Posted on 10/02/2003 1:37:15 PM PDT by Inspectorette
Black students speak out at UCSB
More than 100 rally to spotlight racial issues, such as need for larger black faculty
10/2/03
By LEAH ETLING
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Raising their fists in a "black power" salute, more than 100 students at UCSB gathered to speak out Wednesday on issues ranging from what they consider a cultural bias by members of the student body to the need for more black faculty.
Dressed in red T-shirts that read "Danger: Educated Black Student" on the front and "I am not a n***r, I am not a thug, I am not a slave," on the back, the group marched from the University Center to the Arbor at noontime, then held an hour of speeches designed to catch the attention of those passing by.
The students want to add at least five black professors to the UCSB faculty, start a Ph.D. program in black studies and designate a "safe space" on campus for black students to congregate and socialize. Currently, a room is set aside for both American Indian and black students, but it would be nice if each group could have its own spot, they said.
There are currently 12 black faculty members on campus, according to the protesters. But several have retired in the last few years and the students want to ensure they are replaced. They plan to work with campus administrators to try to make that happen.
Off the campus, several students called for Greek houses affiliated with the university to end "ghetto-theme parties," which they say are insulting to blacks.
Although unable to provide specifics about any such gatherings held recently, fourth-year student Vashajn Parr said he had observed students dressing up in hip-hop style and speaking in stereotypical slang since his freshman year, practices that offended him.
Student organizer Jewel Love said that the protest -- in the works for several months -- was intended to raise campus awareness about race issues. It was held on Oct. 1 because that day was designated by one statewide group as a day of support for affirmative action.
"We're not just marching to march right now," he told the students as they walked past the Davidson Library. "We're marching because there's injustice that's taking place on this campus on this very day. Our community is continually oppressed."
Pointing to the demographics -- according to UCSB's campus profile, 3 percent of a student body of nearly 20,000 in 2002-03 identified as African-American -- the students said they would like to see more blacks attending. According to the 2002 U.S. Census, 7 percent of Californians identify themselves as African-Americans.
The number of black students attending UC schools dropped after Proposition 209 -- the anti-affirmative action ballot measure -- passed in 1996, but has crept up incrementally since.
But more outreach and support efforts are required to introduce kids from inner-city schools and crime-ridden neighborhoods to the opportunity of college, the protesting students say. With outreach funds taking a big hit in the state budget crisis, school officials have said hardly enough money is available to maintain the efforts they have made, nevermind increase pressure on a particular population.
That message wasn't readily embraced by everyone who walked by the hourlong event.
"This is so . . . stupid, why are you here?" one student asked his friend, who had stopped to watch. "What do they want to do, increase minority enrollment?"
Part of the message of the day was directed toward next week's recall election and Proposition 54, the measure that would ban the collection of ethnic and racial data by public agencies.
Mr. Love is a vehement opponent of the initiative, which is sponsored by UC regent and Prop. 209 author Ward Connerly.
"You want to vote yes on Proposition 54 for sure," the angry student said. "Prop. 54 is a bill that will stop classifying people by race."
But it isn't the reality of race that the students want to eliminate.
"We should not be fighting for a colorblind society," Mr. Love said. "Everybody's color is beautiful. We need to cherish these colors and celebrate these colors."
Some black students at UCSB are concerned that their culture is being hijacked by students of other races who don't understand the historical struggle of blacks or what certain cultural symbols mean.
Undergraduate Amberjae Freeman lectured to the crowd on what she called "the misappropriation of black culture."
It makes her angry when she is called upon in class to be a voice for other black students, or when professors assume she can speak to the condition of the poor based on the color of her skin, she said.
And white students who wear their hair in cornrows, sag their pants or listen to hip-hop are ignorant about what those practices really mean to blacks, she said.
"If you want to learn about my culture, take a black studies class," she said to cheers.
Nope. Not falling for it.
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...but I am a racist, ungrateful to the advancement of equal rights and a slave to leftist politics.
What?
They are just camoflaged as thugs and fools?
So9
OMG......the Greeks are STILL doing that?? I went to school there in the sixties and it was THE biggest party school, and the Greek houses had continuous ghetto parties.
IMO, UCSB is a joke, always will be.
As one famous faculty member put it when describing the failure of one campus revolt or another (not the blacks): we f*cked the little bastards again!
remember when the name of the team was changed from the "Gauchos" to the "Roaches" -- and the administration canned the football team just in time...
Or the various Bill Allen demonstrations? Or "Don't fight the Bankers' War, burn the banks at home!!"
I have fond memories of UC-at-the-Beach, although about the only time I could get work done was in my office from about 10pm until sunrise.
Fine with me as long as there is a PhD program in White Studies and a safe room of a size proportional to their percentage of enrolement for White People to congregate and socialize.
So9
If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)
Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.
[As i mentioned, the B/C & JD! lists are going to float into and out of whack over the forseeable future, while I try to cobble a rig back together for myself. My apologies for any incovenience or misunderstandings in this time frame. New signups/removals may be flaky in this time-frame as well; please bear with me, and keep in mind you may have to FReepmail me more than once for me to get it done. Thanks again!]
Or find an outside life, with the rest of the struggling masses, and visit nickle street in L.A.! In 24 hours (OK, 1 hour) you will have lots of experiences to draw from! Damn you if you report them to your class! It's not PC!
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