This is the 2nd segment on the Blackface Agenda previously posted at my other joint Forms of Thought. If you goto clemson you know exactly what I mean...Lets take a look at some
numbers:
Texas A.M. Mens basketball has 13 black players on a team of 19. I am assuming from the promo pic that the Womens team mirrors this statistic as well, and lets not forget the pride of aggie land the mens football team. My question is how is it that in a time where blacks attending college (males especially) is supposed to be scarce, how is it that we have this saturation of black student athletes in the sports which happen to generate the most revenue for these schools? So the institutional minstrel show takes shape in the form "Collegiant Athletic Programs" its ok to do it formally, its the crude physical manifestations we happen to frown upon, hence the condemnation for the actions of some students doing exactly the same thing we see every time we turn on a TV. The statistical irregularites presented by the institutions of higher learning really dont require to much in the way of investigative reporting, take a look this coming March at the ratio of black players on each team (The Basketball tournament) and compare this number to the to overall enrollment of black students at the school and I am positive we will have some disparities. I guess the atheletic director didnt get the blacks are in short supply memo... And please spare me the "rising up from the challenges" scenario, its tired and condescending beyond relief. The segment you see on ESPN about how Little Latrell's (black athlete) momma had to work 3 jobs and lived in the projects, but by the grace of god (I am so blessed) and some serious tough love (throw in some white mentorship here) Latrell was one of the lucky ones. Latrell gets to dance on the big stage at my "institution" its an opportunity for him to make something of his life, and you should be thankful.
Now dont get me wrong Texas A.M. is just one of many (pretty much all) who fall into this scenario. But dont take my word for it look at the stats, and the stat that matters most is the money. Schools make big bucks from TV, the better the school the more money to throw around, (and spare me the booster club alumni BS because if that was the case Yale, Harvard, etc.would be winning everything hands down (which they are but in a different/same kinda spectrum)). The big sports bring in cash to help develop other programs, and in many cases carry them outright. Lets take a look at the swim team or in the case of Texas A.M. the womens volleyball team which has 1 black player (got this from their website) or for that matter any team out side of Football or Basketball, and I am sure you will get a much more realistic ratio of black students in attendance at the school in question based upon their representation on these particular teams. Now I like Womens Volleyball, and I am sure LaCrosse is a big deal to many people, but I dont see these programs bringing in multi-million dollar contracts (advertising, merchandising, telecast) to anyone/institution/program period, end of discussion, stop, let it go....
Blackface minstrelsy's groundbreaking appropriation, exploitation, and assimilation of African-American culture—as well as the inter-ethnic artistic collaborations that stemmed from it—were but a prologue to the lucrative packaging, marketing, and dissemination of African-American cultural expression and its myriad derivative forms in today's world popular culture. (wikipedia)
BlackFace incidents
Fraternity Skit Splits UW-Whitewater Campus
Matthew Schram is sorry that he appeared in a UW-Whitewater skit in blackface. I'd like to apologize," the junior said. "I'm sorry for my ignorant actions. I am not a racist. I was brought up to love my neighbor." But few students who attended a campus forum on diversity Monday were ready to accept his apology.
"We should have prevented it," Chancellor Jack Miller said. "We can do a better job in watching acts on and off stage." Mike, a Lutheran pastor, said his son has many black friends and never would intentionally do anything to offend them. "There were two black students in the variety show, and if they had thought it was a racist presentation, they would have objected,"
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The University of Tennessee will not penalize six white fraternity members accused in a "blackface" incident, saying the right of expression must be protected even "when some find it to be insensitive and offensive."
This month, in a Web posting and an ad in the student newspaper, the university denounced the incident but said it would not punish the students or the fraternity. It said in a statement that the students' First Amendment rights limited the school's ability to punish them.
"The University of Tennessee is firmly committed to protecting the constitutional rights of freedom of speech and expression — even when some find it to be insensitive and offensive," the statement said.
"To African-Americans, blackface recalls old time minstrel shows that depicted African-Americans as ignorant simpletons — mere human scenery. Blackface resurrects latent stereotypes and undermines progress."
The 25,500-student university is about 7% black.
In the past , Auburn University, Oklahoma State University and the University of Virginia all have experienced fraternity blackface incidents.
