throw back 1

below is a speech i wrote for a public speaking course during my tenure at The university of virginia...

To protest is to actively express an objection to something you are otherwise powerless to prevent with the intention of change.

Martin Luther King, Jr. led successful protests

To protest is to declare disapproval in the hopes of altering a system that is considered unjust

Angela Davis led successful protests

To protest is to take responsibility for your plight and to fight to make your life what it should be, what it was promised to be.

The Civil Rights Movement consisted of successful protests

If the purpose of protests and political action were simply to get an apology but with no promise of change or even an acknowledgement of a deeper issue, then almost every protest at this university has been a successful one.

We have proven that a single public act in response to a racially charged event is futile- however we have also shown that a single public act is all we’re willing to commit.

Though the success of our protests is minimal at best, we have not changed the game- we have not changed our approach yet we expect the student body, the administration to react to us differently.

If the powers that be notice that every time a cultural group rises up in protest all they have to do in response is say, “sorry…my bad. I didn’t realize that was blatantly racist, sexist, classist, homophobic, etc. …until you, the powerless, brought it to my attention,”

If all it takes is an apology then the Cav Daily should be able to just print the same one at the beginning of each year “we’re going to offend you at some point, sorry” because it happens every year whether it is an error on the part of the Cav Daily, an unevenly applied dress code, a racist frat house, or one too many Blacks resulting in way too many cops. As long as we let it go the next week , as long as the fight ends after an apology is given, a retraction is printed, or an innocent Black man is let go. Nothing will change

Would the gay community stop protesting after a gay bashing, just because the school said sorry and pat lampkin sent an email warning students, even though the suspect had not been caught or even looked for? No, but that’s what the black community did when Daisy Lundy was attacked.

Sure there was uproar at first but the students graduated and unfortunately the fight graduated with them.

Well “one thing I don’t need is anymore apologies”

you think because you were born more ¾ of a man that that makes you whole? That all you need is an apology to heal your hurt? To heal your soul? To heal your self-esteem?

What we need is equality, it is clear that equity still hasn’t been reached but our presence at this university allows us to be narcissistic. because we’re here we no longer have to fight we‘ve made it. You cant expect us to do more We’ve got homework to do.

The feelings are valid and the people are ready to move, but the movements aren’t organized, the causes aren’t clear, the passion dies down and with it the fight.

The need for organization is not simply to get more people motivated and involved but so that a precedent is set and guidelines are laid. Administration knows we’ll graduate, they know a racist columnist, comic, biology student , or frat boy will graduate and with them the rowdy, the rabble rousers, the people who know how to fight.

They use this system of self governance to their advantage because they know every four years the cries will die out and they’ll never have to make moves towards bettering this community.

It is our responsibility by our, I mean students, humans, so called “equals” to be the change we want to see in the world. To see the change that needs to be seen at uva

The credibility of the argument is eaten away and degraded every time an apology quells our unrest. With each passing year students become more and more jaded because everyone’s aware that that’s all its going to take. that’s all that’s going to happen. John casteen is not affected, this university is not affected, the Black community isn’t affected, the perpetrators aren’t even affected. Its simply one more group of people to cross off the list “cant make fun of them anymore.” one more joke to throw out saying “too far” but continuing as if nothing happened

I am not calling for riots, I am not calling for sit-ins, I am asking for change. Change in the system begins with changing how we approach the system as a community.

With each passing year my will to fight dies down a little bit more because I want more than an apology, but I’ve got homework to do.

throw back 2

below is a response to a pretty racist post and the general craziness that occurred at my alma mater when juicycampus first hit grounds...

re: black people at UVA hate each other---you all can get as mad as you want but even though that cat is racist and ignorant he has a point.

We talk about how we need to unite and show administration and whoever the hell else that we belong here too and they should make strides to accomodate us and make this a better place for the minorities but for what? so we can turn on each other and be petty punk ass bitches and write about and degrade each other, and drag each other through the mud the first chance we get?

youre in college, be about your business and do what you can to not be in everyone elses. im sorry if somebody burned you or did you wrong in the past but go talk to them about it and stop airing your grievances in mixed company. this site is nothing more than an electronic burn book, how old are you? what does it say about you when you get your kicks from writing and/or lying about someone elses sexual escapades?

all youre doing is perpetuating stereotypes, youre acting like bitches and hoes and niggers how are you going to get mad when people outside the community continue to refer to you as such? we can no longer complain about racist comics or sketches etched into desktops because as much as you claim to love your people and unite when theres a reason to march you hate yourself and you hate your brothers and sisters. what the hell good is it, us standing next to each other in a protest talking about we shall not be moved when as soon as the moment passes and the hostility is quelled and the administration tells us ONCE AGAIN that they cant do anything, you stab me in the back as we walk away?