<p>Just a note, I am not suggesting that the Harvard students are saying the above, however, that attitude is what I run into frequently and it is intimidating.</p>
<p>What do you want links to or quotes for? Another poster up-thread cited a statement from the group about their expansion plans to include people of color. Based on that statement, I made my case. Feel free to counter it with a real argument. The rest of my ideas I’ve more than supported in the last 26 pages. Go back and read the posts.</p>
<p>In the process of researching a social studies project last week, my D found a cartoon showing the heads of two children. One was labeled “Chinese student” and the other “American student.” The brain of the former was shown compartmentalized into academic-type categories like math, science, and computer programming. The brain of the American student contained non-academic categories like video games, pizza, and TV. In our school, there has developed a preference for Asian students over non-Asians when selecting which kids may take AP/honors classes from among the too numerous applications. It is assumed Asians will be more serious and will perform better on the tests in May. During the course selection process last year, my D had to fight to get placed in a certain honors class, despite stellar scores in the pre-requisite classes. The teacher said to her, “But won’t you be too busy with sports?” Does that answer your question, EK? If not, this thread should do it. </p>
<p>Because you called on me to go over your thoughts, one by one, and are now asking another to find evidence- so what is your evidence? Truly.<br>
I couldn’t even Google “I too am Harvard” and “white” and come up with anything to substantiate. Finally, in a Buzzfeed report, we get this:
The Tumblr is part of a larger campus campaign that all started with a play written by sophomore Kimiko Matsuda-Lawrence, pictured above. Matsuda-Lawrence and other members of the Kuumba Singers of Harvard College, Harvard’s oldest existing black organization, came up with the idea last year around spring break. She conducted 40 interviews with black students on campus for an independent study last semester; those interviews are the basis of the play, called I, Too, Am Harvard, which will premiere March 7. She emphasized to BuzzFeed that “I, Too, Am Harvard” is a collective black community project that doesn’t yet reflect that experience of all students of color. “We want to build a larger movement for students of color in general, but this play is for Harvard’s Black Arts Festival,” Matsuda-Lawrence said. “The project is coming out of the black community on campus.”</p>
<p>She refers to “students of color in general” but goes no further- for all anyone knows, she means other SOC on H campus.</p>
<p>Your turn. What says this is anti-white, does not include comments by non-whites, is formed in anger, is classist and all the rest you “think” or “it seems?” </p>
<p>Re: “white privilege”</p>
<p>I find the term “white privilege” to be a rather unfortunate one in terms of describing very real phenomena of racial discrimination. Perhaps a more accurate term for these phenomena would be a “wasted tax on non-white people”, because that is more like what it is (i.e. harm to non-white people, but no benefit to white people or anyone else). The term “white privilege” implies that white people overall gain some overall benefit from racial discrimination, even though the actual effects of such are likely a deadweight loss to white people overall (although specific individuals may benefit in specific instances).</p>
<p>“Privilege” also implies something that perhaps people do not deserve without somehow earning it, even though many of the things that are mentioned in the context of “white privilege” are things that most would say that everyone deserves (analogous to “rights”, although many are not the type of things that can or should be legislated into legal rights).</p>
<p>White privilege is very real, and I don’t find that concept offensive in the slightest. I think some people are misunderstanding the term- of course WP doesn’t mean that a poor white person on welfare is, as a whole, more privileged than a wealthy black executive; it means that by virtue of race, the white person will still have certain privileges the black person doesn’t. If you prefer, call the term majority privilege instead, since that is what a lot of it amounts to. It isn’t “original sin,” it is a reality of being part of the majority. When I go to Israel, I enjoy certain majority privileges as a Jew. In the US, I don’t. That isn’t an accusation, it is just a fact. </p>
<p>My issue here is centering this project at Harvard, and presenting it in such a way that suggests a) there is a substantial race problem at Harvard that leaves black students feeling marginalized and b) that the onus for this is on white Harvard. </p>
<p>It isn’t that I assume Harvard is some utopian bastion of utter racial sensitivity. But any black person at Harvard has clearly gotten a fairly good deal with at least certain members of the white establishment - I can’t think of a much better acknowledgment of someone’s intelligence and value than getting admitted to the premier educational institution of the country, an institution that also has a vibrant African-American studies program and a number of resources and cultural organizations dedicated to minority support.</p>
<p>Does this mean that everything is perfect? No, and I’m sure there are people who make bone-headed or even malicious comments, some of which are reflected in the project. But putting out a project like this as evidence of a pervasive problem at Harvard frankly doesn’t seem all that productive - or credible to me as someone who has spent significant time on elite college campuses. Just the fact that some of these students selected comments made to them by non-Harvard people suggests to me that those students, at least, hadn’t encountered a heck of a lot of racism at Harvard, and, while some of the comments really are pretty inexcusable, if the worst thing that happens to a black student at Harvard is having to deal with the annoyance of some people from lily-white backgrounds asking to touch their hair, I’m not sure if that’s worth having an airing of grievances over.</p>
<p>Apparently the Harvard students disagree.</p>
<p>My kids are big now and can speak up for themselves (like the Harvard students), but I remember all sorts of strange people walking up and stroking their Asian hair when they were little. It got so I would not let go of the grocery cart handle, didn’t dare step away. We were in a nearby, artsy, white town, and a table full of old ladies stormed my two year old’s high chair at a diner, stroking her hair and scaring her. I had to get rude before they would stop touching her. . . so, apprentice, just 'cause it’s not a problem for you, doesn’t mean it’s not a real problem for others. </p>
<p>That’s the white privilege thing. Most white people don’t have to cope with a lifetime of creeps copping a feel of their (kids") hair.</p>
<p>This hair thing is so weird to me. It would never occur to me to touch someone’s hair(or a pregnant woman’s belly), and I wouldn’t like it if anyone did that to me. Actually, many of the comments on this thread are also very strange to me in their insensitivity. When I saw the “I, too, am Harvard” photo project, I was very impressed by these students for sharing their experiences in what I saw as a way to raise awareness, not just about racism, but about the impact of words. I acknowledge that some of the statements that offended those students may have been said without the intent to hurt, but that’s why I found this project to be so important. Those who had no ill will when they made those statements would probably be most interested in this project, as they may actually care about other people and want this awareness so that they do not cause unintentional hurt. And those who don’t care will try to hide behind their “intellectual inquiry” to discount these students. Just because it was a group of Harvard students who chose to do this particular project does not necessarily mean that these experiences are unique to them or to Harvard. However, these are their experiences, and they are very real. </p>
<p>^Here we go again with the accusations… You don’t know me and have no cause so say anything about my caring or lack of caring, especially so cavalierly in a first post and without responding to the arguments I and others have put forth in the last 26 pages. Uncaring people wouldn’t have even looked at the project or engaged in a dialogue.</p>
<p>Precisely because Harvard did it, it has to be examined and examined well. As we’ve already seen, there will be others who follow their lead and say to themselves, as one poster already said, “Harvard thought it was a good idea, and so do I.” Oxford thought the same, did it, and then quickly realized it may not have been wise, recanting with the equivalent of “Uh oh! Now people might think poorly of Oxford and not come, and it really isn’t that bad.” </p>
<p>What accusations? Why is this about you? That’s been the defense here. More than one wrote: I’m not offended when stray comments come my way or I think this is blown up or I think they magnify something innocent. So “they” should “get it” in the way I do. But this really isn’t about what some other group would do with these sorts of comments. </p>
<p>Accusations were made against the H kids- the suggestion this is antagonistic, that their thinking is flawed, for various reasons. Yes, read the thread. </p>
<p>Yes, it seems some here, who are/were offended by what these H kids did, want to diminish them, put them down, tie it to historic “Black anger.” It does seem the defense is people want to excuse their own views but dismiss those of another group- a group of H kids. As if what some don’t see or can’t acknowledge, can’t wrap their heads around, etc, shouldn’t bother others.</p>
<p>Maybe we all take a freaking breath and see how our words DO come across- in life, on a campus, on a thread.</p>
<p>Btw, just coincidence my comments have directly or nearly directly followed yours, GFG. But, each time we did point out something we disagree with you on, you moved to another point. </p>
<p>I can’t think of a much better acknowledgment of someone’s intelligence and value than getting admitted to the premier educational institution of the country, an institution that also has a vibrant African-American studies program and a number of resources and cultural organizations dedicated to minority support.</p>
<p>But, the kids are pointing out it doesn’t magically fix these common social issues on matriculation. And I hope you don;t feel having an African-American studies program is some proof. </p>
<p>Well, if this thread makes any point at all it seems to be that projects like this are a big waste of time and energy.</p>
<p>Nah, we’re all thinking, Flossy. I think that was the point and they succeeded. Sometimes, the impact comes much further down the road, when someone remembers a conversation like this one, processes or filters differently, at that point. Some ideas do need time to work their way through our thoughts. </p>
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<p>I have no idea how you came to that conclusion. I hardly think that the (mostly) adult readers and posters of College Confidential were the intended audience of this project!</p>
<p>Niqii (sp?), I really appreciate your posts in this thread.</p>
<p>Those sympathetic to the project find it somehow eye-opening. Those who don’t see a problem still don’t see a problem. Maybe you are correct and this is an adult issue. But, I doubt it. That’s my observation from a quick reading of this thread. Perhaps I missed something monumental, somewhere.</p>
<p>Wondering LF and mama lion what you make of Melissa Harris-Perry’s very public, televised mockery of the Romney family’s adoption of an african american child? Oh, and then Mitt Romney’s very gracious acceptance of her apology saying “people aren’t perfect”?</p>
<p>The poster MJMAMA said this “And those who don’t care will try to hide behind their “intellectual inquiry” to discount these students.” So lookingforward, since she quoted my phrase, she is accusing me of not caring. That is the accusation I referred to. You need to thoughtfully consider what is being said here, rather than simply assuming that because a poster is on the same side as you that everything she says must be right and everything I say must be invented nonsense. It is amazing to me that those who proudly take on the mantle of being the ones who care and who get it, show a lack of ability to be kind to those with whom they are presently interacting. I suppose it’s easier to be kind in the abstract to people you don’t know and have never spoken to who are miles away, but harder when someone is talking directly with you on a forum.</p>
<p>So, go ahead and defend their sloppily done project that included comments made to them in high school as if they had been said at Harvard. When this scares away bright young “students of color” from attending our nation’s and the UK’s elite institutions, thereby undoing the diligent efforts of those institutions to attract them, then you can say you were the ones who cared about students of color… </p>
<p>A link to the actual would help- I’m just finding the after-talk and apology. And remember, plenty of crap dished out about McCain’s adopted daughter. </p>
<p><a href=“Melissa Harris-Perry’s MSNBC Panel Mocks Mitt Romney’s Black Grandson”>http://www.mediaite.com/tv/melissa-harris-perry-and-msnbc-panel-mock-mitt-romneys-black-grandson/</a></p>
<p>GFG, you’re not the only one to go with that concept, though you could be the first to use the phrase. I think you do care- at the very least because you said your DH is from another country sometimes misrepresented and your kids are Hispanic. I am sure you have been through these thoughts before- and came out with your own ways of processing and going forward.</p>
<p>That’s different than someone-anyone attributing more to these H kids than the simple facts show. It’s one thing to say, “doesn’t bother me.” Or, “bothers me, but I get past it.” Versus dragging on someone else who is bothered. If anyone goes back over the thread, it’s there. A mountain made out of “I, Too, am Harvard.” All sorts of connections made that go far past the gates.</p>
<p>I “cared” enough to attend 6 or more events over the years in honor of black history month at the Ivy institution near my home. After each one, I was uplifted and felt that community had been built and affirmed, not damaged. I cannot say the same for this effort.</p>