Self-professed racist invited to lecture on diversity

Louisville Cardinal Online ^

[Stewart_B]

After Bank One's "Ten Reasons a Beer is better than a Black Man" t-shirt give-away on campus last spring a $50,000 contribution was made to U of L to further the progress of diversity. Diane Whitlock, Administrative Assistant to the Vice Provost for Diversity, said in an email interview that a committee comprised mostly of students decided to use those funds to establish a diversity lecture series on campus. Instead, what we got was Sistah Souljah: the black equivalent of David Duke.

"Souljah was not born to make white people comfortable," says Sistah on her aptly named release Hate that Hate Produced. "I am African first." she expounds. "I am black first. I want what's good for me and my people first. And if my survival means your total destruction, then so be it."

Whoever produced her hatred did one hell of a job.

According to Souljah, Black people live in ghettos because of the evil white man. White girls are just "cute and stupid" and walk around trying to look like Britney Spears. Not even missionaries could escape her venom. They're just asking you for money and never telling you it's really evil white people who cause African children to grow up in poverty.

Souljah became famous in 1992 after being criticized by then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton for her comments concerning the L.A. riots. She explained the riots were "revenge" against white oppression and claimed that blacks were "at war." She went on to say, "if black people kill black people every day, why not have a week and kill white people?"

Don't ask me how "Kill Whitey Week" would strengthen the diversity ethic. I suppose that in the spirit of such "diversity" we should ask the KKK to burn a cross out in front of the SAC.

I spoke with several others who attended the event, and all had been greatly offended, not only by the speaker's inflammatory words, but by the overall level of intolerance by the crowd. At one point during the speech, a mother got up to take her young daughter out and was told, "go on and get the f--k out."

If this passes for diversity at U of L, I would hate to see their definition of intolerance.

Fifty-thousand dollars could be used for a lot of things - especially in a budget crunch - but I can't understand how paying a speaker to incite hatred among the audience does any good at all.

But perhaps white people are not meant to understand Sistah Souljah. "I don't make my work for you to interpret it," Souljah once revealed to Bill Moyers. "I make it for black young people so that they can understand that we are at war." Interviewed by the Washington Post, she said, "I don't think that anything we can do to white people could ever equal up to what they've done to us."

Diane Whitlock said of Souljah's message, "the views of the speakers on diversity will not necessarily reflect those of the university." We should certainly hope not.

Questions to people associated with the event s to the cost of bringing Sistah to campus have gone unanswered, and calls to her speaker's bureau were not returned.

Offensive as the racist t-shirt incident was, it provided the funding and impetus for bringing these diversity speakers to U of L. However, I can't see any real difference between "why a beer is better than a black man" and "why we should have Kill Whitey Week." Neither message belongs on this campus.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Here is a hint, from a U of L alum. Stay away from the Humanities Building and the Poli Sci department - and only read the sports and stripper ads from the Cardinal, followed by a lot of the more fun parts of LEO. Drink beer, party with your friends, hang out at Phoenix Hill and Uncle Pleasants, get laid a lot. Go to your classes, perform well, do some of those "college study abroad" things.

[cyborg]

nope draw your own conclusions ;-)

Seriously, I've learned not to talk things personally and just remember to wear my Level 4 lead lined flame suit around such as afflicted with ABS. By the time they've exhausted themselves from cussing me, they've ready to explain the source of their chronic ABS.

[cyborg]

oh how dare you suggest college kids have fun instead of being liberal sourpusses.

[dwd1]

Well I think have the part that most likely refers to a female dog and I think I have the syndrome part... The other part could be interpreted is anti-American, Asian, African, Albanian, Austrian, Alaskan, or some other place that I have not had the opportunity to enjoy the nightlife or the wildlife...

I will leave this as one of those great unresolved mysteries...

[sandydipper]

Blacks live in ghettos because generations of them cling to the misconcieved idea that whites owe them a living because the whites subjugated blacks into slavery. The few who realize that profit depends on work product do well and reject the Jessie Jackson doctrine of hating whites.

[Jalapeno]

...instead of being liberal sourpusses.

I think the term is "useful idiots"

[stainlessbanner]

Those type of people are striving for percieved power and identity with racist organizations. It's easy to hate other folks, it takes no intelligence and it takes no skill. Whereas in the business world, accounting and management are required, in athletics strength and endurance are required, in politics strategy and personality are necessary, and so on.

The fact their racist beliefs fall apart in the face of truth means nothing to them. In their warped ideaology, they are supreme and powerful.

It so much energy to hate and these people eventually burn-out and become miserable wretches.

[goldstategop]

Its all my fault black men shoot each other every day in South Central L.A even though I've never shown my face there.

[stainlessbanner]

It so much = It takes so much

[tracer]

"Fifty-thousand dollars could be used for a lot of things"...

The real irony is that the problem under discussion could be dealt with for only a couple of C-notes and a case of Budweiser in many quarters.....

[cyborg]

It can't be healthy to be so angry for so long. She's young. Sister Souljah looks like a spoiled little brat to me. There are plenty of black African who will be more than happy to take her American citizenship since she hates this country so much.

[cyborg]

Actually I missed a letter... W.

ABWS... angry black woman syndrome... explanations would require a whole thread unto itself. Essence Magazine had an article about why black women are so angry but it was only half right, as it contained a lot of excuse mongering.

I don't live in some untouched corner of the world where I don't meet people. I've met enough successful black women who are happy and not angry, and have been throughg worse than Sister Souljah EVER will. Being in a black sorority was a real learning experience, as I was amazed at how many girls were depressed about being successful and smart. Funny Delta Sigma Theta is not particularly known for ghetto-fied low class angry chicks either. But when you are together 'with your own' sometimes a very unhealthy mentality can circulate unless an arch disruptor comes and upsets the racial applecart.

Oh well.. ther's the explanation. Didn't want to air dirty laundry as they say :-)

[dwd1]

Or putting one's business in the street is another... I will have to learn more about that... In the circles I travel in, I don't see that too often... Or maybe, I look the other way... Interesting stuff...

[Mr. Mojo]

"I am African first." she expounds.

Well then you know where to go, sister.

[billhilly]

Isn't it ironic that Muhammad Ali was also from Louisville? We are about the same age, both from Kentucky, and although we are black and white, he has always been one of my heros.

[cyborg]

I can't avoid it because of my job. However, I've learned to ignore, look the other way, and answer back when need be. Most of the time, it's better to engage in 'dialogue' and get people to relax. All part of my war against the human penchant for self pity and self hate. If Sister Souljah really loved herself, she'd purge her feelings of anger otherwise suffer a popped brain vessel.

[AZLiberty]

Here's a report of the original t-shirt scandal. An independent contractor was giving out the t-shirts to hawk Bank One credit cards, without approval from Bank One. Bank One disavowed it, fired the firm, and donated $50K to show good faith.

[dwd1]

I don't think they have a pill for that... A lot of self healing from the inside would be my recommendation...

[cyborg]

I agree

[yankeedame]

Sister Souljah
[BOOK 'EM]
Rapper, organizer, activist, lecturer, and creator of the epic album, "360 Degrees of Power," Sister Souljah has lectured all over the world. In the United States, she has stirred audiences from Harvard to Howard to UCLA. She is the author of No Disrespect.
http://www.speakerspca.com/search/details.php?speaker_id=4262

Ah-so....turns out Sista Souljah is part of the lecture circuit. Could it be that thus U of L story was/is part of "show-prep"? You know, creat outrage and thereby public interest and thereby ticket sales? Stranger things have happened.