LA TImes: Students are channeling their anger

[Nikki Stone1]

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-banks6-2010mar06,0,7776818.column






Racial incidents at UC San Diego illuminate a younger generation's fears and hopes.

By Sandy Banks
March 6, 2010

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The adults in the church sanctuary were itching for a fight, eager to redress years of indignities absorbed growing up black in San Diego.

The black UC San Diego students were nursing a different sort of wrath: the psychic pain of hardworking high achievers, envisioning post-racial acceptance but reduced to crude racial stereotypes instead.

The generations met at a San Diego community forum that drew more than 600 people who were upset over a string of racial incidents spawned by a party promoted by white fraternity members from UC San Diego, "in honor of" Black History Month, that promised a taste of "life in the ghetto" -- cheap clothes, watermelon, malt liquor, gold teeth.

When I first heard about the "Compton Cookout," I was more disappointed than angry. I wished somebody would round up those frat boys, drop them off in Compton and let those "thugs" and "ghetto chicks" they mocked have at them.

I cringed when black students responded with demands and black politicians with press conferences.

Can we not play the "victim" card? I thought. Let's denounce the ignorance and move on.

But the church forum and a visit to campus this week taught me that I was wrong.

Like so many things involving race, the incident was not the issue; the party was just the spark. The problems it unmasked and the venom it unleashed -- waves of anger and backlash -- are far more troubling and dangerous......

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[EFerrari]

1. That's a great photograph.

LOL!

[wtmusic]

2. Let's publish the names and photographs of all the funny frat boys

Why would they be ashamed of their innocent little prank?

[Nikki Stone1]

5. YES

Great idea.

Their fratenity website is here:

http://www.pikes.org/

Notice how WHITE all the pictures are.

[stray cat]

3. We should all channel are anger by being productive and creative - ie something constructive

[yurbud]

4. great photo