OT: Major Issues at Mizzou

ecobbgaeer

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According to Deadspin.com the Mizzou players of color are going to boycott all football practices, meetings and games unless the Mizzou Chancelor resigns. Apparently a great deal of racial tension on campus.
 

wvpackog

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According to Deadspin.com the Mizzou players of color are going to boycott all football practices, meetings and games unless the Mizzou Chancelor resigns. Apparently a great deal of racial tension on campus.
What happened?
 

HSVMountie

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Missouri is in a bad place on this one. Can't let the inmates run tne asylum but what do you do?
 

Pospecteer

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The MU AA players have decided to not participate in the football program until the President of MU System resigns. It stated with Grad Students complaining about health coverage being taken away and has escalated into other areas of the University. There have been a couple of racial incidents in the last couple of months which have sparked some outrage from a couple of student organizations.


LInk to timeline
http://www.themaneater.com/special-sections/mu-fall-2015/



List of demands
Concerned Student 1950

presents

List of Demands

to

The University of Missouri

To: The University of Missouri October 20, 2015

During the University of Missouri’s 104th homecoming parade, Saturday, October 10, 2015, eleven Black student leaders on campus interjected themselves into the parade, presenting UM system president, Tim Wolfe, and the Columbia community with a demonstration addressing Mizzou’s history of racial violence and exclusivity. The demonstration covered the raw, painful, and often silenced history of racism and discrimination on the University of Missouri’s campus. This history of racism at Mizzou dates back to 1935 when Lloyd Gaines petitioned the university to be its first Black law student and was denied admission. The actual year that the first Black student, Gus T. Ridgel, was accepted in the University of Missouri wasn’t until 1950, hence where the concept of “Concerned Student 1950” comes from.

Concerned Student 1950, thus, represents every Black student admitted to the University of Missouri since then and their sentiments regarding racerelated affairs affecting their lives at a predominantly white institution. Not only do our white peers sit in silence in the face of our oppression but also our administrators who perpetuate that oppression through their inaction. The Black experience on Mizzou’s campus is cornered in offices and rarely attended to until it reaches media. Then, and only then, do campus administrators seek reactionary initiatives to attest to the realities of oppressed students, faculty, and staff. These temporary adjustments to the university’s behaviors are not enough to assure that future generations of marginalized students will have a safe and inclusive learning experience during their time at Mizzou.

It is important to note that, as students, it is not our job to ensure that the policies and practices of the University of Missouri work to maintain a safe, secure and unbiased campus climate for all of its students. We do understand, however, that change does not happen without a catalyst. Concerned Student 1950 has invested time, money, intellectual capital, and excessive energy to bring to the forefront these issues and to get administration on board so that we, as students, may turn our primary focus back to what we are on campus to do: obtain our degrees.

The following document presents the demands of Concerned Student 1950. This document reflects the adjustments that we feel should be made to the University. We expect a response to these demands by 5:00pm on October 28, 2015.

If we do not receive a response to these demands by the date above, we will take appropriate nonviolent actions. If there are any questions, comments or concerns, you may forward them to [email protected].

The struggle continues,

Concerned Student 1950

List of Demands

I. We demand that the University of Missouri System President, Tim Wolfe, writes a handwritten apology to the Concerned Student 1950 demonstrators and holds a press conference in the Mizzou Student Center reading the letter. In the letter and at the press conference, Tim Wolfe must acknowledge his white male privilege, recognize that systems of oppression exist, and provide a verbal commitment to fulfilling Concerned Student 1950 demands. We want Tim Wolfe to admit to his gross negligence, allowing his driver to hit one of the demonstrators, consenting to the physical violence of bystanders, and lastly refusing to intervene when Columbia Police Department used excessive force with demonstrators.

II. We demand the immediate removal of Tim Wolfe as UM system president. After his removal a new amendment to UM system policies must be established to have all future UM system president and Chancellor positions be selected by a collective of students, staff, and faculty of diverse backgrounds.

III. We demand that the University of Missouri meets the Legion of Black Collegians' demands that were presented in 1969 for the betterment of the black community.

IV. We demand that the University of Missouri creates and enforces comprehensive racial awareness and inclusion curriculum throughout all campus departments and units, mandatory for all students, faculty, staff, and administration. This curriculum must be vetted, maintained, and overseen by a board comprised of students, staff, and faculty of color.

V. We demand that by the academic year 20172018, the University of Missouri increases the percentage of black faculty and staff campuswide to 10%.

VI. We demand that the University of Missouri composes a strategic 10 year plan by May 1, 2016 that will increase retention rates for marginalized students, sustain diversity curriculum and training, and promote a more safe and inclusive campus.

VII. We demand that the University of Missouri increases funding and resources for the University of Missouri Counseling Center for the purpose of hiring additional mental health professionals; particularly those of color, boosting mental health outreach and programming across campus, increasing campuswide awareness and visibility of the counseling center, and reducing lengthy wait times for prospective clients.

VIII. We demand that the University of Missouri increases funding, resources, and personnel for the social justices centers on campus for the purpose of hiring additional professionals, particularly those of color, boosting outreach and programming across campus, and increasing campuswide awareness and visibility.
 

DvlDog4WVU

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Missouri is in a bad place on this one. Can't let the inmates run tne asylum but what do you do?
Given the nature of what's occurring you could probably use another analogy less likely to be misinterpreted.
 

easy91_rivals

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I am very surprised, actually shocked, at the overwhelming amount of hate filled comments following these articles regarding the minority students and minorities in the Washington Post, New York Times, yahoo, and other news outlets. If this is how people really feel about each other and different races, I realize now that I have given the general population too much credit in the past. What an eye opener.
 
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easy91_rivals

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Looks like the entire Missouri team (all ethnicities), staff, and coaches now have joined the previously mentioned players refusing to practice/play. Things must be much worse up there than people realized or this is calculated damage control on the part of the football staff.
 

Pospecteer

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I am very surprised, actually shocked, at the overwhelming amount of hate filled comments following these articles regarding the minority students and minorities in the Washington Post, New York Times, yahoo, and other news outlets. If this is how people really feel about each other and different races, I realize now that I have given the general population too much credit in the past. What an eye opener.

I just tried to read some of the replies you mentioned. I did not see one that was negative to their cause. I did read several articles about what is going on at the school and it appears to me that the GA's are driving this to get medical benefits more than anything else. When you braid health care, Planned Parenthood, racism and gender inequality together, it gets convoluted and messy.

As far as Payton Head goes, I do find it interesting that he has been the focus of racism twice while being in college. Once when he was running for SG President for the 1st time and again when he was ready to graduate and go into the field of social justice. In both instances, he is able to benefit from the event. I also question the second event as it sounds like a 1960's stereotype of a bunch of white kids in the back of a red pickup truck riding around at night in a college town. It might have happened, but having lived in WV, OH, KY and PA, I have yet to see a bunch of white kids riding around in the back of a pickup truck yelling stuff. On top of that, in all of the reported episodes, there has not been one witness to collaborate that the event ever happened. It always happens when a student is alone late at night and a gang of drunk white people say bad things.
 
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Missouri is in a bad place on this one. Can't let the inmates run tne asylum but what do you do?

Colleges and Universities are places where we encourage open-minded thinking and free speech. They are places where discrimination is not tolerated. The students are expressing their displeasure by free speech in the form of protest. I don't personally view it as "inmates running the asylum", but rather students standing up for their beliefs.
 
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Mntneer

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Colleges and Universities are places where we encourage open-minded thinking and free speech. They are places where discrimination is not tolerated. The students are expressing their displeasure by free speech in the form of protest. I don't personally view it as "inmates running the asylum", but rather students standing up for their beliefs.

The University caved to the students. That's not a good trend to start.

Granted, things may be horrible there, and the President may have been a large part of the problem and maybe should have been replaced, but this story smacks of emotional reaction (on the University's half) to threats.
 
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The University caved to the students. That's not a good trend to start.

Granted, things may be horrible there, and the President may have been a large part of the problem and maybe should have been replaced, but this story smacks of emotional reaction (on the University's half) to threats.

It wasn't just the students, it was faculty protesting too.
 
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DvlDog4WVU

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The University caved to the students. That's not a good trend to start.

Granted, things may be horrible there, and the President may have been a large part of the problem and maybe should have been replaced, but this story smacks of emotional reaction (on the University's half) to threats.
Doesn't bother me at all. Liberalism about to reap what it sewed. No University is safe.
 

mneilmont

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Colleges and Universities are places where we encourage open-minded thinking and free speech. They are places where discrimination is not tolerated. The students are expressing their displeasure by free speech in the form of protest. I don't personally view it as "inmates running the asylum", but rather students standing up for their beliefs.
I haven't followed this one, but did free speech only extend to the students and some faculty? Did the free speech doctrine not extend to the president?
 

Pospecteer

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I'll answer for him. Of course he does, he's a conservative and they don't stand for racial justice.

They caught the only person who was identified as saying racist remarks and sent him packing. The other events were reported in a vacuum with no other witness's other than a student body president who make another claim when he was running for student body president and again when he was ready to leave office and officers of the organization who started the protests. Do you agree with all of their demands? Do you believe that a white person has to admit that they are privileged in order to keep their job?
 

HSVMountie

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I'll answer for him. Of course he does, he's a conservative and they don't stand for racial justice.
I am flabbergasted that you, a (supposed) liberal could make such a dumb statement. Just because I believe in individual choice and small government doesn't make me or everyone that thinks like me a racist. Personally, I stand by my "Asylum" metaphor. I don't know all the facts but what I know, a boycott would seem to be way too much of an overkill at this juncture.
 

easy91_rivals

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Being a conservative doesn't make a person a racist; however the conservative disdain for the Missouri situation does not connote that conservatives care how minority students feel. Also, questioning the veracity of the racial claims is a veiled attempt to belittle the students' claims and perspective.
 

Mntneer

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Who is the University there to serve if not the students?

Serving and giving into demands are two separate things. They have now opened themselves up to any form of "protest" any large group of students deem worthy and it will not stop at Missouri. Already the student who started the hunger strike has claimed this is just the beginning.

From what I've gathered in news stories it sounds like the President could have done more to meet with groups and discuss the problems at the University, but to resign based on their demands is a slippery slope.
 

Pospecteer

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Being a conservative doesn't make a person a racist; however the conservative disdain for the Missouri situation does not connote that conservatives care how minority students feel. Also, questioning the veracity of the racial claims is a veiled attempt to belittle the students' claims and perspective.


Not at all. We have learned more than once that racial claims have been concocted. In the case of Ferguson, once it was proven that he did indeed attack the officer and never held his hands up as he was being shot, some insisted that the ends justify the means and by fabricating a story to end racial issues is worth it. I believe racism will never be defeated by making up stories to start a conversation, only distract from it. If you look at the video of the homecoming parade you see that the protesters actually bumped into the car, not the other other way around. Should have been a non-issue, but instead they want an apology for being ran over. Go figure. Racism is alive and well in every part of the world and it is practiced by every race in the world.
 
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bornaneer

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Being a conservative doesn't make a person a racist; however the conservative disdain for the Missouri situation does not connote that conservatives care how minority students feel. Also, questioning the veracity of the racial claims is a veiled attempt to belittle the students' claims and perspective.

Are you saying Tim Wolfe is a racist? Also, can you clarify what you meant by the last part of you first sentence? Did you mean to say "does connote" instead of "does not connote"?
 

bornaneer

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I'll answer for him. Of course he does, he's a conservative and they don't stand for racial justice.

I love how you and your ilk always try to lay it on any conservative. Lets set the record straight; Tim Wolfe was not a conservative, he was a liberal Dem.
 

easy91_rivals

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My intent in that comment was to say that it would seem difficult for minority students to feel as if the establishment/conservatives cared how they felt. I am not labeling the president a racist, nor was I implying that there is a conservative or liberal monolith. Why wouldn't advocates of individual rights and small governance applaud the students' actions? Is the answer to that question the same as why labor unions are held in contempt by the right? No big government unless it's the government interfering with or limiting individuals' potential to assemble together and potentially upset the company apple cart?
 

bornaneer

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My intent in that comment was to say that it would seem difficult for minority students to feel as if the establishment/conservatives cared how they felt. I am not labeling the president a racist, nor was I implying that there is a conservative or liberal monolith. Why wouldn't advocates of individual rights and small governance applaud the students' actions? Is the answer to that question the same as why labor unions are held in contempt by the right? No big government unless it's the government interfering with or limiting individuals' potential to assemble together and potentially upset the company apple cart?

The difficulty the minority students had was with a liberal Dem, not any conservative. The problem they had was with the establishment/liberals.
 

easy91_rivals

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You are correct that not all conservatives disapprove of the players' and students' actions--Glenn Beck applauded them, for example. But in reading other conservative blogs, comments and commentary, it seems as if he seems to be the exception, not the norm.
 

mneilmont

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You are correct that not all conservatives disapprove of the players' and students' actions--Glenn Beck applauded them, for example. But in reading other conservative blogs, comments and commentary, it seems as if he seems to be the exception, not the norm.
And Glenn Beck is someone with whom you are frequently in agreement?
 

DvlDog4WVU

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My intent in that comment was to say that it would seem difficult for minority students to feel as if the establishment/conservatives cared how they felt.

I'll make it easy. I don't care. It has nothing to do with race and everything to do with actions and ramifications. This whole thing started because of Michael Brown. Fine, as we all found out, was a justifiable kill that the only thing race played into it was that it was used as an excuse to fuel a lie as a defense for that piece of **** who was killed. I'm not calling him a piece of **** because of his race, I'm calling him a piece of **** because he was. Watching the video of him beating the hell out of that old man in his housing complex was eye opening into his character.

Next, in their own words, the President was a representative figurehead and had done nothing wrong. Yet because he was the head of the University he had to go. Moreover, the list of demands was appalling.

My take is that this organization is a very militant organization hellbent on causing problems for the sake of causing problems and using race as a convenient excuse.
 

bornaneer

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Why do you believe that Mr Wolfe is a liberal democrat?

Because he is. If you did indeed stay abreast of the conservative blogs, comments and commentary you would have picked up on that very quickly. Why do you think the two conservative Missouri Republicans were the FIRST to call for his resignation.