Marquette University has apparently dumped Susannah Bartlow, the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center director after the center celebrated the completion of a mural featuring convicted Assata Shakur who was convicted of an execution style killing of a New Jersey trooper in 1973. The mural was joint project of the Center and the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
It is astonishing that a mural would be completed without someone making a minimal inquiry as Shakur’s identity as a cop killer and a terrorist. Born JoAnne Deborah Byron, Assata Olugbala Shakur was a member of the former Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army with a long criminal record. In May 1973, she was involved in a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike and accused of killing New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster and wounding Trooper James Harper. She was indicted in relation to six other incidents including murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, bank robbery, and kidnapping. In 1979, she escaped and fled to Cuba. The FBI has classified her as a domestic terrorist and offered a $1 million reward for assistance in her capture. Her history is not hard to find obviously on dozens of websites.
Given that history, it is unbelievable that Bartlow and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority would select her as the inspiring figure for the university. The controversy was triggered by a blog critique by associate professor of political science John McAdams.
Following the disclosure, the university announced that “Susannah Bartlow is no longer an employee with Marquette University.” The sorority’s international communications chairman Leona Dotson said that “[u]nfortunately Ms. Shakur’s entire history and background was not fully researched. If that process had occurred, she would not have been featured in the mural.”
It is a remarkable turnaround for university. The Center released a tweet on March 24th proclaiming “TADA, our mural is finished! In commemoration of the courageous, Assata Shakur.” I could think of many things to call Shakur many things but “courageous” is not one of them.
According to her bio, Bartlow is a graduate of the University of Buffalo with past association with Dickinson College, State University of New York at Buffalo, UB Institute for Research and Education on Women and Gender.
The two quotes selected were:
“No one is going to give you the education you need to overthrow them. Nobody is going to teach you your true history, teach you your true heroes if they know that that knowledge will help set you free.
Before going back to college, I knew I didn’t want to be an intellectual, spending my life in books and libraries without knowing what the hell is going on in the streets. Theory without practice is just as incomplete as practice without history. The two have to go together.”
It’s one of those….Social Justice Churches.
Nope Rick, I actually have been going to a wonderful liberal Christian church. But you probably wouldn’t approve of it.
Annie
1, May 22, 2015 at 3:49 pm
When you’re stuck in one gear and are stuck in a rut, you just spin your wheels.
Sounds like you on religion.
If I were in a car, I’d agree.
But your metaphor is weak.
I would say it’s more a condition of war, where the enemy has taken the field.
When you’re stuck in one gear and are stuck in a rut, you just spin your wheels.
“…. and can’t get out.” Don’t forget that part.
” To me it looks like you are stuck in that gear ”
It’s an international infection.
Just doing my part at stomping it out.
Fallen Heroes Week just ended on Sunday, honoring all the brave cops who have died protecting the people of this country. I think the timing of this was not coincidental. “F@ck those pigs!”
Maybe so Pogo, but you also blamed those obnoxious guys being disrespectful to the female reporter on “man hating feminism, SJWs, Progs, multiculturalism and anti religious sentiment”. To me it looks like you are stuck in that gear and can’t get out. Next up, blame your cold coffee on the “man hating feminist” barista.
“Seems like the local chapter of the sorority at the university knew and approved of it, though the international unit did not”
Why would the international sorority have any input on the mural?
The local chapter made the decision, and now the international sorority id doing damage control.
“chairman Leona Dotson said that “[u]nfortunately Ms. Shakur’s entire history and background was not fully researched. ”
Almost certainly a lie.
More likely, the people involved never thought this was controversial when they put it up.
That’s because they have never been exposed to alternative opinions, likely since kindergarten.
Since we are discussing a leftist/racialist cop killer being hailed in mural by a leftist/feminist Women’s studies professor on the wall of a lesbian-gay student center at a university that recently moved to oust its only conservative professor, it would be difficult -indeed foolish- not to point out the overriding progressive/leftism aspect.
Annie, where can I find this image of the common wingnut tree! Remarkable how well it captures the spirit of the …well, wingnut!
Annie, apparently seeming is not as it seems! Stupid is as stupid does…or says, in this instance…and the many other instances!
Thanks for the link, BK, I was to dig it up but knew it would get lost in the fervor of the threatened majority.
BFM
Seems like the local chapter of the sorority at the university knew and approved of it, though the international unit did not based on Turley’s quote “The sorority’s international communications chairman Leona Dotson said that “[u]nfortunately Ms. Shakur’s entire history and background was not fully researched. If that process had occurred, she would not have been featured in the mural.”
I hear all manner of ridiculous comments on this forum from the same characters everyday. “BDS, SJW, Progs, man hating feminists”, evil teachers unions” etc.etc. It would be laughable if it weren’t so sad coming from seemingly intelligent people.
“No, Pogo, she was a member of the Black Panther Party, a group of Black activists targeted by the FBI’s COINTELPRO program. Members of the BPP were murdered by the FBI, others were imprisoned on trumped up charges, e.g. Assata Shakur.”
Thanks for identifying yourself as a left-wing nut.
I heard a comedy bit on satellite radio making fun of hicks who keep using phrases long after they have been played out. He did a hilarious rift on people who still use “don’tcha know” thinking it’s cool. He also pointed out rubes in the Midwest get the hot phrases last, but then keep using them about a decade after everyone else knows they’re stupid. He pointed out the big bass woofers have played out on the coasts but they’re still going strong w/ Midwesterners.
Yes, Pogo, there sure is a full stock of something here.
SJW derangement syndrome is perfectly normal, don’tcha know?