Racial slurs, in any case,
should not be tolerated
Defend racial slurs on behalf of the First Amendment. Use racial slurs for educational purposes. Make no mistake about it. Racial slurs, as discussed in the Emerald, have nothing to do with the First Amendment or education (“Absurdity about the ‘n’ word,” ODE, Aprli 16). The use of racial slurs is instead about the return of Jim Crow.
Jim Crow was the racist ideology that shaped the United States between the late 1800s and mid-1960s. The academic orthodoxy and its products have narrowly portrayed Crowism as unfair laws and legal segregation. However, Jim Crow was about more than laws and segregation.
Jim Crow focused on the degradation of racial minorities through racial epithets. Many religious leaders condemned racial minorities through racial epithets. Educators used racial slurs to teach society about white supremacy. All of these injustices and more were committed under the guises of the First Amendment and education.
Some scholars argue that Jim Crow is alive and well. He just knows how to hide, how to lie. The First Amendment and education combined with racial epithets are examples of Crow’s lies and existence. Do not sanction the use of racial slurs. Jim Crow terrorism must not be allowed to resurface.
Javier Ayala
Eugene
UO can be proud
of team mascot efforts
Thank you for the article about the University of Oregon’s law students’ resolution against scheduling games and events with universities using American Indian images or names as team mascots (“Students petition against mascots,” ODE, April 16).
The resolution is an excellent statement that institutionalized racism, including the reduction of a race to the position of a mascot, is illegal and the University recognizes its obligation not to support institutionalized racism.
Institutionalized discrimination and stereotyping is not tolerated toward any other minority race. No other minority race is abused as mascots or tokens of luck.
“Indian” mascots teach students, faculty, staff and people in the community how to stereotype a group of people on the basis of race, religion, ancestry and cultural ethnicity. These stereotypes are promoted as they are carried into other schools during sports competitions.
The resolution being brought forward by University law students and sponsored by the Sports and Entertainment Law Forum is an excellent recognition of the last point. Stereotyping harms everyone.
Along with other societal abuses, “Indian” mascots, names and logos marginalize American Indian children and adults. “Indian” mascots and logos turn native people into artifacts, making them of value only as people who no longer exist.
Stereotypes limit the ability of non-natives to interact fully with native people as fellow human beings. Stereotypes create friction and hard feelings between people and can often lead to what amounts to displays of bigotry and racism.
The University is to be commended for its socially-conscious students and faculty.
Alice Huffman
B. Randall Huffman
Covington, Ky.
Representing
institutional intolerance?
John Kostick’s letter conveyed his opinion that when he must come into contact with the queer community’s events, “I just ignore and bite my lip at most of the things that I may find offensive and all that crap that I consider inappropriate behavior” (Life should not be a drag,” ODE, April 23). Some of this “crap” is a drag show put on a few nights ago, which, to Kostick, was “crap being thrown” at him from “every direction and the funds being wasted on it.”
I wouldn’t take as much offense to this if it was from just another straight male, insecure in his own sexuality and the University’s diversity. But this isn’t just another closed-minded individual who would rather the world conform to his “nuclear family” ideals where Joe marries Betty, they have two wonderful children and live happily ever after. If Betty would rather marry Nancy, then mean Mr. Kostick will step in as an EMU administrator and let them know that they are being “offensive.”
Is it appropriate for Kostick to verbalize his intolerance for the LBGT community in our school paper and represent not just himself, but because he is the “EMU accountant/payroll administrator,” the accounting department as well? Is this the type of administration we want controlling our accounts? Mr. Kostick, if you want to live in your little homophobic box, go for it, but check your bigotry at the door before you handle my money.
Andrew Whitmarsh
senior
English
The typical ‘Negro’
male student
“I am not too fond of the typical Negro male student who drops his food all over the counter and leaves his area very messy.” Sound offensive? You bet! You would probably never find the above stated quote in the Emerald. But, you can find it in our Emerald verbatim (“Rub-a-dub-grub,” April 22), except change “Negro” to “Caucasian” — this is racism and ought not be printed. Enough with the double-standard already!
Donald E. Burton
Eugene
