ByWillAtkinson.com

Column critical of black students lights off brouhaha
Black fraternity calls for resignation of student paper’s editors

In the Nov. 2, 2005 edition of Winthrop University’s The Johnsonian, copy editor Christine Byington wrote a column critical of some black student’s opinions.

The first sentence of the column, “Black people at Winthrop will probably be angry,” would give Nostradamus a run for his money. Many Winthrop students are incensed over the column.

Alpha Phi Alpha, the predominantly black fraternity, called for the resignation of the entire Johnsonian staff at a rally held Thursday night in Tillman Hall. Over two hundred people packed Tillman auditorium to capacity.

Shouting matches have been reported in the cafeteria, minority students are demanding repercussions and the Johnsonian’s editors (of which I am one) are coming under fire.

As much as Byington’s opinions might be reprehensible to some, it is within her rights to publish them. Her column did not contain any falsities, it did not harm anyone’s reputation and it is not hate speech. Under the first amendment, Byington has the express right to publish her opinion.

The Johnsonian will publish controversial opinions. The staff desires students to discuss and be interested topics addressed in the paper.

The opinions, however, are just that – opinions. Nothing more, nothing less. They do not represent the staff’s views, just the columnist’s.

We invite responses and articles from across the ideological spectrum.

…..

And now, for your intellectual digestion, here is the Christine Byington’s controversial article presented in its entirety:

Student observes double standards at Winthrop
By Christine Byington
Copy Editor

Black people at Winthrop will probably be angry. And I’m sure they will proclaim that Christine Byington doesn’t care about black people. If you care, however, you will read this thoughtfully.

To begin, I think it’s important to state a fact obvious to those who know me well. I don’t mean to implicate all blacks in this. I just have a problem with the belligerent ones who think we aren’t doing enough for them.

Hurricane Katrina brought back to the public attention the ongoing issue of race relations in America. The tragedy quickly shifted from concern for the people affected by the hurricane to the judgment that the federal government did not like black people. Obviously, the federal government has a vendetta against the blacks and chose not to respond to them quickly, right?

Hurricane Katrina brought back to the public attention the ongoing issue of race relations in America.

I guess we’re assuming that the many people of various ethnic backgrounds in the Bush administration don’t care about black people, either.

Today in the daily student announcements I saw the “Black Fact of the Week.” I did not have a problem with this in itself. Surely it is important for us to understand the contributions of black people in our lives. However, this is just one piece of an ever-complicating problem on campus. In case you don’t know, there are quite a few groups on Facebook devoted to black people. Two in particular caught my attention: “Winthrop Does Not Like Black People” and “I Should’ve Went To a Blacker College.”

The first group describes itself as, “a group for people that agree that Winthrop is not a university for black people. Winthrop really doesn’t try to do anything for blacks and black people has to work so hard to get things here.” My main point with that description, being the amateur grammarian that I purport to be, is that the first step to “get things here” is to use proper English. To get what you want, you have to work hard. I don’t think this is a problem unique to black people. Everyone has to work hard in college. I also wonder what they want. If anyone who is a member of that group would like to inform us what they want, then that would be super. My friends and I hypothesize that professors are equal opportunity dislikers. They don’t necessarily make things difficult for you because of your skin color or any other variable. They make things difficult because they can.

I don’t think this is a problem unique to black people. Everyone has to work hard in college.

Seriously, though, what would you like Winthrop to do more of for you? I’m sure the administration would like to hear your options because they dedicate themselves to making Winthrop a positive learning environment. No, that was not a facetious comment.

The second group I mentioned begins its description with a simple question: “Are u sick of not finding anyone good to do your hair without paying an arm and a leg? Do you ever see an HBCU’s band and then hear the sorry Winthrop Pep Band and feel ashamed? Do you find yourself fleeing to other colleges just to enjoy a REAL homecoming (ex: football team)? Did you look around the first day of orientation and was like what the hell did I get myself into? Then you should have gone to a blacker college!”

I think this opinion I am about to write applies to everyone who complains for house about Winthrop. If you hate the school so much, you have options. Namely, go ahead and go to another college. This Facebook group brings up the issue of having no football team at Winthrop. I don’t know about anyone else, but I knew Winthrop didn’t have a football team when I applied. Chances are you did too.

I have enjoyed many-a-comment in class about the plight of black people. Now, I understand taking pride in your heritage. However, it is just that – heritage. We no longer hose people in the streets. I’d say if you have the freedom to sit in a classroom and state those opinions, you’ve got it pretty well. I think the problem many people see with all the racially based arguments is that it seems those who argue the points are using past experience as present justification. They still think that the United States is a racist country and that the country isn’t doing enough for them.

I think the problem many people see with all the racially based arguments is that it seems those who argue the points are using past experience as present justification.

I am a Republican and I definitely believe in the Republican-esque approach to achievement: Anyone can succeed in life if they try hard enough. Sure, there might have been many barriers to black success 40 years ago. However, it is 2005. With the exception of a minority of businesses and perhaps universities, there are not many barriers to deal with anymore. In fact, I think there has been a surge in specialized programs for people of various ethnic backgrounds. For example, I’ve been looking into summer research programs in psychology. I’ve noticed that most of the programs are limited to students of ill-represented groups (i.e., ethnic minorities). I am only half black and I don’t want to use that as my way to get into a program.

Ultimately, I think we need to achieve more equality. To be truly equitable, for example, we should offer programs that are specifically for whites. Yes, I just said that. I’m sure a lot of people just slammed the paper down and spouted a few expletives. But don’t you see the logic here? It can’t be a problem in one instance and not in another. Kids, that’s called a double standard.

To be truly equitable, for example, we should offer programs that are specifically for whites.

This happens far too often, though. Some blacks are happy with the programs that benefit them. Once a similar programs starts that is gears toward whites, all of a sudden the program becomes racist. Like a person I know said once, if an Association of Ivorites was established on campus, people would be up in arms. We need only look at the case of a whites-only scholarship established at Roger Williams University last year. The group who sponsored the scholarship did so not out of racism but out of a desire to be fair.

Those who complain about the state of affairs tend to cit this desire for fairness. However, to be truly fair, we should offer such specialized opportunities for various groups in America. We should also offer White Facts of the Day and Hispanic Facts of the Day, among others.

I think it’s important to mention the groups on Facebook that are devoted to intelligent and articulate blacks. It’s somewhat disappointing when that it perceived as a surprise. I’m sure if you approached any of those people and asked them what people in their families or communities though of them, you’d probably find a few who would tell you people didn’t like them. Some in the black community frown upon black students succeeding in life. I think we have a problem when we need Facebook groups to highlight articulate blacks on campus. While others are spending time complaining about the way things are, there are students at this school who are doing something about those problems.

Some in the black community frown upon black students succeeding in life.

A basic observation of people would show you that if you devote time to complaining about the way things are (Jesse Jackson), you don’t have as much time to devote to finding effective solutions. To the angry black people who might be reading this column, understand that I do not mean ill will toward you. Basically, I’m the “safe” person to write this because I’m biracial. Know that there are many people on this campus who feel the same way I do but who do not want to air their opinions in the Johnsonian because, well, they are white.

I think it’s sad when some whites feel they must stifle their opinions because of the color of their skin. That must be what life was like for blacks in the 1950s.