Harvard University "Black Only" Graduation

[Anonymous]

A lot of people blew their wad over the news that Harvard University was holding a "Black Only" graduation 2 days before the main graduation for all the students. This is segregation! This is turning back the clock! What if there was a white only graduation?

Well, turns out, it's not just blacks, it's LGBTQ groups across the country who have Lavender ceremonies, it's Latino groups, (who by the way started their own ceremony at Harvard in 2015 long before blacks got to hosting this one), it's Asian groups, military vets, etc., etc., and on down the line.

But before you go calling this one segregation, they didn't actually say no one else but black people could attend. The ceremony was actually open to anyone...other students, faculty, guests, etc. because, according to the students, they wanted to share their experiences with others and talk about what they went through as black students at Harvard. Also from what I can only guess is Harvard's perspective, this closes the door on other students say calling up the ACLU and filing complaints.

The Harvard Black Graduate Student Alliance raised $35,000 to hold the ceremony. Black students make up just 5% of the student body at Harvard. Many report that it was a struggle to find their voice or find representation, on campus, so to have a ceremony to honor their achievements was a big deal according to them. As students walked across the stage, they were adorned with a Kente cloth stole.

The students had no intention of boycotting the main ceremony for all. They, like the other groups at Harvard who have additional ceremonies, did attend. This doesn't exactly qualify as excluding or segregating themselves from the majority (again, Harvard legal eagles on the case).

But what if, you are one of those wad blowers wondering if you can have a white only graduation at Harvard which would mean some 43% of you? Legally speaking...if like the "Black Only" graduation it was actually open to all, you raised the money yourselves, and you additionally attended the main ceremony, Harvard would have no way to really stop you, because you'd point to this or the Latino or LGBT one, or the ones for Vets, and say, well if they can have one, right? Legally speaking...right?

Yes, but, but, but...there's always a but. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that probably wouldn't go over all too well, or I doubt many whites only people would actually show up. That's the thing with freedom of speech. You are welcome to use it, but that doesn't mean people will like it or agree with you no matter what side of this coin you fall on, but that doesn't mean you have to slash someone's tires or curse everyone out in the comments section because you have a different POV!

Several people, white, black, and other dislike the idea of these types of graduations because they do honestly feel it's a step back in time, and why fight to be together, if you're only going to want to separate yourselves from the crowd? And yes, from that POV, what is the point of all of this needing of two ceremonies. Isn't accomplishment, accomplishment no matter your skin tone, sexual orientation, or whether or not you were in the armed forces? Isn't that why these various students and their ancestors have fought so hard to be allowed in the school in the first place--to be treated as one student body, and not them over there?

People DO have the right to disagree with this and feel frustration towards it for their opposing views. This is freedom of speech after all.

One view cannot exist without equally allowing the other which is just as right as those in favor of these secondary ceremonies.

[lumos]

I really don't see why all these uptight people are so against a minority wanting to celebrate the fact that they, as a minority, are also succeeding in life. Not too long ago, people like them weren't even allowed an education. Celebrating how far they, and we as a society, have come is only great. People calling it segregation should take a look at the real segregation that happened less than 100 years ago.

[madhatters4]

i don't love the idea of doing this but i can understand why they did it to an extent. but i can say as a college graduate and black male that if people at my school had organized such an event i would not have attended. while i think it's important for minorities to recognize and honor their achievements after so many years of oppression i don't think drawing racial lines in the sand ever helps

[madhatters4]

thanks for MHO

[CoolSky01]

I will tell you how non americans feel about americans :
White people moved to america, made it their country, brought blacks in, asisans, latinos and now muslims, they argued with everyone who warned them and told them that america is for all americans not just for white people and since it wasn't a white peoples land 300 years ago then it shouldn't be now despite the fact that white people made it what it is today.
But what happened is that every group in the USA wants its own "power ups" and special treatment and if they dont get it its the whites fault, but again white people can be never be right they are always wrong even other white people claim that any white person who likes being white is a racist asshole.

So what we have now is a pussified america, pussies living in their own country being controlled by those who they let in and protected, it won't end here, it will continue to the point of other ethincities becoming the majority and then all the peaceful and "what i went through" talk will be over and instead it will be the end of white people.

[ak666]

It's all about identity politics and collectivism these days among the left. If you take intersectionality, it's the most discriminatory of them all, lumping and segregating people into groups based on victimhood.

If you're a white heterosexual male, you're an oppressor. If you're a white heterosexual female, you're sort of an oppressor. If you're a white transgender female, you're sort of oppressed and sort of an oppressor. If you're a black heterosexual male, you're mostly oppressed. If you're a black transgender male, you're really oppressed.

It is all backwards and it's the antithesis of what people like MLK had in mind.

[ak666]

Painting yourself a victim is really popular these days. I think the group of victim types will expand and expand. There might soon be short people who feel oppressed by tall people, Asians who feel oppressed, Hispanics who feel oppressed, blondes who feel oppressed by non-blondes, gingers who feel oppressed by non-gingers, serial killers who feel oppressed by non-killers, etc.

[myTake Owner]

Are these students painting themselves as victims? From the news stories I read and have heard in passing, the majority of their statements are that despite the color of their skin and the many obstacles it has presented them, they have overcome a lot to make it to a point where they can call themselves Harvard grads and sought to celebrate that. Aside from that, they did in fact have an open invitation to their ceremony for anyone to come and did attend the regular commencement.

Racism and all the isms/phobias out in the world, still exist today. That's fact. If you are the victim of someone's racism/phobia, like the recent train murder, then you are. You can't change that by saying these people aren't the victims of it... BUTTTTTT, in my eyes, it's what you do after that, that shapes the current of your life, and I'd say, getting a Harvard degree is not playing victim, b/c the easier thing to do would have been to not try, not overcome, and just accept being oppressed.

[ak666]

The problem to me is the collectivism and identity politics. Not all white people are privileged. Some are dirt poor and lived in poverty and struggled just as hard and faced as much adversity as any black person to get to where they were. Some black people are actually privileged and born into wealthy and influential families.

The antithesis of discrimination is to stop looking at people in terms of what group they belong to and consider them on an individual basis. The progressive style thinking these days is regressive in that sense since it's becoming more guilty of lumping people into groups and judging them that way than ever before in decades.

[ak666]

It's pushing and categorizing people into groups more than ever before, and it's finding more and more groups to lump people into and say, "You're one of these people, and you're either privileged or oppressed."

[ak666]

I'm also not saying this with callousness towards minorities. I'm a minority among minorities as a mixed person. Adversity is not something I'm inexperienced with at all. I've been told to go back to my "own country" in both of the countries for which I have citizenship. Yet I don't want to be lumped into some group of mixed people assigned victimhood. I refuse to be lumped in with other people and refuse to be labeled a victim. I want to be judged as an individual and I want to overcome any obstacles thrown my way.

[myTake Owner]

I understand all that you are saying, but bringing in your own example... the fact that you mention that you have experienced negativity specifically because of your mixed heritage, means you were targeted and victimized all the same whether you call it that or not. My point is that, like these students, and yourself, they didn't let someone's hate deter them from going to and graduating from Harvard, just as you aren't letting what's happened to you, stop you in anyway--which is not playing... the victim card... where the experience immobilizes you or creates a hatred in you towards everyone of a certain race because of the few bad ones. All you've done is share your real life factual experience. You've told the truth I presume. To say what you've experienced is not blaming every single person on planet earth, it's just telling it like it happened to you. What is wrong with that? Like I also said, it's what you do afterwards with that, that determines the current of your life...

[myTake Owner]

However, if someone is telling you that what you experienced never happened because "those things just don't happen in this beautiful world of love and equality and friendship," that's a problem. That's what keeps oppressive behavior going if people refuse to admit the existence of these things or try to tell you what did or did not actually happen to you. This is, as I see it, part of the struggle for a lot of people who a lot of the lumped groups. If you say anything... you're then ironically labeled a liberal leftist, if you don't complain, you allow these things to continue to happen unchecked. Just like with the police issue... you can call out the few without downgrading the many. The problem exists only if you can't see that there are good in the masses... only the bad because of the one experience just as you have also intuited with people that do not need to say, well everyone is this or that, or you can only be oppressed if, xyz.

[ak666]

The problem as I see it is that these ideologies like intersectionality don't promote unity. They promote divisiveness. They do segregate people ideologically even if they welcome people of other groups, much like you might expect if someone held a "White Pride" ceremony. Even if anyone is invited to attend this "White Pride" ceremony, it does have a divisive effect on how people look at those throwing the event.

And then consider some white person who came from racist parents who is kind of on the fence about black people and then seeing these types of ceremonies occur. It's not helping anything as I see it.

Unity is positive as I see it. Any form of divisiveness tends to have the opposite effect.

[ak666]

About what you said about equality, I agree that it doesn't exist among social groups but I don't think it's something we should ever reach for directly because such actions tend to have very counter-productive effects.

One of the reasons is because there are an infinite number of social groups you can categorize people into. We can categorize people by zip codes as you said, by hair color (there is a paper that actually found that blondes earn more on average than brunettes), sexual orientation, white vs. black, black vs. Hispanic, short vs. tall, thin vs. obese, etc. etc. etc.

None of these disparate groups are going ever be represented equally in terms of measurable criteria like income, life expectancy, or education. Yet trying to even things out more with a heavy-handed approach like affirmative action requires that we actually force ourselves to judge people more by categorizing people into groups.

That categorization is one of the biggest problems as I see it. It's divisive.

[myTake Owner]

This is 2017. If someone thinks one ceremony a few days ago by a group of blacks celebrating their accomplishments, or Latinos, etc, in this country is the root of racism, or causes racism, they have no idea what racism is and how long it's been going on throughout the world. The thing about this ceremony is it's an effect, and for their to be an effect, there had to be a cause. The students feel marginalized, like they have no voice on campus, so what's being done to counter that? Well, the answer is going to be by University standards, at 5%, which is what they are, I mean, how much of a voice do they need really? So then what happens, we get ceremonies like this where students have to make their own way and find a way to honor who they are which they feel they don't get to see as often. That's the way it is whether you're that gay man, or that Native American, or one of two women... you're the minority, and when there is a majority, you aren't going to get much say in much.

[myTake Owner]

By continuing to back this trend, we are further emphasizing that unless you are the majority, you will never be allowed a voice or a place. This to me is where the true divisiveness comes into play. Do you really think in life we will ever have anything even resembling unity? I can tell you from personal experience, I had the pleasure of attending a school which strategically evened out the racial playing field with percentages for each group really close to one another, yet at lunch, during activities, people naturally divided themselves by race. Why? Because people absolutely can relate to their own people. That has nothing to do with racism. If one set all speaks one language, knows songs, culture, etc... they are going to get along better than those that do not. Like you mentioned... things like at this school, a forced affirmative action, doesn't make people love one another any better. It just puts person A next to person B and doesn't do any of the work to bridge any gaps...

[myTake Owner]

... other than to try to force assimilation by proxy. We can't ever talk about racism in this country without fighting, and since we will forever be able to see our divisions in skin color, and all the other socio-economic reasons, the problem continues. It doesn't get better if we tell these kids to stop their only ceremonies because for them, the problem of marginalization still exists. For them, this is creating that even playing field. Racism will always, and I say that without hesitation, continue to exist. I mean quite frankly, other countries have tried to make people equal with Communism, and it hasn't worked. Just as you cannot force people to get along, you also cannot force equality on them.

[ak666]

The incident is relatively minor but identity politics has that effect of fueling discrimination. This is a symptom of a root cause as I see it which isn't much of an indicator of progress in the past century.

After all, do black people have so much in common with each other that they feel the need for a "black voice"? Does a Nigerian have so much in common with a wealthy Black person from London in terms of how they think? Are all black people so alike to the point that they need to stick to their own kind?

What about Scotts and Brits and Irish for white people? Are they so alike that they need a white nationalist movement? Only way I could see them uniting is if they feel oppressed and hated by another group of people, uniting based on a common enemy.

A "homosexual voice" at least makes more sense to me than a "white voice" or "black voice". That's actually a fundamental difference in sexuality and lifestyle. Same for like "Christian voice" or "atheist voice".

[myTake Owner]

Are you saying literally every human being is exactly alike? I feel that is a very simplistic view of the world. Yes, we all need food, water, shelter, seek things like love and happiness, but culturally we do have differences. Physically, we may look different from one another. To deny that like groups stick together, is denying how the world has always worked. Since the earth separated and people went their separate ways, we've led different lives, developed differently, created society structures differently. It is only more so in this and the last century due to advancements in technology and travel, that we have been made closer to one another in the sense that one knows about the other as opposed to previous more isolationist views of each country. America was founded because a set of white people, mad at similar white people, left, came here, and killed most of the Natives to make this country. And now it's a problem that we're "different?"

[myTake Owner]

We've never gotten along. Never. Even in our own respective countries, between similar and dissimilar races, there has always been fighting because no one feels like they are alike. It truly bothers me that people don't look into the history of the world before they start talking about how racism is a modern problem or some fantasy of how wonderful the world once was... like, hello, how many wars have been fought and are still being fought because no one can agree on this idea that we're all just humans, one and the same, because people have eyes, and ears. They see difference. They hear difference. Race and racism keeps those differences going, I agree whole heartedly with that notion, but saying race is over, doesn't mean people will accept because the issues are still there. Calling it something different doesn't make it go away unless the root causes are exposed. Why does someone think they need a black voice? If you don't answer that, then again, we'll continue in a world where

[myTake Owner]

everyone needs a day because no one to them, it seems, cares about their story and their voice. It's this round and round we'll go with this. Before the L. A. riots, for example, the "black voice" complained about the unfair police system.. they literally burned down a city because no change was happening and no one was hearing them... come to find out, LAPD was doing all sorts of illegal things. There is danger in ignoring the voice, especially with validity behind it. It's not always just white noise. So many more examples of that scattered throughout history for all types of people. The "gay voice" needed to be heard for gay marriage, and here we are. Women's voices needed to be heard for voting rights. The handicap voice needed to be heard for more rights. All these are subsets of the larger society, and yet without hearing them directly, we'd not have made as a society, more progress.

[ak666]

No, I'm saying individuals are wildly different from one another regardless of a common skin color, e. g.

If coarse categories are chosen, I don't think people in those categories share that much in common. I don't think every black person is alike anymore than every white person is alike. I don't think every male is alike just as I don't think every female is alike.

I also don't think every Native American is alike as there are fundamental differences between the Sioux and Cheyenne, for example, and even within a single tribe, not all individuals are alike. That said, Native Americans actually have a bit more of a case for activism as I see it since they aren't a free people. Many of them are forbidden from possessing their own land, e. g.

If we use a very coarse variable like just black people, I see very little in common between a Zimbabwean, Jamaican, and Kanye West, e. g.

Most of all, I think anything even remotely close to separatism fuels discrimination.

[ak666]

The goal to me is greater equality in representation but not by reaching for it through heightened class consciousness. Class consciousness doesn't lead towards unity; it tends to lead towards conflict theory with polarizing forces as with the excesses of feminism vs. MGTOW, or with intersectionality and the notion of white privilege and oppression vs. a growing white pride movement.

[Other_Tommy_Wiseau]

while i think it's generally stupid to have "x" only graduations, there is some context to it, which people generally miss. especially in the realm of ivy league schools. considering ivy league schools have been, and still are, for the most part, catered to the elites of society (generally white males) and the "good ol' boys". as much as they're known for their academics, a good sized portion still get based on nepotism/legacy and family finances.

[myTake Owner]

I've venture to say you're just as unlikely to get into Harvard if you are a poor black male as you are a poor white male. Ivy league schools create whole new structures to keep the "riff raff" out of their schools, namely money or lack of connections to get in there. Sure you can be the top 10% of your class no matter your race, but if you cannot then afford to attend the school or obtain enough scholarships to go, guess who doesn't go.

I would have taken an issue with this if the students hadn't actually invited anyone/everybody come to their "only" graduation, or had they boycotted the full ceremony, but I can understand their POV, or the military vets, or the LGBTQ, and so on, b/c they want to be able to have a more tailored ceremony and what not, which you can't really do being 5% or whatever minority of the population of that school. As long as they pay for it, it's not exclusionary, and it isn't about boycotting the school, then so be it. If other groups want one, why not?

[Other_Tommy_Wiseau]

This is true. I don't argue that. But there is a higher percentage of well off white males vs pretty much any other racial/ethnic demographic... You are seeing it as causal. I see things as corollary. A lot of people make that same mistake in most things. The point isn't the "riff raff", but the structure in which it (and most schools, frankly) create their pool of acceptance, which has just as much to do with financials as it does with actual academic ability and merit, especially when it's private and doesn't get state funding. Just think of it this way, they want and try to make money. If you want to make money, would you rather take the kids who can pay it, or the kids who may be able to pay such a high fee, but also are on loan and may default? The answer is the 1st. Because of that, and the predisposition of where minorities have generally come from vs where white people have generally come from, that's why the numbers are generally skewed. It's a residual affect of history

tbc

[Other_Tommy_Wiseau]

when schools do accept kids based on academics and provide scholarships or just because he/she is stupid smart, they're going off future earning potential.

I planned to put that part in the middle of the last paragraph, but whatever

I'm black and i'll be the 1st to say that I really don't care for that stuff. but at the same time, if you've been a situation where you're a minority or super minority in 1 facet or another (racial, gender, nationality, etc) for a good stretch of time (30 minutes doesn't count), you know it's *different*. maybe someone smarter and less lazy than me can articulate it, but I'll leave it there. But I totally agree with you that if it's not exclusionary for the sake of being so, then I couldn't care less.

[natured]

So, if i wanted to join that party I couldn't? Even if i never did anything wrong, I mean, don't get me wrong, I have lots of black friends, and they are AMAZING, i hate to define them as "THEY" because to me they are just like any other and I hate categorizing people on their races, but IT'S JUST ME...
But, if my black friends organize an "Only Black Party" I'm sure they would let me in :) ... but they would not even organize it because we see race as something united not divided...
Again, this might only be in my Community, and honestly, I'm so freaking lucky I live this way...

[myTake Owner]

I live in a very multi-cultural city myself. I went to a multi-culti high school. As such, I have friends from literally all around the world... yet I've been to celebrations that only feature one type of people, or race as it were in the titles. I've been to weddings, graduations, cultural events, Asian, Black, Irish festivals, you name it, and never has anyone gotten mad or thrown me out or treated me in some way that made me feel uncomfortable because of who I am. My friends routinely invite me to these things, and I don't say, well, the title says Indian fest, so I don't want to go. If you truly are a lover of your friends, you can respect who they are and what they are about and celebrate that without having it be offensive to you because the title of something doesn't say, people's fest, or what have you. I've learned so much from these things that I wouldn't have, had I just shut the door on it because of it's title. The invite to this black graduation was open to all.

[JDavid25]

Well, it's an invitation to all really.. Also, Italy doesn't have the history that America does, in fact from my knowledge until 20 years or so ago not much history with "Black" of anything.. LOL.. It's not to separate skin shades, but to more encourage the "Black" students that made it..

[Dez22]

Personally, I feel if you are not ok with the idea of a ceremony like this, you must not be ok with any month, scholarship, or program dedicated to minorities that acknowledges their struggles and resilience. This is literally no different than the concept of Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Women's History Month, etc... celebrating and recognizing the history, accomplishments, and hardships of not only you, but also your ancestors/predecessors, and people like you.

White people could do the same and that wouldn't affect me or make me mad, but you're right not many will come because unless they are white minority (Polish, Irish, Italian, Greek, etc) then they won't have much of a cultural/racial history of struggle to acknowledge and appreciate where they overcame adversity despite it as a people. In other words, it won't have the same affect.

[Anonymous]

I'm Asian andI'll never attend an 'Asian only' graduation because the idea is pretty dumb. What people fail to realize is these students are the most privilege in the entire country. I'm sure 90% of those black students are better off or come from better homes/backgrounds than 80% of white people in the US. These students are going to be in the top 1%(earnings) and we all are going to shit on them in a few years because when don't like rich people.

[JDavid25]

Uuumm.. What if a lot of them came from backgrounds with heavy poverty, and ish? LOL.

[myTake Owner]

You're falling into the same trap with your comments as a lot of people do when referring to white people in general... well, you're white, so you must have come from privilege and wealth, especially if you went to Harvard... except you're now saying it about the black students. Skin color or the school you attend does not automatically mean you come from wealth or had an easy life. I cannot look at you and tell just how hard or easy you had it. You shouldn't stereotype like that. And furthermore, you're going to then be upset if a Harvard student becomes wealthy (which again, is no guarantee just because you graduated from this school). Like what? Are you like saying only poor people or disadvantaged people can make it rich or do well or deserve to? You are no more responsible in life if you were born into a rich family then if you were born into a poor one. It's just the luck of the draw, and sometimes in either case, it's not lucky at all.

[JDavid25]

@mytake owner.. Are you referring to me?

[myTake Owner]

@JDavid25 no talking to the comment writer.

[Midget_Hug]

It always amuses me when people who weren't alive at the time talk about "a step back in time". The stories my parents and grandparents told me would make your little heads spin. And it must pain them so badly to watch a generation of totally ignorant youth talk about how those days are "over" when in fact they were born at just the beginning of any form of consideration.

You can talk about the far left and all the political nonsense as soon as we handle the reality that people do still get discriminated against, rather openly, based on the color of their skin with "intelligent folk" using statistics about crime and the like to "prove" that black people and other minorities are inferior.

This shit isn't over. You surely talk about "segregation" as if it's some kind of amusing misstep that's long gone. God, it's so fucking ignorant sounding...

[JDavid25]

Damn.. This is some truth.. LOL..

[Anonymous]

''Well, turns out, it's not just blacks''

two wrongs dont make a right. The longer you keep bringing up race as if its a real thing the more you keep us back as a species. Seriously, whats the big issue? you are human like anyone else, your hardships as ''black people'' does not automatically make your life harder opposed to other ''races'' Its ignorant to suggest otherwise and before people start acknowledging you for the sole reason of your skin pigment they should see you just like anyone else.

[myTake Owner]

Actually I'm just stating fact and reiterating what the students said. It helps to know that there is context... as in people saying, well why do blacks only get to have... well, actually other groups are already having their ceremonies, so it's not just one group. Again, with the hardships... that's something the students said, not I.

[Opinion Owner]

I am talking to anyone who feels this is necessary and like I already stated with the ''its not just one group'' I said two wrongs dont make a right. honestly, its stupid

[RationalMale]

I think segregation is fine and it's the simple reality. Latino graduation? Fine. Black graduation? Dandy. It's just life that nations self segregate, even if they are sharing the turf inside one country.

I just want whites to have the same freedom to do so.

Oh, and if that "freedom" involves media witch hunts, people trying to get you fired, lawsuits... it's no freedom. Or to put it in ways blacks would understand--pretend there was a nightclub open to anyone, since that's freedom. But if non-whites went there, angry people would harass them at work, try to get them fired, make threats--would you be free to go to that theater? hell no.

[JustCallMeLeon]

Lets see then what will happen if a "white only" ceremony takes place. Dont worry black people and everyone else is free to come but ill just post pics of only white people.

Everyone is equal. This is time travelling, ro the past. Unless i can't pick up a deep meaning here. But im always told im smart. So i guess im not good enough to attend and only a handful can. Which is also a "closed beta". Selected few.

[myTake Owner]

That would be interesting. You can't very well protest the idea of a "white only" graduation, as these groups, if you're having the same for your own group--however, their invite was open to all just to be clear, not just blacks hence the quotation marks on black only.

Second, equality is a total myth. People say that repetitively, but don't mean it, except in theory. It makes people feel good to say that, like by saying that, it will right the world and make it so. I worked in education for a long while, and let me tell you, your zip code determines a lot about your quality of education for one. You have a lot of potentially brilliant minds being wasted of all races, because the schools are basically putting these kids in "their place" at a young age and cutting off the opportunities for potential growth by severely curbing funding or encouraging success by offering certain school exponentially more even in who they hire.

[JustCallMeLeon]

Sad. But i still believe everyone is equal and that they shouldn't judge people like that.

[myTake Owner]

It is sad, but that's what I mean... equality is in the mind; it is a belief of the way things ought to be and how people ought to be treated, but the reality is that the world at large does not recognize equality the way you see it in your mind. Every facet of our lives, even beyond race, is meant to put person A here, and person B there, and to treat them differently accordingly. This is the frustration for those who see the realities or suffer because of it. Just because someone believes equality is the way the world works or should work, does not mean at all that that is so... so when person A or person B complains about the inequalities of the world, those with the strong belief that equality exists, tend to ignore the issues--claiming that all things are equal, and therefore, there is no such thing that exists in the realm of inequalities or disparities between anyone. And here we are with other graduations and such, and organizations that constantly combat such issues.

[lexilou42]

The statement "your zip code determines a lot about your quality of education" is technically true. I go to a school that is considered to be more wealthy and does give students a better education, but our facilities constantly break. We went two and a half days without working water in early September (which in Texas gets up to 110) and had students going to the hospital due to heat stroke. The next semester, our halls flooded because our water system had major issues after we payed to "fix it" and mold grew in half of the classrooms. Our theater had been growing black mold for three months and we only found out about it after someone got really ill. Our hallways have no heating or air conditioning. All of this happens because we get less funding from both the city AND the state because we're in a wealthy area of town.

[myTake Owner]

@lexilou42 It's just all so extremely frustrating a lot of the time. A lot of frustrated parents, teachers, and students, especially in situations like you describe where how does one equate to the other given the situation at hand?

[lexilou42]

I was just responding to your statement about equality being a myth. In my city, the "poorer" your neighborhood is the more money you're given from the city and the state. It's doesn't necessarily correspond with the topic of a "Black Only" Graduation (which I'm not too sure how I fell about). Sorry if it confused you at first.

[myTake Owner]

@lexilou42 There was no confusion. I was referring to the situation you personally spoke of and asking a rhetorical question in response.

[cinderelli]

ok I think most people don't get the hardships the black community faced in past.. so this little things are just an effort to get them to a higher or equal level to whites who enjoyed all the privilege, so instead of being butthurt people should join them in their celebrations to show their support for the greater good of unity among all.

[I-am-a-nobody]

@cinderelli
And I'm sure the "black community" will reciprocate by showing up for the "white only" graduation or how about the "nearsighted left handed males of Czech descent only" graduation. When does it end?

[cinderelli]

@I-am-a-nobody this is the ignorance I was talking about... smh

[I-am-a-nobody]

They're going to HARVARD!!!

Here's how "ignorant I am @cinderelli...
I think the person from the "black community" who goes to Harvard is more "privileged" than 80% to 90% of the people who have "white privilege".

I'm sure many in the "black community" don't even believe these students are part of the "black community" (Uncle Toms), but that's another point entirely.

You do realize Harvard discriminates against people, don't you?
If you're from the "black community" it's a plus in admissions.
Harvard's "African American" admissions exceeds the proportion of "Blacks" in the US.
So, Black = Privileged , at Harvard.

If you're a "nearsighted left handed white guy" whose parents merely graduated from Podunk High, your chances aren't near as good. You might be smarter, work harder, study more, but TOO BAD... you're too "white".

Personally, I find the whole classification of "Black" or "White" disgusting and reminiscent of South Africa during Apartheid.

[cinderelli]

@I-am-a-nobody you're ignorant because you're not taking in account the fact that blacks do face hardships and hurdles in life way more than white community.. it's not a ''black'' celebration because they're some other color or they're suddenly better.. they're celebrating the success of black kids because that was impossible in past and still is not as easy.. it's not about an individual graduating from Harvard.. it's sort of a celebration for the blacks to finally have somewhat close to equal opportunities in life.. just stop being selfish for one sec for god's sake.. gosh the Americans on here are really something..

[I-am-a-nobody]

@cinderelli
Here's where your ignorance comes in...
You think that kids that get in (disproportionately mind you) into Harvard have faced more hardship and hurdles than the average "white" kid. You think every "white" kid has a "silver spoon in their mouth" because they're "white", thus your "white privilege" comment.
(... which is just another piece of progressive propaganda)

And why would "blacks" celebrate "equal opportunity", when they already have been given a greater than equal opportunity?

Yes, how selfish of me for wanting for my children, as did Martin Luther King Jr., to "live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
Sorry, I hate racist policies as do most people in America. (With liberty and justice for all)
While I'm glad for them as individuals, I can't celebrate institutional racism no matter which way it goes.
You might contrast that with the policies of South Africa both during and after apartheid.

[cinderelli]

@I-am-a-nobody you're again thinking about it the wrong way.. dude its NOT about you.. let them have their moment.. blacks were SLAVES!!! so things like these are worth celebration for them.. get over it..

[I-am-a-nobody]

@cinderelli
" dude its NOT about you."

I never said it's about ME. It's about truth, justice and the American way, ... none of which you believe in.

[cinderelli]

@I-am-a-nobody and you think that the American way is to keep whites on top forever.. if you really believe in equality and justice than let a community rise without being so whiny about it..

[I-am-a-nobody]

@cinderelli
No, it's not about white supremacy. It's about being judged by other than the color of your skin.
The people who do rise, do it regardless of color and on an individual basis. I'll personally go out of my way to help a person regardless of their color. Some of those people just happen to be darker than me, but that's honestly irrelevant.

Telling people that their achievement is somehow more meaningful because of the color of their skin is racist.

If you can't understand that I guess I'll just have to live with it.

[Prof_Don]

As a black American, I am very, VERY conflicted with the idea of this.

I can understand the cultural comfort of being around your own people, seeing how discrimination and racism is something that EVERY black person deals with in America, even on an Ivy League campus like Harvard.

But, the idea sounds so 1950s and separatist (yes i'm aware that non-blacks are able to attend that 'black graduation'). I'm about celebrations like a college graduation being celebrated as the classical melting pot, not as a bunch of divisions and semi-graduations.

[Irishman45]

Yes that is segregation, America is going backwards as far as race relations and equality is concerned.

It is race baiting and causing more division. It seems like all social justice activists are doing lately is trying to irritate and annoy everyone and that only leads to an increase in hatred, not a decrease.

I also think it is wrong that today it is socially acceptable for black people to be openly racist. No, racism is racism and it doesn't matter who it is aimed at or perpetrated by, it should be stopped. Allowing black students to exclude their undesirable white students is racism and worse it's a double standard.

[Anonymous]

I can imagine the chaos that would have been raised by blacks if this was a "White Only" graduation". Protestors, riots, hate, racism, and so much more. But a "Black Only" graduation is not racist at all. It's all correct and all good. America is still messed up and probably always will be.

[myTake Owner]

A lot of people have said the same, but what is being done to clear up any racial tension by anyone black, white, other? There was racial tension long before this graduation, and there will be racial tension long after. This one ceremony is not the reason there is racism in this country. When the Latinos had their first only ceremony in 2015 at Harvard, no one caused this much funk, or the gays, or the military persons, but put the word "black only" on it, and people freak out. Why is that? All the racism in the world won't go away if we do away with this ceremony or the ones for the other groups on that campus. But like life, we can never seem to have any good without bad. So like murders, bullying, hatred, racism, phobias, isms, these things will continue as you've said.

[Nice_Guy_Last]

I understand the need for discourse about important issues relating to races and LGBTQ and gender, but I wonder if the same thing could have been achieved at a multicultural event, where the unique groups are celebrated together as opposed to separately.

I know it's semantics, but by saying "Black Graduation" does ostracize some people from other groups, just like a "White Graduation" would. The people that need to attend a "Black Graduation" are those who would be ostracized, though. They feel a negative stigma against black people because of self segregation. If they go to a multicultural event, which they are much more likely to do, however, there might be the chance they hear about problems facing black people and, because they are being made aware of the issue in a non-aggressive format that we see in the news, might change their stance on the issues.

I think we make greater strides in equality when we come together and make all feel welcomed.

[Anonymous]

I couldn't really care less about the ceremony, but I saw plenty of pictures of it and I'm envious of those educated black men. They're completely outnumbered by female graduates that they're no doubt in such high demand for dating/mating purposes for any black women interested in being their own race. The educated black man is one type of guy who can actually be selective to the same extent that a woman can be.

I think most guys who are higher educated are in rather high demand, actually. Since there's more women going to and graduating from college compared to men.

[Anonymous]

It doesn't matter how people try to spin this; in the end it is racism, sexism, hypocrisy and double standards, and the more it is allowed to happen, the more cynical people will become when society complains about racism and sexism in other areas. It's a stupid idea and we all know it deep down. Let's stop trying to justify it and start calling it what it is.

[Iraqveteran666]

If all groups can get a only them day then why not.

[myTake Owner]

I agree. I mean, as I said above, you can't as the school say no, if the other groups meet the same standards created by the Latino groups, the vet groups, the LGBTQ, or the black groups.

[Kuraj]

Are we surprised?
Harvard is the university that does not even mention white people in their admission statistics, because apparently "white" people are not an ethnicity and acknowledging their existence and the fact that they make up the majority of your campus would be racist against the other ethnicities.

This is full on Hitlerian behavior, and things like these are the de facto root of all racism in America.

[nevermoregirl7]

I haven't heard of this, but if it was open to the public, I really don't see the bad in it. A lot of "wad blowers" don't understand that POC had to earn a lot of experiences and rights in the last 150 years. And it is considered a celebration that now the new generation gets to enjoy what was fought for.