"White Awake": University of Maryland under fire for creating 'safe space for White students'

[Brightmoon]

I grew up in NYC, everybody is different here. This just seemed bizarre until I went down south for a summer a while ago . There’s only black and white people , they don’t seem to interact much, and all of them are Christians. I felt weird and a little uncomfortable - “ oh wow they’re all clones!!!”. I never thought that someone would have the opposite issue. And yes I did think my situation was funny as well

 

[dogs4thewin]

How do you feel about Alcohol Anonymous, etc. meetings? They are safe spaces/places where people can talk freely about their problems/feelings.
Are you against people talking to psychologists, counselors, etc.? Those are safe spaces/places.
Because these groups are on college campuses some ignorant people, not saying you are one, attempt treat all of the campus support groups the same.

Those meetings are to talk about feelings and working out their problems not protecting people from getting their feelings hurt because some decreases with them or because they did not win a prize.

 

[Hank77]

Those meetings are to talk about feelings and working out their problems not protecting people from getting their feelings hurt because some decreases with them or because they did not win a prize.

Is that what you think this group is about? It doesn't sound that way to me.

“Do you sometimes feel uncomfortable and confused before, during or after interactions with racial and ethnic minorities?....
“The aim of this group is to help White students become more culturally competent, so they can better participate in creating a more inclusive environment at the University of Maryland,”

 

[Aldebaran]

On which side? I could see this being ironic in two ways. The people complaining about white kids having a safe space and the people defending a white safe space.

What's wrong with white people being safe? Besides, other races have their safe spaces, and somehow aren't racist: https://wearyourvoicemag.com/identities/race/no-black-safe-spaces-not-racist

Perhaps it's time for equality!

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

not racist ( all the time) just crazy. Not all the "safe spaces" have to do with race.

I agree. I believe the world's just going crazy . Even on both sides of politics.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

God forbid.
<snip video of people chanting black power>

...certainly you understand the contextual differences between a group that's been marginalized (and at one point, owned) for decades and decades expressing a sense pride and empowerment at the fact that their circumstance of birth is no longer being abused in the ways it once was, vs. people from the group that was doing the oppressing, who do so as a reactionary response to the fact that the former group is no longer being legally identified as second class,...or to a lesser degree, as a disingenuous ploy to try to trap the other side in a double-standard, right?


Or, in more plain terms, chants of "Black Power" and "White Power" (when evaluating the actual context behind both slogans) aren't purely opposite sides of the same coin as some people like to disingenuously portray it as.

"Black Power" is a sentiment expressing the positive feelings and pride the black community has over the fact that they, for a long time, had a disproportionately less amount of power, and are now moving toward having an equitable place at the table, and their desire to keep moving in that direction

"White Power" is a slogan/sentiment that was a negative reactionary response by bigots who were mad & jaded at the fact that their prejudices were no longer being supported by codified laws and feel threatened by the fact that society doesn't view the people they, personally, don't like as second class citizens.

 

[dogs4thewin]

Is that what you think this group is about? It doesn't sound that way to me.

“Do you sometimes feel uncomfortable and confused before, during or after interactions with racial and ethnic minorities?....
“The aim of this group is to help White students become more culturally competent, so they can better participate in creating a more inclusive environment at the University of Maryland,”

I was talking about safe spaces in general that seem to be everywhere today.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

What's wrong with white people being safe? Besides, other races have their safe spaces, and somehow aren't racist: https://wearyourvoicemag.com/identities/race/no-black-safe-spaces-not-racist

Perhaps it's time for equality!

Being safe and having a safe space are two different things.

But all I said was I find it ironic not that they shouldn't have them.

 

[Chesterton]

...certainly you understand the contextual differences between a group that's been marginalized (and at one point, owned) for decades and decades expressing a sense pride and empowerment at the fact that their circumstance of birth is no longer being abused in the ways it once was, vs. people from the group that was doing the oppressing, who do so as a reactionary response to the fact that the former group is no longer being legally identified as second class,...or to a lesser degree, as a disingenuous ploy to try to trap the other side in a double-standard, right?


Or, in more plain terms, chants of "Black Power" and "White Power" (when evaluating the actual context behind both slogans) aren't purely opposite sides of the same coin as some people like to disingenuously portray it as.

"Black Power" is a sentiment expressing the positive feelings and pride the black community has over the fact that they, for a long time, had a disproportionately less amount of power, and are now moving toward having an equitable place at the table, and their desire to keep moving in that direction

"White Power" is a slogan/sentiment that was a negative reactionary response by bigots who were mad & jaded at the fact that their prejudices were no longer being supported by codified laws and feel threatened by the fact that society doesn't view the people they, personally, don't like as second class citizens.

Apparently you didn't get the reference to Evergreen College. I thought that real life dystopian nightmare was more well known. You should read up on it.

 

[Ana the Ist]

...certainly you understand the contextual differences between a group that's been marginalized (and at one point, owned) for decades and decades expressing a sense pride and empowerment at the fact that their circumstance of birth is no longer being abused in the ways it once was, vs. people from the group that was doing the oppressing, who do so as a reactionary response to the fact that the former group is no longer being legally identified as second class,...or to a lesser degree, as a disingenuous ploy to try to trap the other side in a double-standard, right?


Or, in more plain terms, chants of "Black Power" and "White Power" (when evaluating the actual context behind both slogans) aren't purely opposite sides of the same coin as some people like to disingenuously portray it as.

"Black Power" is a sentiment expressing the positive feelings and pride the black community has over the fact that they, for a long time, had a disproportionately less amount of power, and are now moving toward having an equitable place at the table, and their desire to keep moving in that direction

"White Power" is a slogan/sentiment that was a negative reactionary response by bigots who were mad & jaded at the fact that their prejudices were no longer being supported by codified laws and feel threatened by the fact that society doesn't view the people they, personally, don't like as second class citizens.

The problem is that your paradigm allows for no expression of "pride in being white" while encouraging "pride in being black".

You need to consider that anyone born in the last 40 years or so doesn't necessarily care about what people in the past did....and it doesn't matter that you think they should, you can't make them care.

So when you continue to push this idea that everyone except whites can take pride in their racial/ethnic identity....and the only whites who do so are racists....

Then you leave literally two places for whites looking for some kind of understanding of their identity to go...

One is a place of shame.
The other is a group of white racists.

Did you ever consider that maybe this narrative you're pushing is the exact cause of the increase in racial tensions in the US?

 

[Jon Osterman]

It says that the group has been renamed to the Anti-Racism and Ally Building Group

Lol. So they changed the name to the ARAB group?

 

[Ana the Ist]

Lol. So they changed the name to the ARAB group?

Lol

 

[Non sequitur]

From the "Basic fairness" files:University of Maryland under fire for counseling group advertised as 'safe space for White students'

“Do you sometimes feel uncomfortable and confused before, during or after interactions with racial and ethnic minorities?” the counseling center’s online description of the group read earlier this week. “This group offers a safe space for White Students to explore their experiences, questions, reactions, and feelings.”
...
An accompanying flyer invited white students to join the group, dubbed “White Awake.”
...
“The aim of this group is to help White students become more culturally competent, so they can better participate in creating a more inclusive environment at the University of Maryland,” the statement reads. “This group is based on research and best practices, and we believe in it.”​

"Hi, everybody! Recently I've been reading up on things and I'm really uncomfortable and confused about these contradicting stories and where Michael Brown's blood wa- hey, why are you pushing me? Why are all of you chanting? What do you mean I'm Hitler?!"

 

[Rhamiel]

Sounds like much of the backlash was due to some misunderstanding of purpose of the group over a poorly selected name.

It says that the group has been renamed to the Anti-Racism and Ally Building Group

“We agree with the feedback that the flyer was not clear enough in conveying the fact that the purpose of this group is to promote anti-racism and becoming a better ally. We didn’t choose the right words for the flyer, and we are going to incorporate the feedback we have received into a revision of it. Again, we will discontinue use of the current flyer,” the statement reads.

I find it odd that the Safe Space for white people is not about helping white people but rather to make them better allies to minorities
It is like we can not have anything for our own benefit

Do they have safe spaces for black people where they can talk about being a better ally to white people?

 

[Ana the Ist]

I find it odd that the Safe Space for white people is not about helping white people but rather to make them better allies to minorities
It is like we can not have anything for our own benefit

Do they have safe spaces for black people where they can talk about being a better ally to white people?

Not that I've heard....those safe spaces serve an entirely different purpose.

 

[SolomonVII]

Racial segregation is an idea that ought to have gone out of fashion with the defeat of George Wallace in 1968, or the violent demise of the segregationist Malcolm X for that matter.

Universities that create safe spaces through racial separation and segregation are destroying the very purpose of a liberal arts education. They are replicating the same original sin that America has repented from.

Universities were never meant to be therapeutic institutions catering to the frail and broken members of society. These are competitive elite environments that are set up to challenge the student, and provoke the students to be all that they can be.

 

[Non sequitur]

Do they have safe spaces for black people where they can talk about being a better ally to white people?

Do I smell a new sitcom?

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I find it odd that the Safe Space for white people is not about helping white people but rather to make them better allies to minorities
It is like we can not have anything for our own benefit

Do they have safe spaces for black people where they can talk about being a better ally to white people?

I still find it odd that people are ignoring contextual differences pertaining to the history of the races.

I can't tell if people are being intentionally obtuse here, or if they really don't understand why a group that faces unique challenges might want to have a special group to talk about issues that specifically impact their group.

When there's a breast a cancer support group, I don't recall anyone complaining about things like "Why isn't there a support group for people who don't have breast cancer???"

The reality is, black & Hispanic Americans faced (and still do face) unique challenges that white Americans do not. Wanting a group of their peers to meet as a means of support system isn't a bad thing. What are some of the unique challenges you feel that we, white Americans, are facing?

From what I can tell, these attempts at claiming "gee. what's wrong with having a white support/white power/white pride group????" are nothing more than a weak disingenuous attempt at trying to fabricate a situation that allows them to accuse their political rivals of hypocrisy.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

The problem is that your paradigm allows for no expression of "pride in being white" while encouraging "pride in being black".

You need to consider that anyone born in the last 40 years or so doesn't necessarily care about what people in the past did....and it doesn't matter that you think they should, you can't make them care.

So when you continue to push this idea that everyone except whites can take pride in their racial/ethnic identity....and the only whites who do so are racists....

Then you leave literally two places for whites looking for some kind of understanding of their identity to go...

One is a place of shame.
The other is a group of white racists.

Did you ever consider that maybe this narrative you're pushing is the exact cause of the increase in racial tensions in the US?

It's not purely about the skin color...

For instance, we all know that if someone wore a shirt saying "White Pride", it would draw some negative responses.

However, if someone was to wear a shirt that said "Irish Pride" or "Proud Italian" (they're both white), there likely wouldn't be an issue. Jewish folks also have their own support groups and organizations.

It's not so much about people not being allowed to have a sense of pride in their identity, it's the fact that "White Pride" is typically associated with a reactionary response to other groups' expressions of empowerment. (and typically comes from a place of negativity)


If you want to see the differences...
https://www.google.com/search?ei=s_.....0.0..0.0.0.......0......gws-wiz.w2CMJfhOS7w

vs.

https://www.google.com/search?ei=2P...10j0i13j0i13i10j0i13i30j0i13i5i30.5abCc34hOkI



Two phrases aren't simply semantic equivalents of each other in terms of their usage in popular language.

Like I touched on before, the original "Black Power" movement was about societal & economic empowerment for a group that had been marginalized, and a fight to gain acceptance and equality in public and cultural institutions.

"White Power" was a reaction to that by people who were mad that "Blacks don't seem to 'know their place' anymore"

Context is everything...

 

[Non sequitur]

What are some of the unique challenges you feel that we, white Americans, are facing?

Do you think they are facing any unique challenges?

If a group was formed, to address these unique challenges, do you think it would receive the same praise?