Personal attacks rarely yield institutional changes. I write this with respect to the Damn Daniel article by Mougheis Umar.
I mention this author not to attack him, but to criticize his approach and sweeping generalizations. I wish to share some insight into the person that Daniel Banta is. I first met Daniel as an anxious and lonely international student.
I remember that night quite well: the quiet and empty hallways that many international students have to bear in their first weeks of school. Banta invited me for a game of FIFA. In the ensuing hours, we would learn much about each other’s families and experiences. I would say that our friendship is an example of how differences can enhance people’s lived realities.
Throughout our friendship, I learned that in many ways I was more privileged than Banta was and vice versa. As a Black African student, I was subject to condescension and underestimation, to say the least (police brutality, etc.), but I realized I would graduate without crippling debt, something that UWC Davis Scholars conveniently tend to forget when talking about privilege.
Mougheis, a Davis Scholar, seems to have forgotten this. I quote from his article: “Privilege is synonymous to white on this campus and this country.” I disagree. I believe that every person has some form of privilege to work with. This idea was further reinforced when I attended the Aneesah Smith’s talk on April 25, hosted by Spectrum and ACE.
At the talk, we focused on what intersectionality is in higher education. As a queer, Christian, cisgender woman of color, Aneesah Smith has a very nuanced understanding of privilege, informed by her 12 years of experience as an activist who helps higher education institutions create a diverse and inclusive environment.
I have shared many insecurities with Banta, and unsurprisingly he has offered me much needed support as a friend. He offered me a home during my first year at SLU, and he took the time to get to know my true self, ignoring the labels ascribed to me. Of course, these statements do not diminish the impacts of “The OppressionTM Olympics” article, nor do they mitigate them. However, I hope they complicate the issue and bring greater context to the matter.
Mougheis has done a great job of putting Grace King, Daniel Banta, and Rosie Sacco in the same light. They are all the same people, and they all have the same lived experience because they are white, right? I fear the radicalizing implications of such a thought process.
That is not to say that Mougheis’ article should be ignored, however. If the parties involved are guilty, they deserve to be held to account. I do believe that there is a better way to approach such conflicts. Calling out people is only effective if you are willing to have the resulting conversation; otherwise, there’s no point in picking up the phone.
There are many points in the article that deserve the time and effort necessary to deal with their complexities. This is the tragedy we find ourselves in.
From a personal opinion, using diction like “white snowflakes” is not how I would like to win my freedom and right to be considered equal. This issue is far more complex than a white-color binary. This is why I chose to share my opinion. Privilege is not synonymous with white on this campus.
To end, I would like to put forward a humble reminder: we are privileged to have a St. Lawrence University education.
On this campus, I experience marginalization, but Mougheis’ rhetoric does not speak for me.
Braaaaaaa???
I understand that he is your friend. However, the truth hurts and that is why when we speak the truth many people feel attack. In this case, we are talking about white privilege because we go to a school that is majority white. When certain white people on campus who some feel are discriminating against people of color; do you expect us to not see color and pretend we are not constantly reminded of our history? Or the issues we face on and off campus? Everyone is entitled to their opinions. Were you not the same person that wrote about white students on campus using the Kenya program as a vacation? So what I want to know is what were you thinking when you read your friend’s article? I think you need to detach your personal feelings about him from his actions. I am sure you are not the only person of color with white friends on campus, but discrimination by anyone no matter the skin color will not be tolerated.
Thank you very much Cindy, a man must practice what he is preaching!!!!!
The article above mentions that “this is not to say that Mougheis’ article should be ignored”. He also clearly articulates that “if the parties involved are guilty, they deserve to be held to account”. The author is not criticizing specific claims made by Mougheis, instead he is criticizing “his (Mougheis’s) approach and sweeping generalizations”. More than anything, in my opinion, Innocent is trying to emphasize intersectionality and the importance of having complex conversations regarding this, calling someone a white snowflake or personally attacking them will not make any real change.
Yes, Samiya!
You see the problem at hand here has been completely ignored by the fact that people choose to focus on individual incident ,such as the personal references to Grace and Daniel and the likes, instead of the bigger problem at hand.
Unfortunately the way in which this system has formulated it is only when such extreme measures such as calling people out are taken when the problems are given attention. I have had experience of this multiple occasions during my own time as the only person of color on the association of campus entertainment at St. Lawrence, but that’s a whole new discussion.
And again right here with this article we see attention given to the single drastic act of an oppressed individual only now that he has decided to hold some people accountable. That my friends is the perspective all those against Mougheis’s article including Innocent, have failed to see. And not once did he say he is speaking on behalf of anyone, but himself.
This one sided nonsense needs to stop right now! These real people being affected by real problems. Give them the same attention you are giving to Daniel (by coming to his rescue), thats all we ask for.
Open your eyes, ears and minds please.
You see the problem at hand here has been completely ignored by the fact that people choose to focus on individual incidents ,such as the personal references to Grace and Daniel and the likes, instead of the bigger problem at hand.
Unfortunately the way in which this system has formulated it is only when such extreme measures, such as calling people out, are taken are the problems are given desired attention. I have had experience of this multiple occasions during my own time as the only person of color on the association of campus entertainment at St. Lawrence, but that’s a whole new discussion.
And again right here with this article we see attention given to the single drastic act of an oppressed individual only now that he has decided to hold some people accountable. That my friends is the perspective all those against Mougheis’s article including Innocent, have failed to see. And not once did he say he is speaking on behalf of anyone, but himself.
This one sided nonsense needs to stop right now! These real people being affected by real problems. Give them the same attention you are giving to Daniel (by coming to his rescue), thats all we ask for.
Open your eyes, ears and minds please.
Cindy — As much as I should really be working on my three papers that are due this week, I felt the need to respond to your comment.
Part of where your argument breaks down is when you introduce “certain white people on campus who some feel are discriminating against people of color.”
Firstly, your argument loses its legitimacy once “feelings” are used in place of actual evidence. Unless you have a statistic, an investigation, or a concrete piece of evidence, you are merely stating a (flawed) opinion and not a fact or “truth”. This goes for everyone presenting a political argument, whether it be on our campus, regionally, or nationally. If that evidence is presented, measures should absolutely be taken to ensure that justice prevails. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, as you state, but when accusing someone of racism, your sole opinion or so-called objective truth does not matter unless you have evidence. Detractors will cite Mougheis’ stories to counteract my emphasis on the need of actual evidence of white privilege on the SLU campus. However, Mougheis invalidates his own stories by failing to provide the source of his information and other necessary details.
Second, it is ironic that you even make this comment since you then proceed to say that the author of this article must detach his own “personal feelings” from the matter, while you base your argument solely on your own. Then, when you state, “discrimination by anyone no matter the skin color will not be tolerated,” you contradict your leading statement that “certain white people” are the highlighted source of discrimination, as, from your own point of view, race should not matter.
In addition, you cannot say that “white privilege” exists simply because the majority of the student population is white. Accusing a person of privilege solely based on the fact that he or she is white is inherently racism, which, if I am not mistaken, you strive to get rid of on this campus.
As Owuor wisely pointed out, we are all privileged to have the education that we do, and relative to the rest of the world and also to previous time periods, are extremely privileged to live in the United States in 2018. This is something that many of us take advantage of at one point or another, including myself. In addition to the articles that have been published in The Hill News over the span of today as well as in the past, equally as important are the discussions that follow, as Owuor stated. Without these, it is extremely difficult to actually make any progress. I would be happy to speak with you and also learn more about these very important issues that I am sure other university campuses face, provided that evidence is used to support your argument in the discussion.
If it is evidence you’re looking for, we have all of it. Mougheis is a well read scholar and knows all to well not to make such allegations without evidence real factual evidence.
If you wish to see all this evidence, please set up a meeting with him, or myself and I shall show you the justification of the attacks and why they are necessary. I too have been affected by the very same issues he mentions and I shall stand ground till the people responsible are held accountable.
Wazzza, no personal offence, but how can you relate to the hair comment above if you always wear a hat? I understand that it might not be as relevant to that heated topic but I just want to try to defuse the tension a bit.
Again. You have failed to see the bigger picture. Read between the lines. It’s not just about me. Stop focusing on individual incidents and explore the cumulative impact of everything.
I am not failing to see a bigger picture because what I do I just use the techniques that Mougheis used in his article, namely focusing and calling out certain individuals. A criticism without constructive suggestions predictably has a destructive effect. And this is my general impression from the article by Mougheis which seems to have an aim of calling people out rather than addressing the problem of ignorance that DOES exist in the country. I want to highlight the fact that it is actually ignorance because not only people of colour fail victims of prejudices here (the campus and the country as a whole).
My suggestion is to cool and stop dividing campus even further than it is at this point. Let’s have a productive and meaningful talk without accusations no matter how appealing and tempting the idea of calling people out is. Thanks!
It’s way bigger than the personal attacks, which i totally condemned too. Fact is that you are still focusing on a single incident.
t’s way bigger than the personal attacks, which i totally condemned too. Fact is that you are still focusing on a single incident.
I would just like to point out that, reserve racism is not real so don’t make it out to be. The fact that someone is discriminating against a white person is called prejudice, not racism. Th term that was used “Snowflake” is not a racial slur, the fact that people are comparing this with the N-word is ridiculous by all means. People of color do not need evidence to prove the fact that we face racism, it is presented all around campus and people like you fail to acknowledge that because for your privilege. If you need proof that privilege exists then look in the mirror, you are never going to be questioned by your skin color, you will never be stopped by the police or followed in family dollar, and you will never know what it feels like to be oppressed.
Eloiza — If someone is discriminating against someone solely on account of their race, that is in fact racism. This is where evidence becomes a crucial point in an argument of individual, societal, or institutional racism. To say the least, I find it interesting that you feel that you have credibility to say that reverse racism is not real. In that case, using the term “white privilege” is simply a means to tell someone who is white that his or her opinion does not matter (simply because of their race).
I would also like you to clarify what you mean by “people like you.” By this do you mean someone expressing her opinion, a white person, a student at this university? I have never met you nor do you know me, so I would like to know how you justify making this comment and generalization to begin with. One of the very barriers we are discussing and why I am taking the time to add to this discussion is that I too feel strongly about racism, but insist that evidence be used in place of opinion and generalization. These generalizations need to go if we are to make any legitimate progress in reducing racism at any level.
“People of color” do in fact need evidence to prove any fact, just as everyone who wants to be taken seriously in a political discussion needs to do so. I’m not sure why any individual’s race would exempt him- or herself from this..
To explicitly say that people of color need to prove and provide evidence of discrimination that they face, is invalidating thier experience and diminishing their worth. To say that they need to provide evidence before you can believe thier first hand account of any negative experience that they face, is a form of oppression. To say that they need to provide evidence is calling them a liar until proven otherwise. By stating that people of color need evidence, you have managed to belittle them as human beings. People of color do not cry wolf when they face racism, discrimination or encounter any other form of oppression. We should not have to log, time stamp, and alphabetize our experiences with racism on this campus. We should not have to prove to you or anyone else in that matter that we are not lying about such a negative and quite frankly traumatic experience of being discriminated against. Plus using the term white privilege, is not like you say, simply a way to tell white people that thier opinion doesn’t matter. Quite the contrary actually. White privilege means that your opinion is the ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS in this society that we live in today. Now, let me clarify something else. Having white privilege is not the problem. Okay you were born as a member of the white race therefore you have certain privileges that put you ahead or gets you seen more than those in other minority races. That’s life. Whatever. The problem with white privilege is the failure to both recognize that you obtain such privildge then later use it for the benefit of those that a part of the minority groups. Now there will be a lot of individuals that say no white privildege doesn’t exist, just like unicorns don’t exist. To that I want to ask this, when you use self checkout at the Walmart in Potsdam, have you been asked for your receipt and had your bags checked to see that you didn’t steal anything?
So what I am understanding from you is that you need proof to realize that people of color are being discriminated against? A couple of weeks ago a white male called a person of color the “N” word and when the incident was reported nothing was done about it. So explain to me how that is not white privilege. The fact that someone can call someone a racial slur without being penalize is why we have to speak up. This is the campus you are living on Chloe. There is a difference between prejudice and racism. Anyone can be prejudice but only white people can be racist because it is systematic. Were you ever asked by a person of color about how you wash your hair? or did you ever experience a group of people of color sticking their hands in your hair and petting you like a zoo animal? You can refuse or question the realities of people of color, but my reality is my reality and nothing you say can contradict that.
Cindy — Yes, I think you need proof. This is not a new concept, it is how we deal with legal procedures in our country in order to properly carry out justice. Not only is this necessary to establish credibility but also to make sure that we as people fighting against racism can actually tackle specific issues and not one as broad and vague as “institutional racism.”
Also, saying “only white people can be racist” is racist. Not sure what you were trying to accomplish with that statement.
Although I don’t think that hair is an issue of equal importance as the incidents on our campus or as other important issues related to racism in our country, I will of course answer your somewhat hypothetical questions. Yes, I have been asked by people of color and people in general about how I wash my hair and if I color it, to which I do not get offended — I use Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner and sometimes spray my hair with Sun In during the winter to lighten it. I have had young girls of color stick their hands in my hair while I worked at a daycare in my hometown of Syracuse, NY one summer. They accidentally got a round hair brush stuck in my best friend’s hair and it took us two hours of unknotting, snipping and cutting, and 2 bottles of conditioner to get the brush out. Were we mad or offended? Of course not. I have been to El Salvador on a couple of occasions to help interpret in a health clinic and was questioned about my blonde hair and height. Was I offended? Nope. You seem to have had negative experiences with hair and being “petted.” Those people sound somewhat creepy (not particularly white, black, hispanic, asian, etc.), and I emphasize with you ‘cause that’s just weird. Period.
As far as the incident with the usage of the “N” word on our campus, that should absolutely not be permitted, of course. However, I myself am not knowledgeable enough on this issue, so I would love for you to fill me in on the explicit details of the incident so that we can fight it together.
In addition, for people in general and as university students, I don’t think that accepting reality is necessarily a great way to live one’s life. One should always strive to change their reality if they are not satisfied with it, and not let anyone tell them differently.
I’d like to agree with Samiya when I reiterate the fact that Innocent by no means alluded to guilty parties not being held guilty for actions. I too firmly believe that acts of racism and discrimination on this campus should be addressed. However – the strategy used by Mougheis in his article did nothing productive in my opinion except drag some people’s names through the dirt (people who happen to actually be individuals with moral compasses and excellent character, should anyone bother to get to know them). Personally, I don’t find the kind of dialogue that Mougheis was trying to open up productive by any means. I have spent many years through high school and at SLU working with intersectionalism, diversity, privilege, etc., and the line that stood out most to me in Innocent’s article is “privilege is not synonymous with white on this campus”. I am a woman of color – I get that. I understand that I have and will continue to be systematically oppressed in a variety of ways based upon the color of my skin and the gender I identify with. I am also an upper middle class individual attending a private university that my parents are paying for and operating within a whole world of privilege that a majority of the people at my 95% white and working class high school would never relate to. Summer vacations in Europe, private SAT tutors, piano lessons, years of competitive gymnastics, tennis, field hockey, and crew… These are foreign concepts to many people from my hometown and honestly many people at SLU too. I could continue by stating my privilege as a straight, cisgender, able-bodied individual but you probably get the point. I am not trying to say racism is not painful or real because I am a person with lived experience in that. I know. I am simply agreeing with Innocent (and Banta too, if you take the time to actually talk to him about his Oppression Olympics opinion piece) when I say that both privilege and oppression are nuanced and intersectional phenomenons and must be treated as such.
Cindy, here is my article on “KSP Students” : http://thehillnews.org/lp/innocentowuor/ksp-asu-studying-abroad-self-segregation-slu
In my interviewing process, I approached multiple students mostly white but not all of them. Hence why your statement that I wrote about “white students on campus using the Kenya Program as a vacation” is not accurate. This article was meant to highlight the nuanced nature of this conflict. I welcome your criticism because that is what I wanted, for us to have complex conversation.
With regards to Banta’s article, I was disappointed at the approach he took to write about intersectionality, but I took the time to critically read his response as to why he wrote it. Furthermore, I read the subsequent responses from our campus and came to the conclusion that I am not the judge, juror or the prosecutor. I am still engaging with the complexity of the issue, especially considering that he is a dear friend. I wrote the article to encourage others to do the same.
Inno – During your “critical” reading, did you consider how many times he has brought this issue up and how nothing has been done?
On another note, The Hill News is now deleting my comments to this post, but has failed to take down any others.. Interesting. Can I use this as evidence of discrimination against my race?
I am genuinely wondering if a private university’s newspaper has the right to take down my comments (I’m assuming they do). However, either way, this would be a blatant attempt at censorship.
I saw your response before it got deleted and I would like to say please educate yourself on systematic racism and microaggression. In your response, you don’t seem to not know what microaggression are. Microaggressions are things like the hair situations that I mentioned. There are classes right here at SLU that can educate you on that. As you said, you want to fight against racism but I think you have a lot more of work to do before you can reach that goal. Can’t fight for people who you cannot even seem to understand what they are fighting for. Since you are paying for a service here at SLU, use your time here wisely to educate yourself on these issues. Make your money worth so that you can educate others on these issues.
I appreciate your response. While I have not taken a course here about micro aggressions, I am somewhat familiar. I am really considering your point, but also think reading this article would benefit you in turn: https://theconversation.com/the-trouble-with-microaggressions-71364 . The important thing is to make clear why someone simply inquiring about someone’s hair, for example, should be taken as offensive rather than curious about someone else’s culture or just his or her life, as we are naturally inquisitive beings. I think that once people get too sensitive and get their emotions involved, people are prevented from even have a conversation and therefore social progress cannot be made.
Cindy –
How is what Chloe mentioned regarding the POC similarly treating her hair as unusual not a microagression as well? It’s hypocritical to dismiss her situation.
She perfectly understands the microagression but chooses not to respond in an aggressive manner, because she recognizes there’s no malintent.
I think it’s unfair to accuse someone of not understanding a basic concept and condescendingly ask them to take classes on a very logical skill that needs no further explanation.
Funny thing is it is not just the hair situation. When things like that happen to you on a daily basis it drains you mentally. It is okay to not know someone’s cultural background or tradition but that is different from making negative comments, jokes, or assumptions based on ignorance. So with that being said, I will continue to emphasize education on these issues.
Most of the time when faced with microaggressions and racism I walk away from the situation. You claiming that “She perfectly understands the microaggressions but chooses not to respond in an aggressive manner, because she recognizes there’s no malintent.” does not apply to my reality. If someone does something to you repeatedly and you ask them to stop: and they don’t would you not be upset about the situation because the person just won’t stop?
You do not walk in my shoes and I do not walk in yours. My reality is obviously different from yours. You are here on this campus to learn. What I am asking Chloe to do since she wants to help fight against racism, is to try and further understand the people she wants to fight for. It is not that complicated. She seems okay with what I suggested and said she is “considering my point.”
If she felt my comment to her about educating herself which is what she is here for is condescending, I am sure she would have voiced her opinion. Apparently, if you decide to talk about your daily experiences with microaggressions and racism you are in fact deciding to respond in an “aggressive manner.” All I want for anyone to do including myself is to educate themselves. Like they say, “You learn something new every day.”
Cindy — Yes, I think you need proof. This is not a new concept, it is how we deal with legal procedures in our country in order to properly carry out justice. Not only is this necessary to establish credibility but also to make sure that we as people fighting against racism can actually tackle specific issues and not one as broad and vague as “institutional racism.”
Also, saying “only white people can be racist” is racist. Not sure what you were trying to accomplish with that statement.
Although I don’t think that hair is an issue of equal importance as the incidents on our campus or as other important issues related to racism in our country, I will of course answer your somewhat hypothetical questions. Yes, I have been asked by people of color and people in general about how I wash my hair and if I color it, to which I do not get offended — I use Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner and sometimes spray my hair with Sun In during the winter to lighten it. I have had young girls of color stick their hands in my hair while I worked at a daycare in my hometown of Syracuse, NY one summer. They accidentally got a round hair brush stuck in my best friend’s hair and it took us two hours of unknotting, snipping and cutting, and 2 bottles of conditioner to get the brush out. Were we mad or offended? Of course not. I have been to El Salvador on a couple of occasions to help interpret in a health clinic and was questioned about my blonde hair and height. Was I offended? Nope. You seem to have had negative experiences with hair and being “petted.” Those people sound somewhat creepy (not particularly white, black, hispanic, asian, etc.), and I emphasize with you ‘cause that’s just weird. Period.
As far as the incident with the usage of the “N-word” on our campus, that should absolutely not be permitted, of course. However, I myself am not knowledgeable enough on this issue, so I would love for you to fill me in on the explicit details of the incident so that we can tackle the issue together.
In addition, for people in general and as university students, I don’t think that accepting reality is necessarily a great way to live one’s life. One should always strive to change their reality if they are not satisfied with it, and not let anyone tell them differently.
Hi Chloe, could you please explain which comment you believe has been deleted? I work as a digital editor for The Hill News, and can tell you no comments on this article have been deleted, and would never consider to do so – certainly not on the basis of race.
Occasionally, the wordpress software we use flags comments as spam a bit too freely, so I have to go in and approve them later. I do read these comments, just to be sure they aren’t spam, which they aren’t most of the time. When I woke up this morning, two comments were awaiting approval, neither of which were written by you, though.
It may not be appearing based on how the comments section is sorted (newest, oldest, best), but I can certainly say we have not deleted a comment on this post from anyone, and all comments which were listed as pending in wordpress have been approved.
Please understand that there is no effort being made to censor the comments section of our website, or our newspaper. I appreciate your understanding.
Hi James,
I apologize for the abrasive nature of my comment. At the time it seemed as though my response was being reported or intentionally deleted, as it would continuously disappear and/or be marked as spam. I ended up reposting it about four or five times, which is why it is currently up. I should not have jumped to the conclusion that if the comment were to have been removed, that it was by the hands of those in charge of the paper. I am not sure why no other comment had this same issue, but clearly, now that is besides the point. Although I was practicing exaggeration and sarcasm when posing the question “Can I use this as evidence of discrimination against my race?” to show how weak arguments lead to lack of credibility and can appear as ridiculous, I apologize that it was directed completely towards your staff and was not instead an inquiry into the situation.
Before anyone else comments on how outrageous and attacking the article “Damn Daniel” by Mougheis, please do your background research before commenting, because there a great depth of contextual background you do not know about because of how poorly our student organizations and student government communicates with the student body.
There has been a huge controversy involving members of ACE and Thelmo due to allegations of racial discrimination and an ‘investigation’ is supposedly underway. Interviews were conducted, statements were recorded by relevant authorities. Where are the results?
So before you comment, do some homework on this case and expose yourself to a non-bias view of the whole situation. Only then will you be able to make an informed decision as to who YOU believe is right or wrong in this situation.
Thank you.
Mougheis Umar made excuses to justify the Charlie Hebdo attacks against free speech while simaultaneously attempting to silence free speech. Is this what intellectual discourse on college campuses has come to?