Eek!

Lancaster Ignorancer-Urinal: 'Hidden' racism nationwide woe

Sociologists: Racism rampant


Racism might not be easy to detect in public places, but it's thriving behind closed doors.

What self-respecting racist would allow sociologists behind his closed, racist doors? Hmmm...

That's what two sociologists who visited Millersville University Thursday — Joseph Feagin and Leslie Picca — told a group of about 50 Millersville faculty and staff.

The pair said racism is not only alive, but it's growing, even on college campuses.

Feagin and Picca, who recently co-authored "Two-Faced Racism: Whites in the Backstage and Frontstage," led a workshop to discuss the implications of racism.

"Racism is quite obvious if you know where to go and look for it," Feagin said. "America still thinks in racist terms."

Get sociologists out of our bedrooms!

Oops. That's Big Babykilling's slogan. Never mind.

Feagin, a professor of sociology at Texas A&M University and president of American Sociological Association from 1999 to 2000, described "backstage" and "frontstage" racism as parts of what he calls the "white racial frame," a theory he developed.

Within the frame, Feagin said, there are stereotypes and images that perpetuate racism. Feagin said those stereotypes and images are so rooted in U.S. culture that they are difficult to eradicate.

Just kill all the brutes whose minds you can read, doc. There must be a hundred million of 'em out there.

Picca, a professor of sociology at Dayton University in Ohio, said racism is the same whether displayed in the open or elsewhere.

"Just because it's not said directly to the target doesn't mean that it's not being racist," Picca said.

If I am hearing the bad doctor correctly, I am a racist because I often accuse my ficus of being lazy and shiftless and eating all the fried chicken in the house.

As part of their book, Feagin and Picca asked more than 600 college students from across the country to keep diaries about racist comments they heard or experienced. Students were white, black, Asian and Latino.

As part of the workshop, Feagin and Picca reviewed a handful of journal entries.

In many instances, Picca said, white students who were offended by racist comments went along with the conversation to appease their friends.

Peer pressure nazis!

"Some students said they weren't really racist, but were just having fun with their friends," Picca said. "But in reality, these students were using creativity, time and energy to support racial comments."

Picca said she was surprised by how frequently students wrote about hearing certain racial slurs.

"I was shocked how commonly, frequently and casually the 'n' word was thrown around," Picca said.

She must mean either "nimrod" or "nincompoop". She ought to listen to rap "artists". Nobody is allowed to be offended by their use of "nigger".

The other scenario, Picca said is that students were afraid to tell their friends to stop.

"I've heard students say, 'I wanted to say something but I didn't want to interrupt the fun,' " Picca said.

Journal entries included those who were the subject of racial remarks. In one entry a black student wrote, "This is one of those sad and angry nights for me. … I used to blame alcohol consumption for their obvious ignorance and racist attitudes, but I have since stopped trying to make excuses for them. I have to admit at times like these I feel intense dislike for white people because I don't understand how such a system of hate can exist. …"

Get new friends...or just punch your racist friends in the snout...but whatever you do, stop whining to sociologists.

Feagin said the entry explains the brutality of racism.

"All this person is feeling is negativity, and he obviously lives on a negative college campus," Feagin said.

Oooooooooh! Negativity...the moral equivalent of lynching!

One instructor, who declined to be identified, said one of her classes thought a recent racial incident at Warwick High School was exaggerated by the media.

Prior to the start of classes at Warwick High School on Oct. 3, a group of white students threw trash at three minority students, brandished a Confederate flag at them and made derogatory comments and racial slurs, according to district officials and published reports.

Whatever happened to the good old day when boys would settle their schoolyard disputes with their fists and then go to the malt shop and hit on the cheerleader who "developed" early?

Three students have been charged with disorderly conduct in connection with the incident and the district has lined up a series of workshops and seminars on tolerance for students, staff members and the public.

"The people in my class were saying that the media has overblown the situation," she said.
"They didn't feel that it was that bad," she said.

There also have been reports of racial incidents at Millersville University, where swastikas and foul language were painted on dormitory walls, Millersville University officials said.

Sherlynn Bessick, the director of Learning Services, said the issue of racism is not new and it is time to act.

"My concern is that we start doing something about it," Bessick said. "We need to get beyond reflection and instruction and develop intervention for students."

SHOOT THE LITTLE RACIST REPUBLICANS! SHOOT 'EM NOW! SHOOT 'EM NOW! [With humblest appy-polly loggies to Daffy Duck, et al.]

Picca said her ultimate goal is to help students recognize racism.

"Many people think about it on a subconscious level," Picca said. [Where only left-fascists can see. - F.G.] "We have to get them to the point where they think of it consciously. That's where it starts."