145 Comments
Die-in on College Walk
During this year’s Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on College Walk, students staged a protest in the form of a die-in. This action is in continued response to the recent rulings on the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases. Students were spotted carrying signs saying “we can’t breathe” prior to the ceremony.
We received a tip earlier tonight about the die-in, including instructions to students interested in participating. All participants were asked to wear black, and organizers requested that white allies not take part in the die-in and instead pass out fliers in regards to the protest. Visit us on Twitter for live updates throughout the protest.
Update 7:39pm:
Here is the official Die-In Mission Statement distributed to students:
“SHUT IT DOWN. [BUT KEEP THIS HUSH UNTIL WE DO]
Action on CU campus in response to the recent non indictment of the Pigs who killed Mike Brown & Eric Garner and the continued police murder of Black bodies.
DIE-IN 12/4 during Tree Lighting Ceremony. Lay down on College Walk btwn the Sundial & Broadway @ 6:40pm. Wear Black.
WHITE ALLIES: Because your bodies are not targeted by the system in the ways Blk&Brown bodies are, we ask u to please help us pass out fliers at this time instead of participate in die-in.
After the action, we will head downtown to #ThisStopsToday action in Foley Square.
BSO will host an on campus space to discuss from 9-11 in X Lounge.”
Loading …
145 Comments
@Anonymous okay, I am looking at all the light-gray, comic-sans downvoted posts, and I celebrate the learning opportunity going on.
Not the posts themselves- you guys are pretty much throwing a stupid party with yourselves as guests of honor- but that you’re illustrating to folks on the fence exactly how bad the problem is.
Really, you’d think being at an ivy and paying some minimal attention to the world around you would wash some of that foolishness, but here we are.
@Anonymous Why do some white people always feel entitled to things? It’s like you can’t see past your own exclusion. This is not about you. For once take a back seat and support others.
@Anonymous why do blacks feel entitled to government aid? It’s like you can’t see past your own willful unemployment. This is not about you – it’s about your five illegitimate children. For once, pay your damn child support.
@Anonymous THIS IS THE TROLL, TRACK THIS ASSHOLE’S COMMENTS
@Anonymous stop commenting on this article you moronic troll
everyone else: track this comment to see what I’m talking about
@Van Owen No white people? If not for the white people this “die-in” would have had like 7 black people, which is like the entire black population at Columbia.
@Shondrea God, you are an idiot of mass proportions.
@Anonymous your name is shondrea? LOL. Sounds like your parents named you with the expectation that you would one day work at a nail salon haha
@Anonymous At least she isn’t hiding behind a computer screen as anonymous.
@Anonymous You’d need a helluva lot of computer screens to hide her ass.
@Shondrea Ouch…you got me.
Other than the not-so-subtle racism, look at what you’re defending. You’d rather defend someone who insulted the whole Black population of Columbia and come after me then call that out? And all while anonymous? Seriously, I’m shaking.
You are welcome to find me in person though. I’d love to meet you.
@Taqisha Shonni is not gonna listen to your ignorant ass babble from some white privileged and if I had to guess wall street working white boy like you. You can’t erase our lived experience, hell you never even tried to understand our lived existence. You never loved Pineapple Soda, you never dropped it to the floor and made it clap, you probably too much a fuckboy to understand us big women are beautiful and I do not mean “thick” when I said “big” I’m not talking about skinny bitches like Nicki Minaj or Jennifer Lawrence. I’m talking big and beautiful women like Jennifer Hudson and Precious.
@Shondrea Gotta love white people pretending to be Black women…your slip is showing.
@Anonymous You mean the post by Tacoisha was satire!? Nothing gets past you!
@Really? But seriously do you dislike pineapple soda, making it clap, have you never used the expression fuckboy, and do you think the mainstream perception of healthy weight and beauty is acceptable? I don’t see anything wrong with what Tawieha said.
@Anonymous wow.
First of all, I hope you’re proud of yourself, troll, so that makes one person proud of you. This nonsense was so transparent that Saran Wrap wonders how you did it.
You’ll probably default to ‘u mad’ or ‘this was a soshul exprement, dance puppets!’ or some foolishness, but it really doesn’t earn even that level of douchebaggery.
Tl;Dr: Hush, child, there’s grownups talking.
@Shondrea Racism is not satire. You are an idiot. Go read a book.
@Kids don’t yall have finals to study
@Anonymous WHEN OUR LIVES ARE BEING DEVALUED AND TAKEN UNJUSTLY, WE HAVE A RIGHT TO EXERCISE OUR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AS BLACK STUDENTS AT THIS WHITE INSTITUTION
@Anonymous k
@Library calling I’m pretty sure your life would be safe in the library.
@so... how long until Fox News comes here to talk about the liberal Columbia students who refer to cops as “pigs?”
@Student This is not about black vs. white, matter of fact it has nothing to do with it. Black people today just seem to love to try to blame white people for stuff. Also, this shouldn’t be about michael brown. You have to be oblivious to not understand that he was in the wrong.
@Barnard '18 All white people are guilty of opressing POC with systematic, institutionalized murder. Eric Garner was murdered and our souls are murdered every day.
@Anonymous Yes, because all white people should be blamed for the actions of the few. Let’s blame all black people for being guilty of mugging innocent white people on the streets of New York and stealing our bikes, because EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU DOES IT AND OPPRESSES US!!! I WANT MY BIKE BACK!
@Anonymous Yes….because all white people should be blamed for the actions of the few. Let’s blame all black people for being guilty of mugging innocent white people on the streets of New York and stealing our bikes, because EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU DOES IT AND OPPRESSES US!!! I WANT MY BIKE BACK!
@Anonymous Actually, surprise, surprise, all black people are not complicit in a national system of bike thievery. You, however, and all white people, are beneficiaries of a racist system that allows for these injustices to continue without repercussion. It’s called white privilege. Learn about yourself.
@uhh Where did the person you’re replying to say the he/she is white?
@As a Person of Color Yes there is systemic and institutional racism; however, comments like these that belligerently blames “white people” for this is counterproductive.
Yes, white people benefit more from current institutions, but that does not mean white people are actively oppressing people of color (or any other powerful group oppressing another minority group).
We need to work on dismantling the systemic and institutional racism (and other prejudices) without alienating people just because they have benefited from these systems. The enemy is not “white people”.
Just my $0.02 on this topic
@sorry I don’t think you’re going to be graduating Barnard in 2018 if you’re honestly that ignorant and dense.
@Anonymous you give barnard way too much credit lol
@"Official Die-In Mission Statement" = Text message distributed by the organizers and among participants.
@Solidarity of Minorities http://www.newsreel.us/panthers/yellow_power.jpg
@Anonymous tree lighting ceremony is super gay [sic]
glad it was way more badass this evening
@Anonymous Yes, because lighting up trees is flamboyantly homosexual in nature.
@Anonymous Isn’t calling all police officers pigs based on the actions of a few bad apples the same as calling all black people ghetto hoodrats/criminals because of the actions of a few bad apples?
Hmm…
@Anonymous No actually its not.
@Tastemaker No, because an occupation is something one chooses and race isn’t. Also get a life/go study for finals, you dull agitator. #tracked
@Anonymous So what you’re saying is, becoming a police officer automatically makes you a pig? That’s pretty messed up.
@C Doesn’t he have the right to his own opinion?
@Anonymous That is the lamest fallback possible. Like, moreso than “I have a first amendment right to say what I’m saying”. which people only haul out in the absence of any supporting argument at all. let alone a logical one.
Everyone has the right to an opinion, little c, that’s true. But if you’re bringing it around in public, maybe it should be an informed or defensible opinion.
@Anonymous Pretty sure they just called the cops who participated in Eric Garner’s death pigs, not all police. Where did you even get that from?
@Anonymous “continued police murder of Black bodies”
Eric Garner was not murdered. Murder is intentional. So you think the cop knew Garner had severe asthma, and figured that putting him in a loose chokehold for 15 seconds was exactly what would trigger respiratory arrest? How do you take yourselves seriously?
@kok you think this is about one instance? you think this is about just Eric Garner? you think that it isn’t also about Tamir Rice? about countless others? about black women being punched in the head repeatedly on the side of the road? about black pregnant women being tasered because she allegedly shoplifted (she didn’t)? you think the cops using a move that was banned in 1993 on someone who is saying I can’t breathe and not stopping because he was on the side walk angry selling illegal cigarettes isn’t homicide? you think that breaking down the semantics of a text message that inspired peaceful protests and discussions in an ivy league university isn’t taking things ‘seriously?’
literally get out of here
@Philosoraptor So this incident shows that the problem exists, and at the same time it doesn’t matter that the incident is not a real example of the problem?
@White guy looking for fried chicken Anyone know where I can get some good fried chicken?
@Tastemaker “For anyone who has gotten this far into my rant, please respond without insults. I will respect your opinions if you respect mine. I’m open to discussion and want to hear your thoughts.”
Ask your other personality maybe?
@Um no The police ruled Eric Garner’s death a homicide. Calling it murder is accurate.
100s of complaints of chokeholds are filed against the NYPD even though few, if any, police officer face consequences. The technique is banned precisely because it’s been known to cause deaths.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/12/03/the-nypd-banned-chokeholds-20-years-ago-but-hundreds-of-complaints-are-still-being-filed/?Post+generic=%3Ftid%3Dsm_twitter_washingtonpost
Have you watched the video? It’s murder.
@Clarification Your nonchalance about Eric Garner’s death is exactly why these protests are necessary…his life was just as important as yours or anyone else’s. But for some reason, you’re upset that other people are upset about it being horrifically taken away from him.
@Anonymous I think it’s more being upset that we didn’t get to have a nice tree lighting ceremony because of your selfish behavior.
@Clarification What’s selfish is attempting to invalidate an issue that is devastating an entire population of people just because protesters made you feel a little uncomfortable at your event. Also it seems from your comment that you think I was one of the protesters. I was not, I just understand their message…which you seem to be completely ignoring.
@Annie “loose” “chokehold” – two words easily juxtaposed when your airway is not restricted
@Philosoraptor Reading what you think about chokeholds is like reading what 10 year old expects college to be like. You don’t know. I know from experience.
If you are in a good chokehold, you can’t say “I can’t breath.” Sorry, but that’s just a fact about what “choke” means. There was absolutely no reason for the cops to expect Garner to die several minutes later.
@Anonymous So, I know that this is going to immediately be considered an unpopular opinion, but can instead of immediately downvoting this, I would like for people to help me understand. For all you people who will immediately bash me as ignorant, realize that we all can have different opinions based on the FACTS involved.
So, while I completely agree that the cop who killed Garner should be in jail (I wholeheartedly believe this and it’s crazy that he wasn’t indicted) I can’t help but believe that the case of Michael Brown is different. We’re immediately jumping to assume that he had his hands in the air, that Darren Wilson was guilty.
But let’s look at the most reliable sources here (there are none):
#1, the witness reports. They are shoddy at best, and highly conflicting. Some of them are clearly embellished, made up, and just plain wrong.
A fantastic source of these witness statements and to see how unreliable they really are: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/national/ferguson-witnesses/
Here are reports clustered into what the witnesses believed was going on:
CHARGING
“like he was going to run right through me”
“When he charged once more”
“started charging towards the officer”
“I thought he was trying to charge him”
WALKING BACK
“it wasn’t fast enough to be a charge”
“casually walking ”
“he picked up a little bit of speed”
“taking two small steps ”
TURNED AROUND
“turn around facing the officer”
“he was turned around”
“I saw him turn to his right”
“turned around”
“I see Big Mike turn around and face the officer”
“He turned around”
FALLING
“Michael Brown was on his knees”
“he was just catching his balance”
SURRENDER
“kept saying, I got, my hands is up”
“he was walking in a demeanor as I give up”
“okay, okay, okay, hands up”
“he put his arms about shoulder length and just stopped”
“Mike Brown with his arms up”
“he was giving up”
“he was not close at all to him”
You can clearly see here that none of these witness reports seem to line up and that they contradict each other. How are we supposed to decide that Darren Wilson is guilty, based on reports that are this murky? Can you really blame the jury for having difficulty? Remember that in the court of law, we are INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY. And is this enough proof that he really is?
What we do know is that Michael Brown was 1. a criminal who had just committed a crime 2. was clearly violent based on the surveillance video taken at the store. If he was violent toward a civilian (which is clearly shown by him shoving the convenience store clerk twice), do you really think he would have not tried to touch Darren Wilson? Especially if he was wanted in a robbery? Now obviously I’m making assumptions here myself, and I’m not saying that he should have been killed (unless he was actually charging at a police officer or attempting to take the gun away from him–then a police officer is allowed to shoot if his own life is in danger, although this apparently is a controversial opinion) but to paint Michael Brown as some angelic, law-abiding citizen is AGAINST the facts, regardless of if he was unarmed or not.
I am not condoning the murder of Michael Brown. I don’t know if it was fueled by racism or not. But based on the COLD HARD FACTS there is NO reason to indict someone who hasn’t been proven guilty. Eric Garner case? There is video evidence. He should have been indicted. But I can’t believe in the indictment of Darren Wilson when we are going off of our belief that every white cop is a racist pig who obviously wants to kill all black people who are completely innocent… that in my opinion is a silly assumption to make.
For anyone who has gotten this far into my rant, please respond without insults. I will respect your opinions if you respect mine. I’m open to discussion and want to hear your thoughts.
@Anonymous “there is NO reason to indict someone who hasn’t been proven guilty”
Do you even know what indict means? It’s not about proving or disproving guilt in an indictment, it’s about saying whether or not the case should go to trial… whether or not Wilson is guilty, the fact that the evidence is so murky is all the more reason why this SHOULD have made it to an actual trial.
@Anonymous I do know that. What I was trying to say was that there is no point in indicting someone with murky evidence that will just result in the person being declared innocent. Why would you indict someone with hardly any evidence of their guilt? The witness accounts conflict each other,and there is no video evidence of the incident.
@Tastemaker Oh no! What to do in a case with conflicting witness testimonies?? If only there were such a process that would allow opposing parties to sift through it in a court of law…
@Clarification I’ll respond to your post because I think you genuinely want to understand.
“…when we are going off of our belief that every white cop is a racist pig who obviously wants to kill all black people who are completely innocent… that in my opinion is a silly assumption to make.”
You’re right, that is a silly assumption…but these protesters weren’t making it. This issue isn’t about one particular officer, it’s about an entire institution. Even if you can’t get past the “cold hard facts” of Mike Brown’s case, you have to admit that any justice system that would allow Eric Garner’s murderer (yes, murderer) walk free is an unjust one.
Try not to let the murky details of a single case, blind you from seeing what the #blacklivesmatter and #wecantbreathe protests are truly about. Police brutality and inequality in the justice system have been issues for black and brown people in America for far too long…
@Shill I almost started writing a detailed response, with evidence, but then I tracked your posts.
what a troll
@anon I like how you call Michael Brown a criminal AND in the same post say that we’re innocent until proven guilty. Too bad neither Michael Brown nor Eric Garner got that privilege.
Also learn what an indictment means.
@Not so fast WHITE ALLIES: Because your bodies are not targeted by the system in the ways Blk&Brown bodies are…
Not to take away from the significance and sufferings caused by either of these cases, but let us not forget the recent killing of Dillon Taylor (an unarmed white male) by police. This is an issue that should be uniting our society, not creating stipulations for who can and cannot feel grief due to the recent events. It seems like an egregiously sweeping generalization to dictate who and who is not immune to the effects of these tragedies. ALL LIVES MATTER
@Tragic? Yes but, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julia-craven/please-stop-telling-me-th_b_6223072.html
“Yes, #AllLivesMatter, but that is not what people need to hear. People know that #WhiteLivesMatter. People need to be reminded of the Other”
“Do people who change #BlackLivesMatter to #AllLivesMatter run thru a cancer fundraiser going “There are other diseases too?” – Arthur Chu
@Anonymous it would probably be far more accurate to exclude females, but of course that wouldn’t fit in with their doctrine
@Anonymous “females”
@Malinda Selig All lives matter except female bodies that get raped and nobody cares. THIS IS CRAZY. One black guy gets shot while being chokeholded by police and everyone goes crazy and they burned down a tree in front of an autozone. But women are raped every ten seconds and NOBODY CARES.
@I'm a white girl and... I’ve been under the impression that more people are concerned about sexual assault than about police brutality/racial profiling. Also, this is a case where men are being targeted, but nobody seems to acknowledge that for some reason. But when there’s an issue that harms women more than men, people think of it as a women’s issue and that makes it more emotionally stirring. Clearly there are disadvantages to being either sex.
@This absolutely sucks. How could you guys make one of the best traditions at Columbia about something so negative? It was one night where the Columbia community could rejoice in the holiday season and come together and just be happy before finals. What happened to Garner and Brown is extremely saddening and I understand we should be aware of what is going on around us especially in this city, but this night should have been kept separate. A lot of people put a lot of work into making this night special and you assholes couldn’t wait have done this a few hours earlier?
@Anonymous Or maybe issues that involve the safety and wellbeing of EVERY individual in this country should take precedence over fun….
@Anonymous Okay, an activist police state? Totally okay.
@omg An alternative might have been to think, “Wow, I’m lucky that I only have to occasionally experience moments of discomfort and irritation when reminded of this issue. Imagine how must be like to be in the shoes of those who can’t escape it, no matter when or where they go.”
@Thanks Or maybe recognize that a lot of students can’t rejoice or function or live because of this decision and how if affects them. And how those students wanted you to be aware of that.
Thank you for continuing a tradition and for your work but calling protestors assholes and not seeing the bigger picture reinforces why this happened when it did.
@There The protest wasn’t disruptive at all.
It happened once the trees were lit (after the speeches, songs, and celebratory parts of the celebration had been completed). It didn’t disrupt the event, but it did use it as a useful forum to further bring these issues to Columbia students’ attention.
It’s important that, as a community, acknowledge how much pain, grief, and anger many students are experiencing right now. You called protesters “assholes” for bringing this issue to your attention in a peaceful, non-disruptive way, because it might have caused you a minor inconvenience. That just illustrates how needed the action was.
@Anon But just like you said, this night was a Columbia tradition, and it will continue to be a Columbia tradition for many years to come; we don’t have to worry about that. It saddens me to know that there are people like you who go to this school who don’t care about the fact that students of color have to worry about whether or not they will even be alive in the next week, let alone the next year. So no, this couldn’t wait until after the ceremony. This couldn’t have been done before the ceremony. POC have been silenced for hundred of years, and people act like it’s okay. You seriously need to check your privilege before you call anyone an asshole, and realize that it’s statements and actions like these that caused this protest to happen in the first place.
@Anonymous Students of color worrying about being alive in the next week? How about you don’t rob a convenience store or sell illegal cigarettes on the street? Give me a lot of examples recently of black students being killed mercilessly by cops when they aren’t criminals/didn’t talk back and threaten a police officer and I might agree with your overly exaggerated comment. Let’s be real here.
@So So selling untaxed cigarettes means you deserve the death penalty now?
@Annie That you feel “talk[ing] back” warrants death IS THE PROBLEM.
Talking back? Really?
@Nunya How about you reveal yourself instead of hiding behind a computer screen? Oh wait.. Coward
@SEAS '13 People like YOU deserve to be exterminated. White Racists <<< Black Petty Thieves. "Talking back" and arguing does not warrant execution. Neither does illegally selling CIGARETTES. However, I wish espousing racist vitriol did warrant execution. I'd choke you out and kill you myself if I knew who you were. I don't know you, but I can assume that you prolly look every other nondescript privileged little White shit on Columbia's campus. Boarding school kid perhaps? Exeter? Sport coats? Your parents executives? Lawyers? Doctors? Bet you have a nice luxury car to drive when you go home (which one this Winter?) for break. Papa buy you a Rolex? Die bourgeoise scum.
@Anonymous you sound jealous as fuck. it’s not about the money, anyway. it’s about fucking skinny white bitches with fat asses. the reason why men get nice things in the first place is to better their odds in the game. Your priorities are completely wrong.
@SEAS '13 Good one anonymous – I guess my description was pretty apt huh? A lil too close to home? What I’m actually super jealous of is your baby White pencil dick. Is that why you hate Black people so much? Your lil pecker makin’ you insecure? Does it piss you off to see Black men with “skinny white bitches” that even your Rolex can’t help you get? It’s too bad that your boarding school education, White privilege, nice cars and material belongings can’t make up for your empty mind, soul or trousers. Go hang yourself in St. A’s you worthless piece of shit. Put on your best suit first before you do though, so the mortician doesn’t have to change your clothes and see your baby dick when you die. The only trait worse than your racism is your itty bitty peepee.
@Anonymous You two kind of need to find a corner to call eachother naughty names in or something. It’s not accomplishing anything and you’re just making yourselves look like five year olds who learned their first bad words.
@Anonymous My penis is pretty average, tbh
@T Seriously, you worry if you are going to be alive next week or next year? And do you honestly think that this whole situation has escaped the notice of ANYONE who hasn’t been holed-up in a cabin in the mountains that’s completely off the grid? Protesting is a long standing tradition in this country, but it does come to a point of diminishing returns.
I have been to places where a person SERIOUSLY doesn’t know if they will survive the day. Take a trip to Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Liberia, Iran, etc if you really want to see a scared and victimized population who needs who is beaten down by their government for who they are and what they believe.
@hapa confused where Asians/mixed race people fall in this… maybe someone part of the movement could clarify?
@Anonymous They don’t, because this is about black people only. No whites, asian, or any other race allowed!
@Solidarity of Minorities http://www.newsreel.us/panthers/yellow_power.jpg
@Shondrea Hi. So the information posted wasn’t a mission statement at all but a simple text. Either way, the formal call was for all self-identified people of color.
@Anonymous Organizers made it very clear that any self-identified Person of Color may participate in the die-in as long as they were comfortable doing so.
@Jo Organizers made it very clear that any self-identified Person of Color was welcome to participate in the die-in as long as they were comfortable doing so.
@honestly The movement does not care about asian americans. we are simply supposed to keep our heads down and do our work as ‘model minorities’ and be ok with prejudices because hey, at least we don’t get profiled as much by the cops.
Asian americans suffer prejudices too. But we don’t create discourse about them so there is no exposure to what we suffer. We don’t have large caucuses or advocacy groups fighting for our equality in the workplace. We are held back in terms of college admissions and job placement because we all score highly and do well. But we don’t have white privilege either. we’re seen as immigrants who don’t know english well but can do math, and as a result we are not seen as leaders. But this movement doesn’t care about us.
@Anonymous “not form discourse?”
But the Asian Political Collective and the Asian American Alliance spent all that time on the forum about two minutes of a play maybe 400 people saw!
Honestly, if existing organizations claiming to represent you are failing to agitate for things of importance to you, don’t blame other people.
@long comment, sorry! I suggest you check out organizations such as CAAAV, who do a lot of great community organising on working class Asian immigrants and refugees in NYC. (The model minority myth, as problematic as it is, also isn’t the only problem that Asian Americans face.)
As an East Asian (not American, but anyway), I’ve actually felt similarly to you in the past – that a lot of us “don’t care” about advocacy, or are too insular or afraid to speak up. But honestly, you’re just not looking in the right places. Read Angry Asian Man! Follow Asian American writers and activists on twitter! This part of Asian Americana may not be very vocal or “mainstream”, but it’s there and it’s burgeoning.
Secondly, I would not think about this as “this movement doesn’t care about us”, but instead, think about the ways Asian Americans can help the movement as allies and as fellow people of color. Yes, while I agree that Asian Americans also suffer prejudices that should be addressed, we should also recognise that we (particularly East Asians) come from a different place of experience and privilege. Asians have most definitely benefited from anti-black sentiment. But just because this movement isn’t directly “about us” or “care about us”, doesn’t mean there isn’t a need for us – all of us, not just Asian Americans – to speak out against racial injustice.
Debunk the stereotypes of the passive Asian who won’t speak up! Get involved! Make yourself part of this movement, and of others!
You may also find this interesting:
http://thesaltcollective.org/asian-americans-might-talk-ferguson/
http://www.racefiles.com/2014/08/20/why-ferguson-matters-to-asian-americans/
@T Ok so we’ve established that there are advocacy groups for blacks, advocasy groups for east asians, advocacy groups for Latinos even. Are there advocacy groups for whites or are they automatically considered racist?
@Anonymous I hear that at harvard, they don’t have these annoying, dumb ass protests
@Anonymous Then why don’t you go to harvard?
@Anonymous I do
@Anonymous Yes, because Cambridge, MA is stunningly bereft of liberal do-gooding.
Cretin.
[Irony-impaired caption: YOU HEARD WRONG.]
@Anonymous http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2014/12/5/eric-garner-protest-gallery/
Check your facts
@Seriously? http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2014/12/5/eric-garner-protest-gallery/
Check your facts
@Anonymous boston ≠ harvard
@Heisenberg “Pigs who killed Mike Brown & Eric Garner”
Just find it annoying how these two deaths are grouped together. Eric Garner is a case where the cop clearly killed someone for no reason, and should be in jail. Michael Brown is a case that while the cop should not have put himself in the situation, the actual moment where he discharged his weapon he was possibly in harms way. One is a clear problem that we have a system that discriminates against black people. One is not so clear. I think at Columbia we can see enough nuance to not group the two together.
@Srsly Calling the police “pigs” really raises the level of debate. Glad Columbia students understand the nuances of the situation.
@so disappointing. Terrible judgement used by these guys.
@YES Police protect and serve, they are the reason we maintain a semblance of order in our society. calling them pigs justs fits the narrative that you are all privileged, elitist young liberals who don’t actually understand how law enforcement and the justice system and society work.
@Anon But why bother a columbia tradition uniting communities? Do it at a police precent or downtown. Allow stressful columbian to enjoy something. I felt it was very inappropriate and i am a high supporter of the movement. Disappointed in their attention seeking
@Jennifer Egbebike It’s not the holidays for MIke Brown or Eric Garner
@ok this is such a dumb comment, plain and simple. they were criminals. we are not.
@Anonymous I’m sorry a black man murdered by police brutality interrupted your yule log ceremony.
@Black They Left Us DEAD
@WHAT? No they didn’t leave you “dead”, don’t overreact, it was a horrible series of events between cops and people who confronted cops, while it wasn’t justified don’t imply that cops leave blacks to die. That notion is ridiculous.
@Anon Wait, so white people were not allowed to participate?
@Anonymous No they were too busy with their internships on Wall St.
@Reni They participated by handing out fliers. participation and support can take many forms.
also this isn’t about white people.
@Anon Yeah of course, it’s just about equality.
@Reni It’s actually about justice.
@Anonymous And justice can’t involve white people?
Don’t you think excluding the white race just perpetuates inequality? Isn’t it a little ironic?
@Anonymous it’s actually about ethics in game journalism.
@Anonymous Is that a problem?
@Anonymous Is there a problem?
@Anonymous While it may be awkward to state that whites shouldn’t take part in the actual die-in demonstration aspect, handing out flyers, spreading the word ,and giving explanations for people watching is equal if even more crucial part to this protest.
By having non people of color not “dying”, it illustrates the true problems that all of the allies to the cause are trying to point out; look how truly uncomfortable the demographic of those “dead” on the ground are. It is not diverse. They all look similar.
The awkwardness of asking whites to not participate is necessary in pointing out the jarring inequality of those who are being affected the most by these issues.
@Anon Thank you, this actually helped me understand. – OP
@hello Nice save!
@Anonymous thank you. as a black person who heard about the race restriction, i was initially very confused.
@oh jesus Yes, white people were asked to participate as allies rather than the center of attention, sort of like how if you attended a function for cancer, you would think it appropriate to hand spotlight on the victims of cancer rather than having all the sickness-free people run through the room screaming, “I HATE CANCER TOO!”
@WHAT? no this is completely different, that has to be the stupidest rationale i’ve ever heard. There is a physical, fact based difference between people who have and don’t have cancer. Race is a social construct that we are trying to eliminate biases and judgment over. You can’t judge or profile cancer. There should be freedom of expression, let whoever wants to lie down do it.
@Not all racial classifications are racist As to the assumption that all race-based classifications perpetuate inequality: Imagine a movie theater that historically admits whites only, causing blacks to have disproportionately lower access to movies.
Two remedial options:
1) Admit blacks only [bigger impact on black access to movies]
2) Admit both blacks and whites [smaller impact on black access to movies]
I would argue that the second option, while providing for equality in theory, effectively perpetuates the actual circumstances of inequality.
@Finally something interesting on Bwog God. It’s really taken all semester. At last something I can fap to.
@1950's I too enjoyed segregation; lets bring it back.
@Flier How is Columbia participating in the Police State?
*Columbia invests in prison companies.
*Columbia public safety works with the NYPD in the project to criminalize Black and Brown people in West harlem in order to displace residents and expand the Columbia empire.
*As an elite college within an incredibly unequal education system, Columbia works to perpetuate a hierarchy of who is considered worthy of opportunity and who is considered deserving of policing & punishment largely based on race and class.
@C Don’t make this a Columbia problem, it’s a national problem. I know you hate Columbia, but can we just keep the school out of it for once?
@ok So if you’re mad about it, drop the heck out! oh wait you won’t because you know that having a columbia degree will give you privileges later in life and as a result you want to selfishly keep studying here and reaping the benefits while constantly criticizing the institution when what they care about is your education. the biggest impact you could make on changing these things if you really wanted to is organizing a massive drop out from the school, otherwise you’re just being hypocrites.
@BC '15 I agree with your conclusion but for different reasons. Columbia is obviously a terrible institution that contributes to the marginalization of the most disenfranchised people. But that isn’t even actually POC it is women! All of this talk about police officers killing blacks has distracted us from the issue of police officers ignoring and contributing to rape culture.
Mike Brown and Eric Gardner were rapists and you mourn them. When a non-feminist, straight, cisgender male dies that just means there is one less rapist.
NO RED TAPE, FIGHT FOR EMMA, CARRY THAT WEIGHT
@BC '15 Instead of contributing to the distraction which is the “Die-In” I am pleased to announce that NOREDTAPE has organized a “Rape-in” details will be forthcoming but it is sufficed to say that we anticipate about twice the turn-out as this shoddy die in. Also if you actually care about the advancement of People of Color you would know that the first thing that must be accomplished is the liberation of Women. Once Feminist Principles guide the world racism will cease because first and foremost racism is a symptom of the patriarchy.
@Whut Can’t even tell whether this is a joke. Maybe I’ve been at this school too long.
@Anonymous Here’s a few ways to tell this is a crappy troll:
-NRT (a group I’m not in, btw) isn’t inherently feminist. Individual members most-likely identify as such, but I’m sure even women who for some reason hew to traditional gender roles aren’t really into getting forcibly sexual assaulted. Just a guess: I don’t think even ardent antifeminist women wouldn’t be down for that. Anyway, NRT doesn’t use the term often.
-NRT is fairly disciplined in its public persona. They would have “taken aside” someone trying to represent them this way, if it were a member trying representing them. There’d be a comment to this effect, etc.
-NRT is also (if you read the B&W article here on Bwog about them) concerned with good relations with other activist groups for outreach purposes. Randomly slamming people they have no beef with isn’t in keeping with this.
-Nobody uses capital-F, capital-P “Feminist Principles”. Feminism has all sorts of sub-groups, waves etc. Using “Feminist Principles” is the trademark of someone who read, like, half a Solanas article to prove they didn’t have to care about ‘that wimmin stuff’ and just winged it without info from there.
-Anyone who’s been keeping up on current events in feminist circles would be aware of ongoing stuff like #Solidarityisforwhitewomen and similar issues involving Women of Color not feeling adequately represented by mainstream feminism- and so they wouldn’t go agitating people they’re trying to engage. Again, whoever wrote this has a strawwoman they’re smacking around, and not even ten minutes’ research to make it credible.
-NRT has more than a teaspoonful of brains between them, and would know that a “Rape-In” would be an amazingly stupid idea. Seriously. Think about it for a minute.
Honestly, if you can’t tell a 4chan reject lulz attempt from the real thing, the fault’s on you.
@Anonymous YOU MEAN TO SAY THE RAPE-IN IS NOT ACTUALLY HAPPENING!? Damn, I had on my raping shoes and everything…
@TRACKED don’t play
@Anonymous Wait they didn’t let white people take part? That’s probably the most preposterous thing I’ve heard since the Vagina Monologues saga.
@Anonymous If you are not with us…then this is not for you
@Anonymous Read the article again, more closely
@Anonymous It’s shameful that this article has nothing to do with rape. At least vagina monologues was topical. prayers for my sisters at UVA
@Anon attention whores, they really don’t care about black people, if the did they wouldn’t be supporting the criminals that terrorize black neighborhoods. IF its popular on social media, these kids are all about it but when the fervor dies down in a few days they’ll go back to their mattress parades or find some other way to hold their peers hostage with their insatiable need to feel important. All talk, no effort and certainly no desire to improve anything. Just sheep who follow whichever direction the press leads them. It will be fun to see what the next protest is.