Shane Hoover, The Repository (Canton, Ohio), May 3, 2008
CANTON The president of Stark State College of Technology listened Friday to calls for diversity training in the wake of an “insensitive” letter sent to students last month. The meeting with college staff and faculty was one of several that President John O’Donnell held this week to address the controversy, which has included his own written apology.
The trouble started when the college registrar mailed letters announcing a new computer system for students. Using the fictional student name “Blackie White,” the letter gave students an example of how to log on to the program.
{snip}
The remaining letters were held, and on April 22, O’Donnell issued an apology acknowledging reactions of “consternation, hurt and distress” from students and staff to the simulated student name.
The “choice of phrasing was inappropriate, unacceptable and insensitive, yet, was done without malice. That does not, though, reduce the negative impact on our student body, specifically our African-American students and on others who received the letter,” O’Donnell’s letter said.
The registrar used the name “Blackie White” because it is the name of her pet, and is “extremely remorseful,” Jones said.
{snip} About 15 percent of Stark State’s students are minorities, most of them African-American.
While the college has written policies on diversity, there is no formal sensitivity training, said Jones, adding that Stark State will continue to respect and encourage diversity.
{snip}
Original article
Email
Shane Hoover
at shane.hoover@cantonrep.com.
(Posted on May 5, 2008)
Comments
One day, Americans are going to forget about all the silly “sensitivity issues”, as the nation detriorates and the very real problems that people around the world have to cope with daily—hit the “sensitive types”.(usually liberal buffoons)
Posted by at 6:07 PM on May 5
The “choice of phrasing was inappropriate, unacceptable and insensitive, yet, was done without malice. That does not, though, reduce the negative impact on our student body, specifically our African-American students and on others who received the letter,” O’Donnell’s letter said.
Why does the name “blackie white” specifically offend and harm “African-American” students? I am a so-called Caucasian-American. Let us suppose that the word “white” in blackie white were offensive to me. Would the administrators of “Stark State College” feel any sympathy for me or feel any need to specifically apologize to those of my race? I should say not.
Perhaps the name “whitey black” would have drawn such sympathy? Don’t hold your breath. That also would have been construed as offensive to blacks. What doesn’t offend them, by the way? Maybe we should ask the NAACP (National Association of Always Complaining People) for a list of things that do not offend them. (My guess is the list would be very short.)
Posted by Don't Spite the White at 6:51 PM on May 5
We as a society have passed the point of no return. This is absolutely absurd, and it sadly indicates just how much of a power shift has taken place. How did “we” allow the blacks to dictate the terms of our society, and to such a degree? This is sheer lunacy.
Posted by at 7:33 PM on May 5
Because one woman gave her dog a funny name, the whole student body is supposed to endure several hours of anti-White indoctrination. It’s a grossly disproportionate response, but that’s typical. What the Blacks really want is the opportunity to rant like the Rev. Wright at Whites who won’t be allowed to get up and leave.
Posted by schoolteacher at 7:37 PM on May 5
“The “choice of phrasing was inappropriate, unacceptable and insensitive, yet, was done without malice. That does not, though, reduce the negative impact on our student body, specifically our African-American students and on others who received the letter,” O’Donnell’s letter said.”
When it reaches this point, it means your political system is on the way out.
Posted by ice at 8:58 PM on May 5
“The “choice of phrasing was inappropriate, unacceptable and insensitive, yet, was done without malice. That does not, though, reduce the negative impact on our student body, specifically our African-American students and on others who received the letter,” O’Donnell’s letter said.”
If you feel esthetically inferior because you have dark skin, any reminder that other people notice your dark skin is insensitive.
Could that be a large part of what is going on here?
Posted by True Resistance at 9:27 PM on May 5
Juxtapose: Would there have been the same reaction to ‘Whitey Black’?
Anecdote: In a 1988 High school assembly on racial relations, the only Black student attempted to con us into thinking that the word ‘black’, by itself-standalone, was a racist word. All it took was for me to point out that a new word to define black would be needed and that it would quickly be usurped and racially applied, thus putting him in another assembly about a whole day later to outlaw the new word for ‘black’. He/We laughed and he dropped the idea. Hopefully this illustrates the absurdity of banning ANY language under our First Amendment.
Synopsis: Only low-level-operators (read:less educated or least in touch with reality) allow any function of words to bother them spiritually or mentally.
Posted by ilovemyfirstamendment at 10:24 PM on May 5
Obviously a great amount of pigment, does not prevent one from having very thin skin.
Posted by at 11:03 PM on May 5
Just when you thought academia couldn’t get any dumber…
Posted by HH at 11:27 PM on May 5
Good thing my sister named her black & white dog “Panda”!
This poor registrar will probably still be asked to resign from her job. That’s the normal script: someone makes a faux pas, the Usual Suspects start their usual shrieking tirade, an apology is made, and the demands for termination continue anyway.
These apologies are for the very naive, who (A) don’t think it’ll ever happen to them, and (B) haven’t been paying enough attention to know the script.
Posted by Michael C. Scott at 12:08 AM on May 6
A normal person would shrug it off - especially after learning it’s the name of a pet. What is needed there is classes on how not to be so easily offended.
Posted by jewamongyou at 12:15 AM on May 6
If you’re White, you’re guilty no matter what you say or do. The sick part of this is that the idiot is “extremely remorseful”. This is sickening. The right thing to say would have been “This is my pet’s name. There is nothing racist about it. You people need to shut your mouths and solve your own problems, instead of blaming them all on Whitey”.
Posted by at 8:02 AM on May 6
And here I was thinking that Canada is the land of the absurd.
Posted by Louis from Montreal at 10:11 AM on May 6
Diversity Training in one sentence - Don’t say anything that can be taken in any way that would hurt a minority’s feelings or you will persecuted to the fullest extent of the law and then some - class dismissed.
Posted by Lost in Paradise at 10:46 AM on May 6
Hmm, I guess that the movie “Fail-Safe” will have to banned
because one of the characters is nick-named “Blackie.”
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058083/
Posted by at 10:56 AM on May 6
When we truly become that third world nation that our politicians are so bent on us becoming, I don’t anybody is going to be worried about these stupid kinds of issues. The real issues are going to be how we are going to feed our families and keep a roof over our heads without having to work 3 jobs.
Posted by Gayle Sollenberger at 5:06 PM on May 6
Back in the days of radio drama and early television, there was detective called “Boston Blackie.” No one thought race was involved in his name. To take offense at “Whitie Blackie,” if sincere, displays a degree of racial mental dislocation that no amount of “sensitivity training” could prepare one against. Note the “if sincere” because most of the time on college campuses the outrage and offense is put on for the purpose of achieving power over the institution and intimidating the students and staff into conformity with left wing goals. Most college administrators apparently trade their manhood for their doctorate.
Posted by William at 5:16 PM on May 6
This solution is obvious. Change the dog’s name and send him to diversity training. That makes as much sense as anything else that goes on in colleges.
Posted by Frank at 5:34 PM on May 6
The name ‘Barack Hussein Obama’ offends me to no end. Strangely, no one seems to care.
Posted by Sensitivity Trainer at 6:39 PM on May 6
The issue that is not addressed here is that the example login name was “bwhite”. That I imagine was more offensive than anything else. I can’t quite understand how someone could use that name and not stop to think that it wont raise a red flag. I also think that it has been blown a bit out of proportion however. Lastly reading the comments above and hearing reactions it is interesting to see how events such as this bring out the true colors of people…meaning their opinions and attitudes toward other races. Don’t get me wrong I think being offended by a mistake like this is slightly far fetched but the comments above are disheartening and I guarantee half of you wouldn’t say any of it around the very people you are talking about.
Posted by Sean at 10:30 AM on May 7
The solution to this nonsense is simple. You can’t offend other races when you live in a monoculture.
Posted by Sensitivity Trainer at 3:47 PM on May 7
I fail to see what all their fussing was about. Nonetheless, it confirms my own policy: never say anything racial or anything that could be remotely (mis)construed as racial.
And don’t use names of colors and never have any string on your desk!!!!
Posted by voter at 12:45 AM on May 10
