Racist protest at Ole Miss

[Bay]

It would be helpful to know what the students involved actually said, and how many of the 400 were saying it. Even if that means posting it as *******. I read the OP and watched the video and there is nothing that tells us what these students said that was objectionable (other than describing it as "racist epithets," which is a subjective term until you read the words, imo), other than burn a campaign sign and congregate to protest against the winning candidate, which I think is pretty progressive since my generation didn't bother to vote in college.

I'm from the West Coast and moved to VA for a few years about 30 years ago. I didn't see any Confederate flags in VA, but I saw them in rural MD, and they did strike a racist chord with me, though I had no prior history in that area of the country.

[ucbalumnus]

Originally Posted by collegealum314

Actually, context does matter, considering that it is also a symbol in Hinduism if I recall correctly.

And many others: Swastika - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

However, the actual pattern of the Nazi flag is distinctive, compared to other (non-Nazi) uses of swastikas.

[Quotia]

Some people use the battle flag as a generalized symbol of rebellion or self-proclaimed redneckness or badassery.
Many groups also use the flag as a symbol of their southern heritage or southern culture, although that's a lot dicier. Let's face it, the culture that southerners (even those who didn't own slaves) were fighting to uphold was that of a slaveholding society.
It's no accident that the flag fell out of use after the war, only to resurface during the disfranchisement efforts of the end of the 19th century and then again during the civil rights movement.
Although a person who uses the battle flag doesn't necessarily know or agree with the uses that white supremacist groups made of the flag, it's hard to divorce the flag from its historical context, if not in the eyes of the person using it, then in the eyes of observers.
So, there are a number of reasons that a person might display the flag that have little or no bearing on that person's own beliefs about race, but that person should also recognize that others probably will not see it the same way.

[hops_scout]

If the majority of the population thinks it symbolizes racism then that is what it symbolizes.

Wow.. not sure what else to say

[Yakyu Spirits]

Not sure why people are surprised. It's Mississippi after all..

[coralbrook]

I must be senile or something.... I don't remember whether there were racial protests when Obama won the first term? Why are the students upset for the second term?

[NewHavenCTmom]

This is why I toss all college/university mail that comes from southern schools. I realize that racism exists here in the north as well but the thought of sending my daughter to a southern school scares the crap outta me!

[ecouter11]

^Actually, context does matter, considering that it is also a symbol in Hinduism if I recall correctly.

The Nazis flipped over the Hindu symbol. Furthermore, the Hindu version tends to have 4 dots in each "corner". They are differences.

[soccerguy315]

From the campus paper (link above): "Hundreds of Ole Miss students exchanged racial epithets and violent,politicized chants"

In the 1st link, even the University chancellor acknowledged "nevertheless, the reports of uncivil language and shouted racial epithets appear to be accurate".

I don't know what was said, but I can guess... do you only consider it racist if white people use the terms that were likely used? what if black people used them?

i'm just wary to label everything racist... are we saying they are really protesting b/c Obama is black? I find that unlikely (but I guess it is possible).

[sseamom]

NewHaven-are HBCU's on your daughter's radar at all? My D wants very much to attend one and we're in the Pacific NW-WAY out of our comfort zone! None of us have been to the south other than a beach vacation in FL D and I took last year. This summer we're all going on a car tour to see what it's really like and to look at some of the HBCU's. We figure the SCHOOLS will be welcoming-the surrounding areas are what scare us. We'll see how it goes.

[limabeans01]

Oh gag," the confederate flag is just a sign of southern pride." Who cares what any one individual or( racist group) think it symbolizes. If the majority of the population thinks it symbolizes racism then that is what it symbolizes. To say, "well that's not what we think it symbolizes so we're going to use it anyway" is just ridiculous.

OL Miss has some work to do. First thing is to get rid of a mascot that is associated with hate. This will send the message to the IDIOT racist students that they have gone too far. Ol Miss needs to join the rest of the modern world. Until it does, it will be seen as substandard to rest of the US.

[NewHavenCTmom]

@sseamom

She really isn't too interested in applying to any HBCU's. Spelman has been tossed around in conversation but I doubt it will make it to the final list next year. We will see. Her top choices are schools in the NE and one in CA. I am not even sure how the schools received her name/address. She gets something from them everyday!

[cartera45]

Point being, The confederate flag doesn't stand for racism as much as it stands for states' rights

I kept looking for the "LOL" after this, but alas....

Of course, the Confederate flag is racist

I love that the Dean of Students name is Spark Reardon - that is priceless.

[cardoza]

I am willing to bet that there was nothing hatefully racist involved. I believe that comments about Obama's skin color were made, but I highly doubt Obama's skin color was the provocation for such a riot. From anger in both myself and what I have observed in others, when someone is angry with someone they tend to turn everything about that person bad. Its like when Chris Rock explained how when you hate someone, everything they do ****es you off "look at him, eating a f***ing salad like he own the place". Personally, and I may be very wrong, I believe that the racial comments were just simply made because they were things identifiable to Obama, and not attacks against black people.

[ucbalumnus]

Originally Posted by NewHavenCTmom

Her top choices are schools in the NE and one in CA. I am not even sure how the schools received her name/address. She gets something from them everyday!

Has she taken any standardized tests like PSAT, SAT, ACT, or AP? Colleges presumably buy lists of test takers from the College Board.