Canadian freshmen in blackface

soundoff (12 Responses)

1. fred newman
   

   this is disgusting and very sad,too much bloodshed and violence has took place throughout "American" history due to racism.Truly it still exist today but shouldnt be public or advertised by any means its total disrespect and vulger!!

   September 20, 2011 at 6:17 pm |
2. Barbara Johnson
   

   I find this amazing...I also heard a KOMO Radio Announcer today...talking about how it's 'perfectly acceptable' to tell racial and homophobic' jokes when you are with your close friends...like..."A guy's night out or camping trip"...How sick...as if your thought processes are reserved for times when you can bully others and it will be ok. How disgusting!

   September 20, 2011 at 6:50 pm |
3. sooo
   

   CNN, what is the other side of the story???

   September 20, 2011 at 8:45 pm |
4. Kana
   

   Brooke, you comment " thoughtless and racist...." as well as the school comment :"...unintentionaly and unknowingly ..."
   Did you watch the video and notice that it was not just white students but also black students that were wearing black face makeup. I'm lead to believe that there was no racial intent by the students. however CNN's choice to air the video implies to create sensationalism over a non-issue. unless of course those black students who participated are racialy clueless.

   September 21, 2011 at 11:41 am |
5. Pascale C. A.
   

   There is no such thing as an “innocent symbol”. The very nature of a symbol is its powerful means to subtly expose complex, thorny issues of identity. Thanks to A. Morgan for capturing this incident and having the courage to see it as an opportunity for timely dialogue. “Higher” education institutions could take this as an opportunity to heighten their knowledge of history, of culture, of racism, of justice... and their impact on social cohesion !

   September 21, 2011 at 12:10 pm |
6. David AL
   

   Let me prepend the statement I am about to make with another. I believe this black face event was ignorant and insensitive. In this day and age even 18-20 something year olds should recognize sensitivity toward racial diversity. With that said: In numerous skits (which I being a white male find hilarious) Dave Chappelle puts on white face and impersonates a pretentious stuffy news anchor. Should this obvious racism also be identified and exposed in the media? Is there a double standard when it comes to racism? Racism = the belief that there are inherent differences in people's traits and capacities that are entirely due to their race.

   September 21, 2011 at 1:11 pm |
7. fred
   

   Cnn doesn't have our version! We never say smoke more weed, we said: Want some weed!We wanted to refer to the Rastafarian movement. The number of our group is one, so we decide to take the song One love (Bob Marley) for group song. At the event we sang this song. Our intentions were not racist. So Anthony Morgan just want that the media talk about him. This guy came to us with a big smile and he never said that our clothing shocked him, however, he laughed, looking at us. So, i'm a student at HEC Montreal, and I'm sorry for the harm we have done to some people. However, I do not excuse the attitude of Mr. Morgan in this case

   September 21, 2011 at 8:21 pm |
8. Bone
   

   These students appear to be celebrating the worlds fastest human, who happens to be from Jamaica, with no malicious intent. From what I can gather spirit week involves some sort of race or "speed" element given the proximity (track). There is no story here. Hypersensitivity? Come on...

   September 21, 2011 at 9:59 pm |
9. Michel
   

   Pity they didn't use it as an opportunity to talk about homophobic violence in Jamaica instead. I hope the diversity training they will be offered will prove to be useful... and perhaps not in the way Morgan intended.

   September 21, 2011 at 11:06 pm |
10. infonomics
    

    First, the racists cupcake story on the Berkeley campus, now possible racism in Canada. The world appears to be upside down. Nothing makes sense anymore.

    September 27, 2011 at 8:44 pm |
11. Annie
    

    Sorry HEC, but the behaviour exhibited at this event was bigoted. White Quebec has a long history of zenophobia, and the narrow minded view of history is deeply ingrained in its culture and educational system. Quebecois are erroneously raised to believe they are a "race" of people because of the language they speak, they are led to believe that only white, French descendants, are true Quebecois – "pure laine"- as it were. we never learn world history, nothing about other cultures and are crippled when it comes to exporting ourselves internationally. In effect, the whole system in Quebec is designed to keep us afraid of difference, of immigration and any desire to leave (no one travels outside Quebec, just around Quebec). The sad, stupid reality is HEC students meant no harm whatsoever. they really have no clue at all why black face would be offensive to people, and what that means historically. and that in itself is almost as revolting. They probably have only seen black people in movies like translated versions of Big Mamas House, or during the Olympics, or notice us when we drive their taxis. Im second generation Quebecois. I speak 4 languages. I'm studying for my Masters. My mother is black. My father half white. The abuse I suffered growing up was equivalent to stories of the KKK in the south. spray paint on our house, broken windshields, rocks thrown at me at school. "go home ugly ni**". I want to work in education. I plan on changing the system here, to open people's eyes to the new century. Africa is not a country. Mr. Bolt is not an ape. Educate yourselves. learn. Thank you.

    October 7, 2011 at 6:18 pm |
12. Ruj
    

    We don't HAVE Freshmen in Canada. That is entirely an American concept.

    May 13, 2013 at 4:22 pm |