I'm happy to report an encouraging postscript to the news story that prompted the recent post titled "Reality Check: African-Americans STILL Need to Have Racial Discipline in the Obama Era." http://muslimbushido.blogspot.com/2009/05/reality-check-african-americans-still.html
Another blogger named Pinky (check her out at http://blackgirlsrockit.blogspot.com/) sent me the link to the news story "Why Black Harvard Won't Speak Up For Chanequa."
http://newsone.blackplanet.com/nation/why-black-harvard-won%E2%80%99t-speak-up-for-chanequa/
All I can say is "Praise God!" As one Black student who was interviewed said, "some of us still want to have a future." Pinky, thanks for sending me the story; it made my day!
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8 comments:
Bravo to the students at Harvard!! I do wonder if they would have distanced themselves if it had been two black male students. I hope so.
Lormarie,
One baby step towards common sense (and self-preservation) at a time. The first step is to BREAK the knee-jerk habit of automatically supporting any and every Black person who gets into trouble.
I'm so happy they're not rallying around Miss Chenequa. Hopefully, all of this will send a strong signal to the other "Sheniquas" on campus to tighten up their behavior.
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
Hey Khadija,
I agree with Lormarie. If they were men, Harvard would be on FIRE! lol I don't think black people have ever had a knee-jerk reaction to supporting black women. I remember five years ago while living in Atlanta, I tried to get folks to rally around a black woman who I felt was being harshly punished for leaving her children unattended at home while working. I was stone-walled. LOL Anyway, I do think it will send a strong message to other black women on Harvard's campus; but I think the men know that the "community" has their back. LOL
I disagree -- I don't think they'd have been more supportive if she had been male...observe the noticeable lack of comments about the victim.
There's been zero support of the victim, even to the point of saying that it's sad that a fellow student is dead. You'd at least expect that someone would talk about the victim's life, how full of promise, or about the dangers of drugs, and they're not acknowledging the student's overall victimhood by condemning drug activity, or being with the wrong crowd.
It's one thing to stand in support of the (purported) innocent or stand against those that are guilty. It involves an active effort of offense or defense, and the desire to make one's own views/position explicitly known.
This radio silence is something else entirely -- it's a clear statement that these remaining students (as well as the Black faculty there and more telling, Black faculty and students at the other ivys) are distancing themselves, not just from Chanequa, but from the entire affair. I think this strategy, including the article, was well-played, and I hope they maintain it.
I am definitely happy to read this. That should to say something if students who went to school with Chenequa and knew her won't support her. Hopefully, the wider black community will take heed.
Peace and solidarity,
Tasha
Anna,
You said, "This radio silence is something else entirely -- it's a clear statement that these remaining students (as well as the Black faculty there and more telling, Black faculty and students at the other ivys) are distancing themselves, not just from Chanequa, but from the entire affair. I think this strategy, including the article, was well-played, and I hope they maintain it."(emphasis added)---------------------------------
RESPONSE: I agree with your assessment of what the "radio silence" means. I also agree that it's good for them to wash their hands of the ENTIRE sordid affair.
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Tasha,
You said, "That should to say something if students who went to school with Chenequa and knew her won't support her."-------------------------------------------
RESPONSE: Yes, it does say something about Miss Chenequa. But what I think is more important is that this "radio silence" demonstrates the benefit of having PROPERLY FUNCTIONING Black student organizations with sensible leadership.
From the story: "Most Black student group leaders have declined to comment on the situation, and several have instructed the members of their respective organizations to do the same." Thank God the Black Harvard students had the racial discipline and common sense to follow these instructions.
I know that many readers have an aversion to anything involving Black unity, any sort of AA collective action, and pride themselves on acting contrary to the wishes of many (most?) other AAs. This is because they've been burned by the Acting Black Crew.
It should be noted that acting contrary to what many other AAs want just to be contrary is NOT necessarily the same thing as acting in one's rational self-interest. It should also be noted that individualism run amok is also damaging to AA interests on these White campuses. In fact, it can be AS damaging as the antics of the ABC.
I'm delighted to see that the Black students at Harvard had the sense to get in line with Black campus leaderships' message to maintain "radio silence" about this. As opposed to individual Negro students talking that "I'm an individual...I'll support Chenequa if I want to...the Black student organization doesn't tell me what to do...etc." stuff. This sort of posture would be self-and group sabotage in this type of situation.
I praise God that the Black Harvard students didn't fall into these common self-inflicted traps.
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
Dear Reader Who Just Sent Me a Not-to-be-Published Comment,
There's a "Contact Me" button on the right-hand side of the blog page (it's underneath the "Recent Comments" section). Please feel free to email me!
Thank you for thinking of me and bringing that series of posts to my attention. That particular blog is one of my favorites; and I've read the blog author's book.
I hadn't visited that blog in the past few weeks. Coincidence would have it that I had just finished reading the posts you mentioned just before I received your comment! Ahh...synchronicity. LOL!
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
Bravo black students at Harvard. I remember having to distance myself from some of the chaos that went on at the University of Alaska Anchorage back in the early 90s. Some (NOT ALL) jumped on everything that remotely resembled a hint of racism. Sometimes it was, sometimes it wasn't. I had to back off and concentrate on my studies. I truly got tired of it. Many black students at other schools may be taking notice -- Ivy League or not. Again, Bravo to the Harvard black student association.
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