t being treated as if they matter”, but the decision is made at the governor’s and mayor’s level, not the cop’s. We have seen that the police are a troubled organization, with no small amount of corruption and self-interest, but the effort to paint them as murderous goes, in my opinion, too far.
I highly recommend this piece by “The Wire” creator David Simon, who was a crime reporter before he was a showrunner:
https://www.themarshallproject.org/2015/04/29/david-simon-on-baltimore-s-anguish
“The point of #BlackLivesMatter is to point out that Black lives aren’t being treated as if they do.”
…by other black people. Don’t kid yourself.
#allbruinsmatter
Learn to spell properly
It’s instantly these liars don’t even know what they are protesting.
Once the supreme court strikes down affirmative action let’s hope people like this won’t be able to sneak in using their race privilege.
If someone wants to be “Black for a day”, who cares. I wouldn’t want to be White for a day. In fact I even go to the beach to get a darker tan, as does a lot of other people. Let’s face it everybody wants to be darker if they can. Some people just burn. Those are the individuals I feel sorry for.
Stupid. Absolutely stupid.
Why, because it’s a fact. Some individuals want to be “Queen for a day”, others want to be “Black for a day”. Hey, to each his own. A person lies on the beach for one reason to get darker. I’m not complaining. Be my guest.
Daily Bruin,
How about doing some investigation of both sides of this incident? So far we have heard one side.
Why not investigate and report on what really happened rather than report on the reaction of people that weren’t at the event?
That might be educational, and even provide something of value and substance to your readers, don’t you think? Of course that would assume you could find anyone willing to risk being labeled a racist as the women pictured in the LA Times article were simply by being associated with the headline.
Do the work DB, you might learn something important.
The Daily Bruin “reporters” are hoping to get a job with the LA Times, where it’s not about reporting. Rather, it’s about advancing a “progressive” narrative.
I find all of this disturbingly similiar to the recent South Park episode in which they made they made an absolute mockery of a situation very similiar to this. Their satire into the PC culture and social justice warriors was spot on including the response of the diversity president and administration in this case. For all you “social justice warriors” on this thread I suggest you watch the episode to see how the rest of the world views your all encompassing censorship on a variety of seemingly meaningless issues. It is actually quite hilarious and a majority of people are actually laughing at you or fed up with these tireless tirades. I mean come on since when does dressing like a coal miner “offensive” or padding someone’s butt to emulate Kim kardashian. It is getting all pretty ridiculous and your only making idiots of yourselves
” … partygoers dressed in baggy clothes, plumped lips and padded bottoms. Some students were also seen with brown paint and black soot on their faces.”
How is this racism? The plumped lips and padded bottoms are obviously Kim Kardashian, who’s not black. Black soot was for the “gold diggers” in overalls with pans of gold. They were not dressing up like black people.
I believe there is problem with racism in the U.S. But this is not an example of it.
I honestly don’t know if you are being serious? Are you?
I’m dead serious. If I saw a girl dressed in costume with plump lips and a padded bottom, I would automatically think the Kardashians. I honestly wouldn’t associate that with black people. If you do, you’re entitled to your opinion. But some would say you’re being racist.
As for the black soot, I saw the photo. They were in overalls with pans of gold. Like the gold miners from back in the day. Because they were “gold diggers.” They did not at all look like black people. I got no impression of that whatsoever. Did you?
I haven’t seen any pictures of the party (raid??)
They’re on this other daily bruin article: http://165.227.25.233/2015/10/07/students-upset-after-sig-ep-hosts-kanye-western-themed-party/
You’re right, it’s all about Kim K being a gold digger, but since when do facts matter?
You know “Gold Digger” is the name of Kanye’s hit song right?
I became aware of it today
The mainstream Hip Hop Culture is not Black culture… At best, it is one of a number of lucrative and perverted American cultures that appeals to a fraction of misguided Blacks and to an even smaller fraction misguided Whites, Latinos and Asians… And it is a culture that by its very nature merits ridicule… Walking around with your pants hanging off of you is not being Black, it’s being ignorant… and if someone pokes fun of you for doing so, do not claim that they are poking fun at Black culture… That is an insult to intelligent Black people…
Amen
It’s an aspect of black culture, but I don’t understand how it’s somehow considered too sacred to spoof, especially in the context of this party.
Hip Hop may have originated in the Black communities of New York and it may have at one time reflected Black culture but those days are long gone… Hip Hop is an American culture that reflects the ideals of the American criminal/underclass… Put simply, Hip Hop is now a joke albeit a lucrative one but it is still a joke… and it is quite spoof-able… So, if Whites want to dress up like criminal-minded artist, let them be… Maybe the few Blacks who still take Hip Hop will realize it’s a joke and either quit it or begin producing art for the sake of art and not to serve greed…
What are your opinions about rock culture ?? which whites stole from blacks, is their attires and mannerisms equally ignorant or more so ?, if not why ?
lol dont kid yourself, whites and any race for that matter lacks the natural rhythm blacks are born with to ever succeed in hip-hop and it will always be a black thing, just because “mainstream” Otaku culture is also done by non Japanese it is still very much japanese culture, music is global, Hip-hop is a black thing.
You just a mad white boy who cant hang with the cool kids desperately participating and trying to emulate and imitate our dances; the way we walk, talk, dress, our mannerisms and sense of cool,
try Japanese otaku culture, that is where most of you nerds end up as anyways in outdated forum message boards with fellow proud Aryan “brothers” with cool anime avatars exchanging p2340rn links, g234ore pics and other pathetic activities you low lives like to engage in,.
Obvious troll is obvious.
This is why I never vote for an increase of taxes for California schools.
They’re making us look bad. Don’t throw us ALL out!
Look at the headline photo for this article. Look at the emotion and outrage in the faces of these young women. This little greek party with kids playing KIMYE cosplay is what generated THAT much fury? Come on. Looks to me like those students are extremely eager for an excuse to jump up and grab their “Black Lives Matter” posters that are otherwise collecting dust; to seize a ‘catalyzing moment’ they’ve desperately been waiting for. It must be tough to watch all the #BLM marches across the country having no substantial movement in West Los Angeles to physically participate in, let alone one with Daily Bruin photographers roaming around eager to capture some controversy on an otherwise idyllic campus. These photos from the party — it’s an extremely hard sell to say the students pictured demonstrate racism. More like making fun of / having fun with pop culture. Even Gawker is like “hey, seems like fraternities are starting to learn.” It’s even harder to justify the subsequent anger, protest and impassioned speeches on campus. Give me a break. Oh, and the most laughable part of this all — this battle cry “Our culture is not a costume.” Is Kim and Kanye really the torchbearers of the culture you want to claim!?? God help us all.
Right? It should be MORE offensive to black people that someone said “Our culture is not a costume” Implying that Kanye West IS black-american culture…
I really think this may all be a huge misunderstanding.
If you only read the news article/s, you will probably think the partygoers were being racist.
If you then saw the actual photos (i.e., evidence) from the party, you wouldn’t associate all those costumes with being racist at all.
I think the media needs to be very careful about printing allegations as fact without all sides and evidence. This is a serious issue that in this case has been misconstrued.
I also want to add that if an investigation finds that the partygoers were not being racist, certain statements and articles could be found defamatory. Especially allegations of being in blackface.
I would be extremely careful with an issue like this if I were the Daily Bruin, since numerous media outlets have already reported many of the allegations as strictly fact. I noticed The Bruin has made revisions to their original article to be a little more detailed and balanced, but the damage has already been done.
If I were a student that had their photos released with a story that inaccurately said they were being racist, I would sue for libel.
It would have been nice to include all of Chancellor Block’s statement because though the party theme may have been innocent, it wasn’t sensitive. The issue could have easily been avoided as opposed to just trying to squeak by.
A fraternity wasn’t “sensitive.” Oh, my. The horrors. I’ve got the vapors.
Satirizing the biggest pop culture bimbo couple is not racism – it’s farce aka humor
At the end of all this, I think Sig Ep, Alpha Phi, ASU and any other interested parties should work together on a good cause and show some unity and good will.
It’s best to get to know each person as an individual and move past any racial issues. You can only fight and protest so much, and that usually polarizes people. We need unity not division.
Yes, racism is an issue in the world today. No, this is not one of those issues. I have yet to see any “blackface” in a photo from the party mentioned. It seems to me that ASU is wrongly accusing the students who attended the party of doing something they didn’t do. If it’s the baggy clothes that offend people, then that is there own opinion and they have to right to be upset but to be offended by blackface that never happened is unwarranted. If these photos that ASU claims they have do come out, then I’ll be the first to admit I was wrong but I don’t think I will need to do so because they haven’t posted anything as of yet. Also, as many people have previously stated, the party was a “Kanye Western” theme (although the Chancellor got the theme wrong in his email). This theme is about pop culture and very specific celebrities. The theme does not seem to be about black culture. Since when did Kanye become the representative of all black culture? He represents pop culture, and luckily not all of it either. Maybe next time the frat should host an “Eminem” themed party where everyone wears exactly the same baggy clothes but it won’t matter and no one would be offended. Again, I understand that racism is a huge issue, but it almost seems to be making a mockery of such a serious issue by ASU choosing to use this example and false information to build their case. I wonder if they stopped to think about how the lives of the students will be affected that are now labelled as being racist and who have their faces all over the media. Maybe next time before ASU tries to stereotype someone as racist for something they didn’t do (blackface) they should think about their own cause for themselves as trying to end stereotypes and unfair treatment of groups of people.
Sometimes a party is just a party – there’s no deep meaning or thought involved.
yeah they’re just pissed they didn’t get invited to the party. there was no black face, and no racism. only people making fun of Kanye as a celeb, not as a black person. heck, there were black people at the party. they just wanna be on the news again.
These over-sensitive crybabies need to get over themselves. It was not a racist incident, just a mockery of a clownish couple like Kanye and his bimbo Kardashian wife. This flaky group “Black Bruins Matter” is just a pathetic offshoot of the cop-hating hugs called Black LIES Matter.
The root of the complaints by black students about racism at UCLA is simple. Because affirmative action was
abolished, the number of black students at UCLA (and elsewhere in Cali colleges) has shrunken in recent years. These entitlement-obsessed crybabies long for bygone days when black racists like Ron Karenga were having ON-CAMPUS SHOOTOUTS with Black Panther thugs: http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jan/18/local/me-panthers18 “The quarrel between black power advocates that ended in gunfire in a UCLA classroom had lasted only a few moments that sunny day. But the controversy over who was responsible for the murder of two young men taking part in a discussion over leadership of a fledgling black studies program at the campus has simmered for nearly four decades.” WE SHOULD BE THRILLED THAT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IS GONE!!
I just came here for the ads the DB takes…
“Top 17 Kim Kardashian Bikini Moments!The Health Lane”
The students protesting are entitled to their opinions, but they need to pick their battles better. Mocking self-promoting celebrities doesn’t have to be viewed as an attack on their culture. Kim Kardashian is as much representative of black culture as Justin Bieber is to white.
Both are shallow burlesques, carefully managed to extract dollars from their adoring fans and neither are “keeping it real”.
Have you heard that UCLA Football plans a “Blackout” theme at the next home game?
This is an outrage. On behalf of Bruins everywhere, I demand cancellation of this theme!
I am currently working on an expanded list of demands from this administration but haven’t yet completed the list and don’t want to leave anything out, I just need to get through mid-terms first then I’ll be right back to you.
#allbruinsmatter