Safe Spaces Segregate the Claremont Colleges

[romanic]

In the wake of last week’s protests and resignations at Claremont McKenna College (CMC), “safe spaces” for students of marginalized identities are popping up all over the campuses of the Claremont Colleges. After protestors called for action, CMC President Hiram Chodosh stated his commitment to providing a permanent safe space for students of color in the near future. Until then, the Associated Students of Claremont McKenna College (ASCMC) have dedicated part of their office as a safe space for these students.

Safe spaces for minority students have appeared on the campuses of other Claremont Colleges as well. Last week, the Motley Coffeehouse at Scripps College issued a statement on its official Facebook page, “The Motley sitting room will be open tonight from 6-10 only for people of color and allies that they invite. Please feel free to come and use the space for whatever you need – decompress, discuss, grieve, plan, support each other, etc. In solidarity.”

Additionally, a “Hurting and Healing” event, described as “a *for POC, by POC* art show,” is scheduled to take place at Pomona College on December 5. “This show’s intent is to create a space that is pro-POC, pro-black, and anti-white supremacist,” states the event’s website. “While you may want to invite a white friend or ally, to make this a safe and comfortable space for other POC, we ask that you do not.”

Further, the editorial board of The Student Life, an official, student government-funded newspaper, expressed solidarity with the recent movement and issued a statement explaining that the publication will create a space in its next issue for students of color who wish to write about their personal experiences. “We are tired of going to protests, seeing White allies snap and clap and shout only to move on the next day like nothing happened,” the editors write.

http://claremontindependent.com/safe-spaces-segregate-the-claremont-colleges/

Are these safe spaces truly safe, or are we seeing segregation coming back onto our campuses?

[linuxman]

1. It's different.

It's a good kind of segregation.

[romanic]

9. You're being sarcastic.

...right?

[linuxman]

38. LOL, yes.

Yes, I am.

[geomon666]

2. This shit makes my head hurt. n/t

[jwirr]

3. In the 70s my college dedicated an entire house to the

Native American program. We used it to hold meetings, to publish our own newspaper, to study together, to invite speakers for the campus (speakers did not speak in our house as it would not have been educational if it were just for us), to create a library of books about Native American subjects, to just set around and talk together and finally I suppose we could have called it a safe house.

[B2G]

4. How is this progress?

These kids are turning the clock back decades.

[JustAnotherGen]

59. I don't think so

Nephew is a 2015 Princeton grad. He crossed the color line but often time he had to choose who he went to lunch with.

I did the same thing at Niagara in the 1990's - crossed the color line but there were times I sat at a mostly white table or an all minority table.

This isn't new - its just official now.

Minority students in mostly white institutions have always done this.

I think of my friend Bernadette. She was from South Africa - 23 year old freshman. She had never sat at a white woman's table until I took her home for Columbus Day weekend. And a mixed race couple? That was shocking for her! Sh didn't even realize I was black for a few weeks. Good times! Good times. But there were limited number of biracial, quarter, 1/8 black people in South Africa at that time.

I'm probably blacksplaining - sorry . . . But these things can be complicated for white folks who don't have day to day in close living quarters with black people.

Eh - put yourself in her shoes - and understand why she might feel uncomfortable at first in an all white environment.

Now take an 18 year old who grew up in Atlantic City or Camden and drop them into Princeton NJ. They've not had much living quarters contact with white folks. It's people like me and my nephew who provide a gentle bridge. . .

But it's nothing new. It will change in 30 / 40 years as America starts looking like me - or my niece. My brother married a Puerto Rican woman. I imagine large chunks of America will look like that niece in particular at that time.

That same Princton grad nephew - just got engaged to a girl fom Honduras. Yeah - I think I was probably a Bridge to the new America which is emerging. We may actually see safe spaces for white students in a two or three generations. Anything is possible.

[XemaSab]

74. When I went to Humboldt State, my first thought was

"I've never seen so many white people in my life."

And I'm white!

[JustAnotherGen]

81. When I was younger I didn't notice it

Im 42 now. Now that I'm older - I'm aware of it.

I grew up in a small majority white town outside of Rochester NY.
I went to a parochial prep school - mostly white.

It may have given me an advantage - the ability to move easily between people who look like me and those who don't.

When I got to Niagara I think I was like - I've never gear so many French and Irish accents in my life! :rolls: Number of Irish and French Canadian foreign exchange students was big. I think the Irish fascination with black Americans and the number of those students there might have protected us a bit.

[Oneironaut]

5. This is the dumbest trend ever.

I hope it goes away.

[Throd]

39. Not me. I want to see just how absurd this can get.

[KamaAina]

6. A colleague is on the board of Scripps, one of the Claremont Colleges

I'll be most interested to hear what she has to say about this.

[KamaAina]

49. Here you go.

My initial thought is that the Claremont Independent is terrible. If you're looking for student perspectives about what's going on in Claremont, the CMC Forum and The Student Life are much better sources.

[SwankyXomb]

79. Just spent some time reading the Claremont Independent

If even a small amount of those stories are true, then HOLY CRAP that's a lot of crazy.

[Democat]

7. Do they have separate drinking fountains for whites?

Is it "safe" for blacks and whites to share water?

[Igel]

41. No.

But having one "just for blacks" while the others are desegregated might be okay.

That's what this amounts to. Safe spaces for some groups at certain times (lic. "some not admitted&quot , but otherwise nobody's to be barred at all other times.

Sounds really crude when put that way. But I've heard this kind of thing explicitly approved of and even encouraged in schools.

[Heeeeers Johnny]

8. How long before lawsuits and civil rights violations put an end to this nonsense?

[SickOfTheOnePct]

10. Too bad they don't understand

that self-segregation is still segregation.

[Chitown Kev]

13. No...do you think that's the way the founders of the AME Church

understood it?

The AMEC grew out of the Free African Society (FAS) which Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, and others established in Philadelphia in 1787. When officials at St. George’s MEC pulled blacks off their knees while praying, FAS members discovered just how far American Methodists would go to enforce racial discrimination against African Americans. Hence, these members of St. George’s made plans to transform their mutual aid society into an African congregation. Although most wanted to affiliate with the Protestant Episcopal Church, Allen led a small group who resolved to remain Methodists.

In 1794 Bethel AME was dedicated with Allen as pastor. To establish Bethel’s independence from interfering white Methodists, Allen, a former Delaware slave, successfully sued in the Pennsylvania courts in 1807 and 1815 for the right of his congregation to exist as an independent institution. Because black Methodists in other middle Atlantic communities encountered racism and desired religious autonomy, Allen called them to meet in Philadelphia to form a new Wesleyan denomination, the AME.

Public spaces have always been "safe spaces" for most white people (especially men).

Public spaces have always been spaces where the majority can and do assert privilege and bigotry.

[randys1]

30. I doubt you will get far with folks. It is yet again an example of privilege meeting non privilege

[romanic]

32. So eliminate public spaces then.

Hell might as well go all the way and declare the entire world and everything around you is racist and evil and ready to pounce on you. This line of thinking is already been indoctrinated in black and other POC students who, instead of being taught to confront things head on, have been instead told to be afraid of everything without any rational thinking allowed.

[Chitown Kev]

51. LOL

no one ever has a problem when white folks do these things...only it was called Jim Crow, redlining...etc., etc...

[Boudica the Lyoness]

72. Why the fuck would you say that?

People in the US and all over the world had a problem with it. It was what brought me to these shores.
I never thought I'd see this kind of racism again in the U.S. What a motherfucking shame!

Are you loving it?

[Chitown Kev]

73. That's it....

last post with you...off to my ignore list you go with all of this...oh, the horrible black people ruin EVERYTHNG for me BS.

[bravenak]

77. True dat

[SickOfTheOnePct]

34. I would venture to say that the environment

for blacks and whites and every skin color in between is drastically different now than it was in 1794.

Far from perfect, no question, but there is no question that there have been vast improvements in the last 219 years.

[Chitown Kev]

37. But I very highly doubt that whites (especially men)

are walking around on campuses and in college town being called racial epithets...with the underlying fear and/or threat of physical harm.

There is still far from racial (or gender or sexual orientation or sexual identity, etc.) equality in public spaces. Privilege still reigns.

If it didn't, this post would not have stood here at DU.

[Boudica the Lyoness]

47. I beg to differ.

I was called a 'Rabbit' and told to get out of a historically black university's cafeteria. All I was doing was eating lunch with my black student husband.

And that was just one example of what I went through.

Black folk can be very nasty when it comes to racism and I'm glad all this is coming to light.

[Chitown Kev]

50. To a degree, you were in a situation

where you actually weren't racially privileged, you were in the minority

So that's not the best example...there are a lot of black people that go through what you went through.

So all it seems you can harp n is how nasty black folks can be at times...it seems you totally do not get and of the larger lessons here.

[Boudica the Lyoness]

71. I've had more fucking lessons in racism

than you can shake a stick at. I'm more than qualified to harp.

Here are some facts that I came away with;

1. While living in Washington DC, with black folks, my family (all black but me) experienced a shit load of racism.

2. Moving to a 99% white city out west, no one in my family, all black but me, experienced racism. People bent over backwards to be nice to us.

BTW FYI; I was called a 'rabbit', 'white Devil' etc 45 years ago in DC.

[bravenak]

78. Mmmm hmmm

I experienced plenty of racism in Kern County and Tustin.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

11. if a gay group did this, would you think they are segregating?

i could totally see and LGBT group, claiming a space in a university, and the only straight people allowed would have to be allies.

in fact several stigmatized do do that, because public space almost always belongs to the majority.

[lumberjack_jeff]

16. Why not LGBT college?

It would be the ultimate safe space, wouldn't it.

[B2G]

20. White studens are the minority at Claremont

are they not?

Perhaps THEY need some safe spaces.

[pnwmom]

21. White students aren't the minority at Claremont. What gave you that idea?

[B2G]

22. They are if you classify people as either

POC or non-POC. Which is what this article does.

[pnwmom]

23. No, because if you add the white students (43%) plus assume at least half of the

non-citizens are white, then the number is over 50. And that's not even counting the 6% who refused to state a race, and many of them are probably white, also. (Mixed race is another category.)

[B2G]

25. You can do the math yourself

None refused to state their race and here is the breakdown by country (hint, nowhere near 'half' are white).

https://www.cmc.edu/sites/default/files/ir/enrollment/F15-Web-Stats-V2.pdf

[pnwmom]

33. They calculated the percents

in this other chart, and they said 6% of the students were "race or ethnicity unknown."

See the bottom of page 3.

http://www.cmc.edu/sites/default/files/ir/CDS_2014-15_Annotated.pdf

[Duckhunter935]

53. So 100%

Of those were white, how do you know?

[pnwmom]

54. I don't. But many of the foreign students are white, and most importantly,

the different minority groups all have different issues. African-American students have different issues than Korean-Americans.

White students are by far the single largest racial group on campus.

[randys1]

31. Safe spaces for white people

You are so much fun...

[snooper2]

89. Safe Space for EVERYONE!

[randys1]

90. Ahh, the ole economic argument. Dont ask someone to care about economics while

they are being shot at

[NaturalHigh]

93. Are these private school students being shot at?

[LanternWaste]

42. reminds me of the little fella who righteously proclaims, "what about a WHITE history month?"

Reading your posts reminds me of the little fella who righteously proclaims, "why don't we have a WHITE history month!!!?" never realizing for even the smallest moment that 12 months of the year indeed a defacto white history month.

Bless your little heart... I completely understand your desire to appear as oppressed as minorities-- as long as we all realize it's merely pretense.

[gollygee]

45. How about in positions of power - faculty and administration? n/t

[B2G]

46. That is a good question. No idea.

[FLPanhandle]

12. My wife teaches at a university and my daughter attends a different university

This is a small percentage of students that are getting all the publicity.

Frankly, most students of all groups think they are silly too.

[Marr]

28. That does not surprise me. /nt

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

48. Most college students don't waste their time with crap like this

They are studying.

Part of that is why you see protesters storming campus libraries and verbally accosting other students working. They are outraged no one is paying attention to them. They can't understand why students would waste time on books and such nonsense when they could be paying attention to them. So when they don't, they label it "privilege" and become angry.

Granted, the students working for their grades don't see the other side's point. But honestly, they don't have to. Because they are actually engaging in what colleges and universities exist for. To study. To learn. To question. To research. To earn a degree.

Honestly, there is a for profit future for anyone who wants to open a college for people only interested in sitting around, playing student government and protesting all day. I wish I had the capital to start it up. I'd make a killing.

[kwassa]

14. This is nothing new, and is standard practice many places.

Many here on DU choose to misinterpret it, but that is DU.

I grew up in a college town, and there was a black house where many of the black students lived. This is true at many colleges. So what?

Having a small amount of space set aside as a safe zone is no threat to free speech on college campuses. Overall free speech is not restricted in any way.

This is a non-issue. As I said before, DU is a safe speech zone. You all participate in such an environment, online.

[B2G]

18. Private residences are very different from common campus spaces

I don't see how they can tell non-blacks that they are barred from entering college offices, coffee shops and other campus locations.

[kwassa]

27. Not necessarily.

If used on only a temporary basis while looking for permanent space.

[lumberjack_jeff]

15. It's only a matter of time until universities catch onto this.

It's a great business opportunity to create segregated colleges.

Socially, not such a good idea, but businesswise (which colleges are) it's genius.

[kwassa]

17. This article title is totally misleading, by the way.

The safe spaces don't segregate the college overall, only in a few select places and times, and they are segregated by speech, not by race.

[B2G]

19. You need to re-read the article

It's exactly about racial segregation.

[kwassa]

24. You need to re-read my note.

I said it was not about segregation of the college overall.

Respond to what I write, please.

[Maedhros]

26. I cannot see how this is beneficial:

“While you may want to invite a white friend or ally, to make this a safe and comfortable space for other POC, we ask that you do not.”

This is certainly a good thing:

“This show’s intent is to create a space that is pro-POC, pro-black, and anti-white supremacist,”

but the assumption that the presence of a white person - an ally, even - automatically undermines this goal is counter-productive.

[Kber]

29. My son is currently a student at Pomona college.

Looking forward to discussing this with him over thanksgiving.

Personally I think this is a bad idea, but college is a time for self discovery and expirementation.

Some (many) of these kids will have grown up going to majority white high schools and this may the the first time they can explore their identity without reference to the majority white culture.

Our family is "mixed race" and even in the context of a supportive and loving family, race can be a fraught topic. Respecting my black family's experience while balancing being a supportive ally without co-opting it takes balance, love, and trust on all sides.

I'm not surprised that the smart students at Pomona and other Claremont schools will take some time to get the balance right when working with relative strangers. I respect the journey they are on and the conversation they are having, even if I am impatient for them the get to the "right" answer, ("right" in my own opinion, of course).

[tishaLA]

35. you have exactly the right perspective on this IMO

students are going to do what students do: push boundaries, try out new ideas, etc. There's nothing wrong with that and none of it should be unfamiliar to anyone who went to college any time in the past 50 years. I'm frankly thrilled that students WANT to take political stands now even when I find some of them untenable.

[flamingdem]

36. I think it's a step backwards

Possibly necessary but to me what is important is to look for common ground. Not focus on differences.

Universities are full of identity bullshit politics, how about some humanistic interaction as a solution that doesn't exclude anyone.

[geek tragedy]

40. I'm sure that'll work in the real world nt

[mwrguy]

43. The rest of the university is a safe space for white students

But black students get a small one of their own and it's the end of the world.

[Chitown Kev]

44. +100

[notadmblnd]

52. Ironic isn't it?

Young people protesting for what many of their ancestors risked their lives (and some who died) fighting to abolish. I wonder if safe lunch counters, water fountains and restrooms will be on the list of demands soon too.

[kwassa]

55. You don't get it.

You would do well to listen to WHAT they are talking about, rather than getting upset about imaginary segregation.

This is one more example of white people knowing what is best for black people.

[notadmblnd]

57. Yeah, I know.

Because I could never, ever begin to understand.... blah.. blah.. blah. blah blah infinity.

And I'd put money on the fact that you don't get a lot of things either. But live and learn young person, and come talk to me in about 20 or 30 years.

[kwassa]

60. You should know better ...

At your advanced age than to assume you know something you don't.

Speaking as an old guy.

[notadmblnd]

61. You're never too old to learn

even if you think you've learned enough to teach.

[kwassa]

62. I have learned enough to teach.

Listen and learn.

[notadmblnd]

65. As I said, blah blah blah infinity

"You don't get it. You can never begin...." "You don't get it. You can never begin...." "You don't get it. You can never begin...." "You don't get it. You can never begin...." "You don't get it. You can never begin...." "You don't get it. You can never begin...." "You don't get it. You can never begin...." "You don't get it. You can never begin...."

After a while, the meme just gets ignored.

[kwassa]

68. Please ignore it.

and remain uninformed.

[hifiguy]

56. i wonder what Doctor King would think of this.

I doubt it would be anything good or complimentary.

I can't imagine self-segregation would be an idea he would support.

[hifiguy]

66. No, just wondering and

Offering a small conjecture based on things he very famously and bravely said. No more.

[kwassa]

69. The argument for safe spaces is not King's argument against segregation.

You are conflating two different ideas. Many are doing that here, on the Safe Space named DU.

[Chitown Kev]

80. You're not taking account of the things

that he not so famously said, especially about white liberals.

Read "Racism and the White Backlash" and get back with me, mmmm'kay?

[JustAnotherGen]

83. Um - he's dead

I'm not one for that new age stuff - but you could always reach out to a medium for assistance.

[1StrongBlackMan]

94. What is the church, if not "self-segregation"? n/t

[cwydro]

58. Yikes.

I'm so glad I went to college back in the day.

We intermingled, we argued, we loved each other, hated each other, slept together, wrote articles about each other saying EXACTLY what we thought...wow, we all survived it.

I came out in my college newspaper, and I was shunned by some of my gay friends. I had no problems with any straight classmates whatsoever.

But I didn't have a "safe space", nor did I feel I needed one.

These kids seem to be very fragile.

[kwassa]

64. Are you black?

Are you white?

This is actually an important question.

[Adrahil]

67. I have a bad feeling about this.....

Restricting access to public spaces based in this manner is asking for trouble.

What's the basis for determining who "deserves" a permanent safe space.

[Democat]

75. If you are a member of a group, then you believe that your group deserves special treatment

Other groups do not.

Does that sound familiar?

[Adrahil]

82. Sure does....

But I'm not arguing against all so-called special teatment. Here, I am specifically focused on what appears to be nothing less than segregated spaces.

[kiva]

70. The 1890s called,

and they're glad that Plessey v Ferguson is having a revival.

[NaturalHigh]

87. Ah yes, the 1890s. I wonder if we can look forward to...

a revival of plague or cholera.

[bravenak]

76. Very interesting. I like this one almost as much as another one you put up.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251503212

[NaturalHigh]

85. Care to elaborate? They are both worth discussing.

This is GD, not a "group" where any real discussion is immediately shut down.

[bravenak]

86. Um? I meant what I said.

[JustAnotherGen]

91. You were very clear n/t

[bravenak]

92. Thank you. Very strange how some cannot take me at my word.nt

[romanic]

95. That is...

[IMG][/IMG]

Got nothing to do with out I feel about students trying to segregate themselves "to feel safe" instead of banding together to fight racial bias on campus - a place where separating ones self shouldn't happen.

[bravenak]

96. Just saying how much I love your ops.

[NaturalHigh]

84. *SMH*

[MosheFeingold]

88. I've got an idea!

Let's have separate drinking fountains for coloreds!

And make whites sit in the front of buses and blacks in the back!

And maybe different spots in the lecture halls for different races, like maybe the balcony for blacks!

Heck, why not different schools entirely?!

Separate is better than equal!

(Sorry for the bitter sarcasm.)

I didn't participate in the Civil Rights movement to have everything we accomplished pissed away by a bunch of cry babies in college.

They don't need "safe places." They need to be drafted in the the Marines or the Peace Corp or some such and go dig latrines.