Two students make a racist video, in blackface. Will they get kicked out?

[idarkphoenixi]

I want to say I'm shocked people would be so stupid as to leave video evidence of such stupidity but what am I saying? This is the internet after all.

Most people commenting seem to be pretty damn outraged. I'd like to say I am as well but the whole thing to me is just so stupid that it loops back around into hilarity (at their expense, of course). Chances are the univeristy will get a sniff of this and assuming the press puts on the pressure I guess we're looking at a couple of expulsions.

EDIT: Seems the video was removed due to racism. Damn that was quick. It was still locked on the 303view count.

Alternative link posted. Thanks to DoPo for providing.

 

[MammothBlade]

I don't think they should be kicked out. It's goofy and stupid and all, but it's not worth destroying their chances at getting a degree. They should just apologise, it's the proper thing to do.

 

[idarkphoenixi]

I don't think they should be kicked out. It's goofy and stupid and all, but it's not worth destroying their chances at getting a degree. They should just apologise, it's the proper thing to do.

Pretty much what I was thinking. Like I said, I find it more amusing just at the sheer ridiculousness of it all, so I'm not going to be calling out for their heads. But we all know how the media loves this kind of story. I'm guessing it makes big news and the university caves in and kicks them out to cover their own ass.

 

[JoJo]

Well fuck, at the time of writing it's already been "removed as a violation of YouTube's policy prohibited hate speech", that was quick. Must have been popular, sadly since I didn't get a chance to see it I can't really comment on it's offensiveness...

 

[BathorysGraveland]

Well, unfortunately the video is down, so I can't state a completely honest opinion. But from what I can gather, it seems like something really, really silly. Not worth making too much of a fuss about it and potentially ruining these kids next few years. I agree with Blade, an apology and move on would be fine. It's a damn shame if their lives get fucked over by a stupid immature decision.

 

[DoPo]

Found something that looks like a reupload but dunno, seems longer (I haven't wantched all of it yet)


It does seem pretty stupid so far, though.

EDIT: OK, the original video with the two girls ends right around the 5 minute mark. Then some dude talks about it.

EDIT 2: Meh, that dude...erm, not much of an improvement over the girls, I think. Dunno, don't watch him if you don't wnat to, I'd say.

And I found another video that is a response and...the dude seems OK, I suppose, so I'll link it.

 

[Aaron Sylvester]

So I watched the video in the OP, at the 5 minute mark the black guy talks about not giving an emotional response, followed by 5 minutes of an emotional response. Sure he didn't GET emotional, but he definitely proved that two random girls who recorded a racist video as a joke (a cruel racist joke, but still a joke) deserve to be extensively talked and discussed. So in essence they got the attention they wanted and now there's a huge outcry.

This basically proves how incredibly EASY it is to piss people off and grab attention, just harp a bit of racism (or mock the Islam religion if you feel like sparking-off worldwide riots/protests), upload to Youtube and BAM views and responses everywhere, thousands/millions of views! All I can say is holy crap.

You can be racist towards me all day long in endless Youtube videos, guess what? I won't give a shit, and you will never get a vew/response from me because you don't deserve my time/energy.
So what makes these girls so special?!

Then there's also the double standards. If two black people made such a video being jokingly racist towards whites, they would get jack-all attention - in fact, you would even see a few people AGREEING with them.
But the kind of mind-blowing attention two white people get for making a racist video against black people? It appears that cultural guilt and history still play a strong role when handing down judgement.

 

[BathorysGraveland]

Why isn't it worth destroying it? They're a pair of racists, why do we need to waste time getting those sorts degrees?

Well for one: they're young. You say stupid shit without thinking when you're young, and second: everyone can change opinions and views. If they are true-blues racists, they may change those beliefs in a year.

 

[Aaron Sylvester]

Then there's also the double standards. If two black people made such a video being jokingly racist towards whites, they would get jack-all attention. Nowhere near the same amount of attention as two white people would get for making a racist video against black people, I guarantee it. It appears that cultural guilt and history still play a strong role when handing down judgement.

It is utterly fascinating how some people can fabricate a scenario, get outraged about it, and then act as if they just showed us the greatest injustice ever all in such a short time.

Sorry but exactly who got outraged?

 

[DoPo]

Well for one: they're young. You say stupid shit without thinking when you're young

This justification I've seen too many times but it doesn't always make sense. A child knock over a vase and breaks it, despite repeatedly being warned they might do it - yea, I can see it there. 20ish year olds talking stupid stuff, potentially really offensive - 's OK, I suppose. It's not like I'm not guilty of it. But recording the latter and sharing it with the whole world to see...yeah, I sort of never did that. Nor has anyone I know. I don't think "Gee, they are young" can always be used as an excuse.

 

[DoPo]

EDIT: Seems the video was removed due to racism. Damn that was quick. It was still locked on the 303view count.

Alternative link posted. Thanks to DoPo for providing.

OK, lol, just checked the tab with the YouTube search (I just typed in their names, for the record) where I found the alternative video, and there is now another alternative video, which was just uploaded. I went there and it had 1 view. It's just a reupload of the original one, so it might sit better in the OP

 

[DugMachine]

Uh that was a painfully awkward and tasteless video. That aside, no thess girls don't deserve to be kicked out. They seem the type who got free rides of their mommy and daddies wallets and I'm sure they'll flunk out just fine on their own.

 

[MammothBlade]

Here's a bit of backstory and their apology:

?We were doing facials and it happened to have been a brown facial mask,? Cooper said in an email. ?We had to leave it on for 12 minutes. During that 12 minutes, we horribly decided to make a video that we regret and are not happy about. This was made over a year ago.?

Cooper continued her email in an apologetic manner.

?I am saddened and sick to my stomach and sorry for anybody it offends. It was not mine or hers intention at all and we are embarrassed about it. We understand we cannot do anything about it now but apologize and inform people we did not paint our faces or put that on to purposely make a video. It was something that just happened after putting the facial cream on and we are so deeply sorry. This video does not define our true selves at all.?

http://colorlines.com/archives/2012/11/two_minnesota_students_record_a_terribly_racist_rant_in_blackface.html

I don't think they should be kicked out. It's goofy and stupid and all, but it's not worth destroying their chances at getting a degree. They should just apologise, it's the proper thing to do.

Why isn't it worth destroying it? They're a pair of racists, why do we need to waste time getting those sorts degrees?

The answer to casual racism is more education, not marginalisation. And look, these girls said sorry, it was an error of judgement not blatant racial hatred.

I also don't agree with ruining peoples' lives over a stupid video.

 

[Aris Khandr]

I don't think they should be kicked out. It's goofy and stupid and all, but it's not worth destroying their chances at getting a degree. They should just apologise, it's the proper thing to do.

Why isn't it worth destroying it? They're a pair of racists, why do we need to waste time getting those sorts degrees?

Which is more likely to result in less racism later:

A. They get expelled, return home to whatever home life allowed them to grow up with those views in the first place, and never get their worldview challenged again.

B. They stay in college, frequently attending classes with black students and black professors, and potentially challenging their racist point of view every single day.

It seems to me that expelling them will do no good in either the short or long term.

 

[Aaron Sylvester]

Oh so you like the idea of cultural guilt and weren't complaining, that's nice. Wrong to think you proved anything, but cute.

Alright, it would be lovely if what you have said so far made any kind of sense.