On October 24, 2015 Gateway Residence Hall on the University of Missouri campus became the target of an act of vandalism that brought home to many the problems of racist attitudes and infrastructure that have been a core complaint of the black student union in Columbia, Missouri for some time.
In the past, many of these arguments focused around the lack of black professors and university paid staff, as persons of color make up less than 10% of the University teaching force. But on October 24, the tipping point was met. As students walked into a bathroom they were confronted with a swastika written in human feces.
Concerned Student 1950, a group named after the moment the first black student was admitted to the University, voiced complaints and demanded apologies, not just for this incident but for what they feel is an ongoing lackadaisical attitude toward the issues of race on university campus.
The Missouri Resident Hall Association put out a statement in regards to the October 24 incident:
This followed their show of support for action.
Now joined by the Football team and other athletic groups, the students are asking for University President Tim Wolfe to resign.
Wolfe has been seen by many as not effectively grabbing hold of the issue to calm down concerns of students or to show a university stance in regards to behavior of students to others. Earlier this year, at the Legion of Black Collegians gathering for homecoming, other students were seen to mock the group, chanting racist slurs and trying to break up the event.
The student in question was eventually removed from the university campus, but students also wanted follow ups and a revisit of original considerations to help prevent future action.
The most stunning event to occur on this matter, however, may have just been captured on video by a University Student, who confronted Timothy Wolfe in regards to the issue of systematic oppression. In his answer, university president respons that systematic oppression is because ‘You don’t believe’, blaming black students for the existence of systematic oppression.
Kansas & Missouri Kossacks
Contact the Daily Kos group Kansas & Missouri Kossacks by *kosmail* (members of Daily Kos only).
Contact Chris Reeves with news, tips, and/or information by *email*. tmservo433@gmail.com
Follow Chris on Twitter @tmservo433.
If you would like to publish or republish a Daily Kos diary to the group Kansas & Missouri Kossacks, please let us know by *kosmail* or email. If you have a location or story that needs support from Connect! Unite! Act!, please let us know by *kosmail* or email.
|