So an HBCU-attendee left the following comment on the blacktress's last post:
It saddens me that us negros aren't progressive enough to NOT make this such a big deal. We all know good and damn well if this were an article highlighting the first black valedictorian of Harvard we'd throw a parade and put his/her face on a stamp to be circulated during the short month of February. And until you attend a HBCU with no air conditioning, save your inexperienced
opinions...by the way the name is Spelman (not Spellman..and no I did not attend)And to the "scribe" you're not becoming the "token high yella Delta" has nothing to do with your color...check your credentials and ask yourself if you even qualify...
Okay, my responses to him/her would be:
1. This IS a big deal, as evidenced by all the media hype and hoopla that is surrounding it. I mean, in Morehouse's 141-year history, to have a white valedictorian IS something. I think it does open a dialogue about race, class, social constructs, and higher education, and it should be addressed.
2. I mean, would we throw a parade--and should we? I can say for MYSELF (and that's the only person I speak for when I write), I would be proud of the "first black valedictorian of Harvard," but it's true--if we made it a damn parade, it would indicate that such an achievement was few and far between and we were just as shocked as the majority, so I would NOT want that kind of hype surrounding the first black valedictorian of Harvard.
3. I can have any opinion I want, based on the experiences I have had with HBCU-attendees, including FAMILY and close friends, as well as my visits to the institutions. So, yes, maybe I wasn't a student for 4 years, but I can certainly express how I felt in those spaces, and my knowledge that it wasn't for me. I did not say they weren't for others, or didn't have their merits--they just didn't fit Sojourner.
4. Okay, I added an 'l' to Spelman. There, you showed me. Woot. To that, I could say, when you wrote "To 'scribe' you're not becoming the 'high yella delta'..." you should have written YOUR, not YOU'RE. But, I mean, attacking typos is just petty.
5. So, in summation: Let a blacktress have an opinion and don't be so damn bitchy about it. If anything, I'm much more annoyed by the way he is being portrayed than his actual election--I mean, if he earned it, rock on--but if we're gonna act like he's the greatest Caucasian in the world, then that's a whole 'nother Oprah.
Y'all know the blacktress doesn't let comments go. Let's start a civil dialogue.
TRUTH.
7 comments:
And let the church say AMEN!
Those tricky, tricky homophones.
You sure get folks all riled up, favorite negress.
I wish I could get people so frantic with my blog, but teaching is just so damn pitiable that no one feels like causing me more pain than necessary, given my already thankless job title.
Maybe I should try teaching Spelman!!
I don't think you get "elected" to be valedictorian, I think it just goes to whichever student has the highest GPA.
Honor the great caucasian who hath taught the negro man civility!
I'm running for valedictorian of the internet.
Please vote for me! I'll comment on your myspace regularly, teehee!
If you scan the responses I think you'll find that not one of your detractors spoke to the issue of Packwood becoming the first White valedictorian of Morehouse College. You guys are so caught up in adversarial mode that you don't realize that your opposition stems solely from your degrading, hateful words about HBCUs in general and Spelhouse in particular.
Further, a closer read will reveal that most of the negative responses came from sadness and disappointment- not anger. I've scanned this blog and most of the entries deal with race. If you really want to start a strong dialogue about issues like this, I suggest you approach us with the respect which any person deserves (more so your own people!). (And, you can still use comedy without being condescending, so that's no excuse)
Again, you have NO CLUE as to how the many posters feel about the Packwood situation. In fact, there is much disagreement even within our small group of friends. But, if you continue to take a stance of superiority with your HBCU brothers and sisters you will remain veiled in ignorance as it pertains to your people.
"If anything, I'm much more annoyed by the way he is being portrayed than his actual election"
Okay, seriously. (speaking slowly) Val-e-dict-or-i-ans Are Not E-lec-ted.
How can you expect anyone to thoughtfully consider your point (which may or may not be valid) if you continue to make such blatant errors, even after having them pointed out several times?
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