Racism Still Alive We just been concealing it....

On Nov. 4th, 2008, Barack Hussein Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States of America. A Black Man was elected President in a nation that still lives with the wounds and memory of slavery. While this is a historic moment in our nation's history, we must realize that the work put in to elect Barack Obama as President must not end! There are still battles to be fought, still wrongs to right. We must not think for one single moment that because he is elected President, all of the problems of the world will magically disappear. That is not the case. We must not think for one single moment that because he is elected President, the world is a much better place. That is not the case. Most importantly, we must not fall into the trap of thinking, for ONE SINGLE MOMENT, that because is elected President, racism does not exist. THAT IS NOT THE CASE!!

I am a very proud 2008 graduate of Colgate University. I will hold, forever, that it is one of the best institutions of higher education in America. However, occurrences at Colgate a week ago, let us all know that Racism is still alive. Last week, a student found disgustingly racist remarks in a bathroom in Colgate's Alumni Hall. When I first heard that someone wrote a racist remark, I was upset, but I (like most people) assumed that the person wrote "nigger" and continued on their racist way. However, I received pictures last night of what exactly was written. Needless to say, I was heartbroken. After reading what was written and carved into the bathroom, there had to be more than one person involved. For them to have the time to write "No Nigger will ever rule the White House", "Lynch them all", "They were born to be slaves and serve white people bout time for them to start doing it again", and "South will rise again", indicates that they had plenty of time to think and write and reflect (although they did not proofread).

As a graduate of Colgate University, I am outraged. As a Black Man, I am outraged. As a former leader at Colgate, I am outraged. I am not the only one who shares in this outrage. There are a number of students, alumni, faculty, and staff who are outraged. While that outrage is important and definitely well-founded, outrage is an emotion. What I'm getting at here is a very simple question: where is the action? Colgate is a very good institution, however, the students (and the university as a whole), are extremely sheltered. So when something like this occurs and there needs to be a response on the part of the students, the first inclination is to ask for permission or get approval to respond.

Colgate as an institution has a pretty clear history of what happens when something of this magnitude occurs. In 1969, members of the Association for Black Collegians held a sit-demanding an cultural living center. From their demands, both the HRC and ALANA cultural center were created. In 2001, when Colgate professor Barry Shain (who is still a member of the faculty) made incendiary remarks in an email to a black female student, that black students took easier courses, and that liberal-minded professors were easier on black students, there were meetings and then there were sit-ins.

So what is the major difference between those events and the events of last week? ACTION! I commend the current Colgate students for what they have done thus far. It's easy for me as an Alumni to sit here and say what I would have done if I were there, but until thrust into that situation there's no telling. And while, I know that we as Alumni support you all, I'm hesitant to make this an Alumni event of sorts. I say that in order to convey to current students that we as Alumni cannot overtake your experience. You are at Colgate right now. You are the future of that institution and of this country. And you do not need permission from anyone (administration or alumni) to express your feelings in whatever way you see fit!

Let me repeat that: YOU DO NOT NEED PERMISSION FROM ANYONE (ADMINISTRATION OR ALUMNI) TO EXPRESS YOUR FEELINGS!!!!

Some may ask, well, what are your demands from these protests? And while you may very well come up with demands later on or have them now, the reasoning is very simple: Some people got together and decided that writing racist remarks in a bathroom was a good idea and disrupted my day, education, life, so I want them to be just as disrupted by my presence despite their actions. That's what protest is about. Its not about appeasement, its about discomfort. And from that discomfort, reaching a place of coexistence.

Considering where we have come from in our nation's history, I think most major pundits are erroneously correct when they say that as a result of Barack Obama's selection, "we have come full circle". Instead of doing a 180 and having some change, we are back, in many ways, to where we started. The only way to effect change is to continue fighting. As the fight song indicates, Fight fight fight for Dear Old Colgate. But most importantly, FIGHT FOR YOURSELF!!