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Dearborn, MI — Several decades ago and, thanks to the Republican Party, America decided it was wrong to segregate people according to their race. Based on many, many things coming from the Left side of politics as of late, it seems clear a lot of people have changed their minds.
If you consider the term “people of color” — it’s a phrase which separates whites from all non-whites, just as some in the U.S. did seventy years ago. Finding it appropriate and not at all backwards looking, the University of Michigan Dearborn held two events recently and, according to The Washington Free Beacon, “two cafe-style seminars.”
One cafe for white students and the other for everyone else. Both events were hosted by the Center for Social Justice and Inclusion and were hailed — according to the Free Beacon — “as a space for students to discuss their experience as a given racial identity on campus.”
The categorizing names of the conceptual coffehouses:
- BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Cafe
- Non-POC (People of Color) Cafe
See any similarities?–
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University of Michigan healing racial divisions with institutionally mandated segregation. Extremely progressive. Good job, everybody. pic.twitter.com/5KXNURbY3W
“Healing racial divisions with institutionally mandated segregation. Extremely progressive. Great job, everybody.” The level of stupidity in the tweet above is baffling.
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White – ColoredThe racist signs of segregation are gone. They were but one obscene symptom of the Jim Crow era, sadly the disease carries on. pic.twitter.com/GGs2BZaNWI
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“When growing up, I saw segregation. I saw racial discrimination. I saw those signs that said white men, colored men, white women, colored women, white waiting. And I didn’t like it.”John Lewis📷 Leonard Freed pic.twitter.com/h4gxL67Tsq
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The signs may have come down, but the affects of segregation still persist. Stay tuned for tomorrows episode of #GettingCurious ‘Jim Crow Drinking Fountain by John Vachon’ pic.twitter.com/OwV7zT2zDC
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If only @UM_Dearborn hadn’t burned all the triggering history books, history might have taught them about the racist past of segregation.Oh, btw. I found some old signs, they can have to make sure students know, where to go… pic.twitter.com/lUO2X1cSLv
But now the school’s saying neither event was intended to be exclusionary. Of course, ignorant and pompous people don’t see what they’re doing until they receive push back from people who obviously see the flaw in their logic. Just like those who opposed the Jim Crow South decades ago.
Mind you, we would have never found out about this had someone not rightly complained, and the university wouldn’t feel the need to put out these weak and moronic press releases.
A spokeswoman for UM-Dearborn explained to the Beacon, “UM-Dearborn sincerely regrets the terms used to describe the ‘cafe’ events held on September 8. The terms used to describe these virtual events and descriptions themselves were not clear and not reflective of the university’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
Here’s more from The Washington Free Beacon. ”According to the university, the event for students of color was originally intended to provide a meeting space for students from marginalized communities to discuss their experiences on campus. The event for white students was intended to deepen their understanding of race and racism “without harming or relying on students of color to educate them.”
The school’s since removed public access to the official event page. Furthermore, it has published apologies, which you can find in their entirety below:
Virtual Cafes
Reaffirming our commitment to an inclusive campus community (September 10, 2020)
Dear Colleagues, Students, Alumni and Friends,The University of Michigan-Dearborn has historically demonstrated a commitment to being a welcoming, respectful and inclusive campus. The university is resolved to continuing that pursuit and has demonstrated evidence of that commitment. We don’t shy away from difficult, yet necessary, discussions and debates on a variety of issues that impact our campus, region, country and world. However, earlier this week, we made a mistake that was a significant misstep resulting in harm and pain within our community and beyond. As the Chancellor of the university, I want to apologize and share my thoughts.
On September 8, our Center for Social Justice and Inclusion hosted two concurrent virtual conversations, which were called “cafes.” One was described as for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), another for non-POC (please note, these were online Zoom gatherings, not in-person events). These virtual cafes were intended to provide members of our campus community with opportunities to reflect on their lived experiences. However, the framing and presentation of the purpose and intended outcomes of these events were poorly conceived and executed.
As a result, our community is hurting. Our opportunity to create meaningful and consequential conversation was lost. But we remain steadfast in our ability to listen and learn. Moving forward, we are working to ensure that all future events and programming are promoted in a way that reflects the university’s long-standing core values and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. As we continue to create opportunities to have these discussions, we welcome your insights and suggestions for more effective and engaging conversations. Your input and these conversations will be essential both to our university’s collective future and to our role in finding solutions to pressing issues facing society.
To be sure, this is a painful and upsetting episode, and one that does not reflect the University of Michigan-Dearborn as we know it. I also know that we are resilient. And I am determined to not let this mistake deter us from promoting a respectful, welcoming and inclusive campus environment for everyone. Nor will we, as a community of scholars of higher learning, shy away from discussing uncomfortable or controversial ideas. What we can, and must do, is learn from this and continue fostering a better, more equitable society for everyone.
Please accept my commitment to ensuring a lapse like this does not happen again.With heartfelt and sincere apologies,
Domenico Grasso
Chancellor*************************************************************************
Virtual Cafes (September 9, 2020)UM-Dearborn sincerely regrets the terms used to describe the “cafe” events held on September 8. The terms used to describe these virtual events and the descriptions themselves were not clear and not reflective of the university’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
University of Michigan-Dearborn is committed to fostering and maintaining an inclusive campus environment and encourages ongoing dialogue amongst our students, faculty and staff on challenging issues. As campus activities continue to operate in a predominantly remote capacity due to COVID-19, our Center for Social Justice and Inclusion has looked to develop virtual spaces that allow for these important conversations to continue.
The “cafes” were virtual open conversations developed to allow students the opportunity to connect to process current events, share their experiences related to race, share knowledge and resources and brainstorm solutions. The original intent was to provide students from marginalized communities a space that allowed for them to exist freely without having to normalize their lives and experiences, while also providing students that do not identify as persons of color the opportunity to deepen their understanding of race and racism without harming or relying on students of color to educate them.
To ensure that these spaces were kept safe and respectful, the “cafes” had a faculty/staff member as a facilitator.
The events were never intended to be exclusive or exclusionary for individuals of a certain race. Both events were open to all members of the UM-Dearborn campus community.
It seems to me if people are upset about the cafes, it isn’t because particular words were used to advertise them. It’s the foundational idea. But this is where we are.
It isn’t surprising the Left has ignored the purpose of Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of people not being “judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” This is one of the biggest reasons why people are opposed to tearing down statues and attempting to erase history because people had their feelings hurt because they took them out and were irresponsibly playing with them.
The ignorance of the Left is astounding. America is progressively fractured by racial separation rather than increasingly strengthened by colorblind unity. America is progressively fractured by racial separation — rather than increasingly strengthened by colorblind unity. And despite notions to the contrary, the truth is: In order for “liberty and justice for all” to fully be ours, we must be “one nation…indivisible.”
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