We have been discussing the increasing reintroduction of racially segregated spaces on college campuses as well as the reduction of free speech protections. The latest controversy has arisen at California State University Los Angeles where the school has created alternative housing for African American students. I have long been a critic of such segregated spaces — even voluntary — as inimical to the mission of universities to offer inclusive, pluralistic institutions. I recognize the good-faith concerns behind such housing but, in the end, I feel such spaces are a step back from the progress that we have made since the 1960s.
Last year, the university’s Black Student Union protested frequent “racist attacks” on campus including “racially insensitive remarks” and “microaggressions” by professors and students. They demanded a “CSLA housing space delegated for Black students.” They described the space as cheaper housing that “would also serve as a safe space for Black CSLA students to congregate, connect, and learn from each other.”
Cal State LA spokesman Robert Lopez insisted that the Halisi Scholars Black Living-Learning Community “focuses on academic excellence and learning experiences that are inclusive and non-discriminatory.” Other schools have created spaces set aside for black students, including University of Connecticut as we have previously discussed.
The motivation of such spaces of laudatory but I view them as counterproductive. College students of all races must learn to thrive in a pluralistic society and not retreat into safe zones or segregated spaces. There is obviously a blurred line in such distinctions. Organizations that allow students with like backgrounds or shared values are healthy as part of the college experience. However, housing set aside on a racial basis is highly problematic in my mind as ultimately counter productive in achieving a fully integrated and respectful forum for learning.
The Los Angeles Times maintains that this is “nothing new” since universities have offered “themed” housing for years. This includes themed housing for Asians and other groups. That may not be new but does not make it a good practice. That fact that we call it “themed” rather than “segregated” does not change the fundamental question of the wisdom of separating students based on race. I have written about this trend for many years as a matter of great concern though I admit that I appear to be in the minority. For prior columns click here and here.
Yes it’s a step back. But in our violent society, students wanting to feel safe is also understandable. What is needed is welcoming, inclusive housing- and that is harder to create. Did anyone ask Cal State if they have any such plans?
Need to have a separate internet for each race.
Forced integration is just as bad as forced segregation if only one or the other is available. Otherwise, it’s a choice — that every individual can make for himself or herself. Free choice to associate, or not to associate, with whomever one chooses, for whatever reasons, is generally considered guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution, singly or as a group. Anytime a group, especially with the power of government, decides to require or prohibit something, freedom is lost.
This makes me feel physically nauseous.
They are self segregating. Creating “other” rather than diversity and tolerance. In some ways, stepping onto this campus is going to feel like a throwback to the 1950s. Will they have a black lunch counter, too? The irony is they are doing it to themselves.
Too many people are becoming offense junkies. Or rage profiteers. Universities are going to rue the day they have caved into this nonsense when someone sues them for racial segregation.
Did you major in English?
Yesterday’s NYT had a story on this “new direction” taken by our so-called colleges.
The new diversity director explain her job with the following: “Don’t ask a black male if he is a basketball player and don’t ask a Oriental girl if she can help you with a math problems.”
Just maybe he is a player and will more than willing join the game and maybe just maybe the Oriental girl might take the request as a compliant.
That is were we are heading. Who knows. This job of diversity director is full time. Of course new teaching staff works out of his or her car trunk. Does not has an office or is not able to meet with students unless they use the back seat. They are hired year by year and if anyone (student) files a bad report on his or her teaching he is gone and is not allow to know who filed the charge.
Need I say more.
Well said Hal, it seems as though upper education has lost sight of it’s mission in general. It is a shame what has happened to the real people who hold the knowledge–which is the reason you further your education to begin with. It’s amazing to me that administration is the focal point now. Too much inflationary cash available, and the education bubble is going to blow one day too, and that will take care of a lot of this operating overhead silliness, if it doesn’t drag down the whole university system first. When the cash goes away, so will the push for these programs.
Most Blacks do not seem interested in assimilation and, like most people, they want every advantage they can get. Few Black leaders – whether Pastors or otherwise – are willing to risk the inevitable blacklash from telling their followers to pull their pants AND their hands up, that not learning proper English isn’t acceptable, that “Angry Black Woman/Man” responses to stress is a sign of weakness, and violence is not an acceptable way to resolve disputes. Additionally, course language and obscene references aren’t admirable traits to emulate. Also, stealing, theft, and gaming the “System” (e.g. undeserved social benefits such as Food Stamps, Section 8 assistance, Handicap parking placards, Disabilty income, illegal tax deductions for children, Gold Cards etc) deserve condemnation, not admiration or envy.
You’re not injured when blacks speak to each other in dialect. Most blacks switch back and forth between dialect and standard English quite seamlessly.
You are correct except for the part about standard English, but I didn’t say anything about me being personally injured from anything I wrote.
Somewhat of a retreat for the Blacks; after all that they have gone through to give up on changing that which remains in society. Look back fifty years or so and compare the shame of American society then with the privilege, opportunity, and respect of today and anyone with half a brain would continue on fixing things. White racism needs to be continued to be addressed. However, at this point it is becoming Black racism that may be filling the void. Integrate, integrate, integrate until it goes away.
But isn’t “integration” just another tool for submerging blacks into white culture??? Which personally I don’t have a problem with, because I prefer civilization to jungle savagery, with no apologies.
But, from a black perspective, isn’t integration just trying to squeeze them into “acting white???” Which too many of them just don’t want to do. I am OK with forcing them into it, but are Liberals really okay with it? Because diversity.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Attempting to fold, spindle and mutilate people until their banal decisions about who to associate with and how to spend their time is a fool’s errand.
There’s actually been considerable deconcentration of black populations where I grew up and most blacks now live either in loci where they’re a modest minority or in decidedly biracial neighborhoods.
What we should be doing is addressing quality of life deficits in places where blacks congregate, an activity which requires committing resources but not expanding the scope of local government beyond what would have been normal a century ago.
IDK, why should white people do anything to help black people??? We didn’t take them to raise. They’re adults, and they know what marriages are, and what illegitimate children are. If they choose to act trashy, why should I care much one way or the other???
I agree that Liberal Democrats should not be currently offering, and never should have offered, them money to produce illegitimate children in return for votes. But, blacks had the option to keep their pride and dignity, and refuse the bribe. Similarly, blacks could try doing their homework in school as opposed to acting like fools. But whichever, why is it white peoples’ responsibility to fix them? Black people that behave themselves get along just fine.
About the only thing I can see us doing is starting a Mighty Whitey Black Bedroom Patrol, and begin hosing them down when they start to mate. Like you do with dogs out in the yard. But some Liberal would just complain that it was reminiscent of Selma or something, and throw a bucket of cold water on the idea.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
If you say so Squeeky, but to some it means simply having access to the same opportunities as everyone else. It is interesting how one translates words to reflect one’s philosophies, temperament, beliefs.
They would have the same opportunities as anybody else, if they started behaving themselves. And quit blaming white people and white privilege and post traumatic slavery syndrome. Their problems are themselves. If you are a black girl who pops out four illegitimate kids by four different baby daddies, you have just slammed-dunked your own opportunities. And your kids, to boot.
Frankly, I am sick of blacks, and sick of their stupid whining. Helping them is like helping junkies. All they are going to do is take your money and buy drugs. Same with blacks. They will take the money and keep on living in a trashy fashion. The best thing we can do for blacks is to leave them alone, and quit helping them. Then, they will have to start dealing with reality. I think most will make it. Some won’t.
Go get Jason Riley’s book, about “Stop Helping Us”. It is a good book. Very readable.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
White racism needs to be continued to be addressed.
No, it doesn’t. It’s not consequential. What needs to be addressed is slum disorder – in the streets and in the schools – as well as perverse incentives dangled in front of blacks (and some other communal groups, like Puerto Ricans).
Nothing will be done, of course, because effecting repairs is never the point. Striking poses is the point.
The motivation of such spaces of laudatory
It isn’t laudatory.
If the youths in question wish to live in black-only housing, they can move off campus and the college can quit treating its students like serfs bound to use college housing. We might even have the sense to restore freedom-of-contract in real estate transactions, which would allow vulgar sorts like landlords the same discretion to set up ‘theme’ housing as fancy sorts like college deans are allowed (with public property rather than putting their own property on the line).
More fodder to prove that all this BLM nonsense is another way of excusing responsibility and accountability for bad behavior.
The races will never get along until ALL those that wish to separate them, whatever their reasons may be, quit trying to do so. Those who throughout history decried special privilege for one race are now guilty of it themselves.
If there’s one thing we learn from history, it’s that we don’t learn from history.
They need a major for Strong Armed Robbers. Call it the Michael Brown Department.
They need to go one better. Or three better. Create Black only schools, Jap only schools, Chinese only schools, White only schools and a Misc. School for those of different stripes.
LOL! Liberals have done a sharp pivot on segregation and are now aligned w/ the KKK. Of course, if an all white dorm was proposed that would be “RAAACIST.” This would all be amusing if not so destructive and divisive.
I think they should name the first building The Michael Brown Project. One of Michael Brown’s protesters just died yesterday. He was shot and killed and his car burned with his body in it. I won’t say his name. But he had a bumper sticker on the back of the burned car which was still readable.
It said: Strong Armed Robbers Need Love Too!
(music)
Strong Armed Robbers Need Love too stickers! and its….
Up Against the wall redneck mothers!
Mothers who have raised their sons so well.
She’s 34 and workin in honky tonks…
Kickin hippies asses and raisin hell.
–tribute to Michael Brown’s mother
The next housing project bldg could be named: BLM House. Another name could be: California Dreaming. Another name could be: Al Sharpton Project.
There are NO VALID REASONS for segregated housing. I’m sick of hearing only white people are racist and no matter what black activists do it is by definition right. No, segregated housing is wrong.
Any school that condones or enables it should lose its federal funding immediately.
The most successful organization in terms of integration has been the military IMO. Troops don’t get to choose who they want to live/work with. This model should be applied to universities as well.
Amen to that. There is a lot about the type of citizen these young men and women turn into that should be modeled.
It’s interesting to me that African Americans once marched in protest of segregated housing, and now they are demanding it. Insanity.
The protests concerned voting registration, segregated bus lines, segregated commercial space, &c. Not sure housing was ever the object of public demonstrations.
This public use of money to benefit one race over another is discrimination. The next day the males will be asking where da white women are at.
Has anyone pursued a violation under the Fair Housing Act? The notion of Disparate Impact might be applicable–I wonder.
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/14pdf/13-1371_m64o.pdf