<p>In my research of schools to which I may apply, I have repeatedly come across accounts from current students and alumni about the racial tensions and racism at the University North Carolina.</p>
<p>Normally, I don’t put a lot of stock into isolated negative comments about a school, but those related to racism and narow-minded intolerance in the student body at UNC are disconcerting. </p>
<p>Can any current student or recent alumnus comment on the validity of these comments? Thanks.</p>
<p>The only example of narrow mindedness that I can think of is what happened when Tom Tancredo came to speak at UNC. And that had nothing to do with race.
[Protest</a> stops Tancredo’s UNC speech - Immigration - News & Observer](<a href=“http://www.newsobserver.com/news/immigration/story/1486087.html]Protest”>http://www.newsobserver.com/news/immigration/story/1486087.html)</p>
<p>Just about anywhere you go, you will run into people who believe that a certain race is superior to others. That being said, racism is probably about as nonexistent at UNC as it can be on a college campus. Something to note, Dean Smith (the revered UNC basketball coach from the 1960’s-1997, and probably the most beloved living figure in UNC history) was a staunch supporter of civil rights. One of his early claims to fame was the recruitment of Charlie Scott, one of the first black scholarship athletes in the South. Legend has it that while Charlie Scott was visiting Chapel Hill, he and Dean Smith went to a restaurant on Franklin Street for lunch. The restaurant, at the time, had a policy of only serving whites. Charlie Scott was initially refused service; at that point, Dean Smith walked up to the owner and told him, “Sir, you WILL serve this young man.” And Charlie Scott was served, and later became the first black scholarship athlete at UNC and one of the first black scholarship athletes in the south.</p>
<p>And for the record, I have not encountered any racism at UNC (nor has anybody I know, to the best of my knowledge), and I feel that there is very little racial tension present.</p>
<p>Thanks for the response.</p>
<p>I have not noticed any racial tension at UNC or in Chapel Hill in general.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t let the reports you found factor into your decision.</p>
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<p>Please cite your sources. I have never heard of anything remotely resembling your comments/accusations occurring at UNC or in Chapel Hill which are both considered to be among the most liberal places in both North Carolina and the South in general.</p>
<p>The reports come from two relative alumni who admittedly attended years ago. The more recent reports come from a student review Website (CC is censoring) which is also admittedly not reliable. This lack of reliability prompted me to ask for opinions on this site.</p>
<p>Some quotes from claimed students and recent alumni on the site:</p>
<p>“I hated this school. Being from NC, perhaps I was expecting something close to heaven from the way everyone talked about it, and maybe this was the problem. There is sooo much racism, I’m a white female and I’m even disturbed by it.” (Female, Class of 2012)</p>
<p>“A world of superficiality and unadulterated racial tension. The racial tension is not outward, no, not in the South…but it comes in waves. I am African-American and the way that I am looked at (anywhere from genuine curiosity to pure contempt) to the way that I am spoken to (it seems as though a sizeable number of the White students at UNC have never dealt with African-Americans or anyone who did not look/act/think just like them…I just want to spoken to like a person and approaching me with slang and street hand gestures is NOT impressive) to the way that I am often treated (as if I, and every other African-American at this school got in solely because of race) is really getting to my head. I have never felt so disheveled in my life…so out of place. …I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE.” (Male, Class of 2010)</p>
<p>"And the racial tension is ridiculous. It wouldn’t bother me as much if there were only a lot of people who were “intentionally” ignorant/racist, but there are more people who do not understand that they are racist. One girl said to me “You’re one of the nice, pretty black people” (Female, Class of 2011)</p>
<p>OK, well I wouldn’t put too much faith in the first review you posted, since it has no real examples.</p>
<p>I am a person of color and have a weird last name and go to UNC. Sure, I get some funny looks from time to time (this is in general, not so much at UNC though), but I don’t let that bother me. I just stick my tongue out at them and go about my business. It’s not like looks kill. I find that there are a lot of people that get themselves waaaaayyyyyyy too worked up about stuff like that. I was fortunate enough to go to an elementary and middle school where there were kids of all races, many of whom lived below the poverty line and so was able to learn, from a young age, how to be sensitive in dealing with this issue. While I can’t say know for sure some of the situations that some of the students you’ve cited were going through, nor how they were feeling, I personally feel like they are blowing things out of proportion. That being said, there are certainly people at UNC who come from areas where the population is relatively homogeneous, and it simply was not part of their experiences growing up having to deal with other people of different backgrounds and ethnicities. There are parts of North Carolina that are just like that. This does not mean these people are racist. I bet if the 2010 dude or the 2011 girl just spoke up and said, “You know, the way you phrased what you just said is sort of offensive to me”, then 99% of the people of UNC would be sensitive to that, and try not to repeat their mistake. And people (in general, not just at UNC) don’t seem to understand that everybody’s a little bit “racist.” It’s just a part of human psyche to want to treat someone who’s a little bit different from you, well, a little bit differently. To me, racism isn’t about being insensitive to a certain race, especially if you’ve never had a lot of experience in dealing with that sort of situation. That’s just being inexperienced, and therefore insensitive, and this can be fixed rather easily. Rather, it’s about believing that one race is superior to another, a view which is about as non-existent at Carolina as it can be.</p>
<p>Thank you, phonyreal, for your response. It helped me understand the reality.</p>