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OP-ED:'Gravity,' and other such common-sense notions
by Jerome Frierson and Blake Hyatt
Op-Ed | 5/1/07
Posted online at 10:58 PM EST on 4/30/07
/ Last updated at 6:45 AM EST on 4/30/07
Something profoundly racist happened on our campus last week: The most recent issue of Gravity Magazine was published. And while much of the focus has centered on a fake advertisement, the other pages of the magazine are equally disturbing. They are profoundly sexist, xenophobic, ignorant and offensive on so many other levels.
Since the magazine was printed, a lot of discussion has occurred about what was said, who said it and what should be done about it. A lot of cries of free speech have also been made regarding the same issue.
A forum Sunday night hosted by the Brandeis Black Student Organization addressed the issues brought up by Gravity's publication. At that meeting, among other things, a lot of very strong, very hurt emotions were expressed that came from very real pain. Soon after, the Student Union Senate passed a resolution that speaks to the problems here.
Aside from noting that the magazine violated Rights and Responsibilities-the University's code of conduct-the resolution highlighted how the ad brought "a significant number of members of our community to feel 'unsafe,' 'powerless,' 'unsupported,' 'harassed,' and 'threatened.'"
It further elaborated:
"This issue of Gravity Magazine shows a complete disregard for Brandeis's regrettable history of race-relations and bigotry in campus media including the WBRS Incident (2002), the Justice Incident (Dusty Baker, October 2003), the Lies [magazine] Incident (2005), I Hate You Thugs (The Hoot, March 2006) and countless other experiences of individual students who have been victims of prejudice and hate in campus media and in one-on-one interactions with peers, faculty and staff.
All incidents of ignorance and disrespect affect all members of the community and actively misrepresent our community values and standards."
Something needs to be made abundantly clear here: What was published last week in Gravity has nothing to do with free speech. It was hate speech. The "BlackJerry" advertisement, in particular, involved the layered, dehumanizing use of racial stereotypes and historical references to slavery that were, from the first word to the last, explicitly racist. The supposedly benign intentions of the authors do not negate that fact.
Since the magazine was printed, a lot of discussion has occurred about what was said, who said it and what should be done about it. A lot of cries of free speech have also been made regarding the same issue.
A forum Sunday night hosted by the Brandeis Black Student Organization addressed the issues brought up by Gravity's publication. At that meeting, among other things, a lot of very strong, very hurt emotions were expressed that came from very real pain. Soon after, the Student Union Senate passed a resolution that speaks to the problems here.
Aside from noting that the magazine violated Rights and Responsibilities-the University's code of conduct-the resolution highlighted how the ad brought "a significant number of members of our community to feel 'unsafe,' 'powerless,' 'unsupported,' 'harassed,' and 'threatened.'"
It further elaborated:
"This issue of Gravity Magazine shows a complete disregard for Brandeis's regrettable history of race-relations and bigotry in campus media including the WBRS Incident (2002), the Justice Incident (Dusty Baker, October 2003), the Lies [magazine] Incident (2005), I Hate You Thugs (The Hoot, March 2006) and countless other experiences of individual students who have been victims of prejudice and hate in campus media and in one-on-one interactions with peers, faculty and staff.
All incidents of ignorance and disrespect affect all members of the community and actively misrepresent our community values and standards."
Something needs to be made abundantly clear here: What was published last week in Gravity has nothing to do with free speech. It was hate speech. The "BlackJerry" advertisement, in particular, involved the layered, dehumanizing use of racial stereotypes and historical references to slavery that were, from the first word to the last, explicitly racist. The supposedly benign intentions of the authors do not negate that fact.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
James Sanders
posted 5/01/07 @ 11:56 AM EST
There are many example of anti-Semitic remarks in campus publications and other than an outcry in 1994 over an ad in the Justice there are NO examples of "not small" reaction or any reaction for that matter. (Continued…)
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