Author:
After reading Tefari Abel Casas Fuchs’s article, “Racism Strikes Oxy’s Party Scene Wearing Brown,” I was disgusted by the Cowboys and Indians themed party, but excited about the discourse in the article. The streams of comments posted online quickly diminished this excitement, as mostly anonymous posters attacked the author for being overly sensitive and obsessed with political correctness, and asserted that this party was not racist because that wasn’t the intent.
I find it difficult to understand how, particularly in light of our nation’s history, dressing up as a caricature of a racial or ethnic group can be considered non-racist, albeit in poor taste. Ignoring racism is a privilege for whites. As a white student I don’t need to be aware of the racial implications of my, or others’, actions. I can look at a $20 bill without seeing the face of a man who fought for the genocide of my people. I can pretend that by donning a costume, I am merely participating in a fun party rather than glorifying the violent destruction of millions of humans-a destruction in which my own ancestors were complicit. Just because our actions are not “intentionally racist” does not mean that they are not in fact racist. By this, I mean that they are supporting a racist system by reflecting and upholding racist stereotypes under the guise of a theme party.
The time has gone for us to hide behind naiveté as an excuse for our disrespect. We should not need students of color to point out our racism and prejudices, and how our behavior serves to oppress others. It is unfair to burden people with both oppression and the responsibility of ending it. We need to step up and speak out against what we see is wrong, and be prepared to recognize and apologize for our actions.
This article has been archived, for more requests please contact us via the support system.
