Letter to the Editor 4
April 2, 2015
Dear President Bravman:
Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this letter. I am writing for two reasons: to respond to your remarks at yesterday’s Weis Center Forum and to offer my perspective as a person of color in this community.
For quite some time, I have had little faith in your (or anyone else’s) ability to truly affect even a fraction of change on this campus. Just last week, a close friend of mine who attends Connecticut College returned from a campus-wide discussion on race, respect, and inclusion. The day before, the word “nigger” had been found written on the walls of several bathrooms on campus and it was determined that some communal discourse was necessary. After the meeting, she called me enthusiastically hopeful about the future of her community and she couldn’t understand why I didn’t share her optimism. I explained to her that I cannot expect an institution to follow through on its promises nor, as a person of color, do I have the patience to engage in the song & dance that administrations like to perform in response to crises before quickly neglecting their charge. I now realize that my feelings on your ability to spark meaningful dialogue were coming from a place of learned helplessness.
Why even bother? No one will take me seriously anyway. It’s not like Bucknell is actually going to change the culture on this campus.
Over the last four years, this thought has crossed my mind more times than I can count. But it came from more than just learned helplessness. My resignation came from my pride. I couldn’t understand why the burden was on me to change this community. I couldn’t understand why I had to be the one (as a person of color) to confront the ignorance that I faced and didn’t ask for and didn’t cause. I didn’t understand why I had to clean up someone else’s mess; why it was my job to help fix those who seemed to have a problem with me over things I could not change. Surely, this is my time to grow, not to carry the burden of confronting ignorance, I thought. I didn’t want my time here to be wasted on frustration so I, like many others on this campus, tried my best to ignore the looming sense of alienation and the continuous stream of both subtle and blatant racism.
My pessimism momentarily subsided two days ago; first when I read an encouraging email from Student Government President Alex Rosen, and later on when you stated that racism exists in our community–a very brave and honorable statement in my opinion. I barely slept two nights ago, anxious for what yesterday’s discussion might produce. I left work early today to make sure that I got a good seat. And as I watched dozens and dozens of my fellow students stream into the Weis Center, I became energized in a way that I have never experienced in my four years at Bucknell. I was nearly certain that yesterday would be different. Yesterday I thought that there would be some progress or, at least, some honest discussion amongst peers. Unfortunately, the entire event was a missed opportunity and, even worse, a confirmation of my resignation and cynicism.
A few minutes into your remarks I realized that you were not speaking to me. As an ethnic minority, I of course understood that you were speaking about me. But, I must say that almost nothing of what you had to say yesterday was profound or anything even resembling a first step towards justice. I appreciated to hear about how much you were affected by this racist nonsense. But, in my opinion, your perspective as a powerful, wealthy, white man can only go so far in expressing our outrage. You went on to give the entire room a stern talking to, which failed to address the fact that this dilemma we find ourselves in is simply about what’s right; nothing else. Today was not about Bucknell social cohesion or Bucknell’s reputation or Bucknell values. As far as I am concerned, treating people with respect and not with threats or ignorance is a human value, not one that originates in Bucknell’s mission statement. I am glad that your “spirit” and your “heart” were broken by what was said on the radio. I would be alarmed if you didn’t have this reaction. But, how about letting others say why their hearts were broken? Maybe the average and too often apathetic Bucknellian needs to see a fellow black student recount his or her experience or even break down and cry at an open-mic in order to see that living in this community takes a toll on many people. Maybe it would have been helpful to hear how a black person felt after hearing someone in his or her community say “Nigger. Black people should be dead. Lynch ’em.” How does not having a dialogue yesterday, encourage a future dialogue? By delivering a speech rather than encouraging discussion, you declared yourself the voice of the community. White, black, or brown–you thought it best to call a school-wide meeting (that wasn’t compulsory so only 1/3 of the student body was actually there) with the purpose of bringing about change and then not a single person, other than you, was able to express themselves. I understand that no one is perfect and there is certainly no perfect response to a crisis like the one we are facing. But the least you could have done yesterday was to encourage some honest discussion. Had students been encouraged to speak openly and honestly, I have no doubt that my peers would have risen to the challenge. If you had given us the chance to speak, I might have told you about some of my experiences. In the absence of that opportunity, I’ll relate them to you here:
I have met some incredible people at this school; people that have changed my life. Still, I sometimes wonder if it was all worth it? Could I have gone to another school, had life-affirming experiences, and not had to deal with the ignorance and stupidity that has colored much of my experience over the last four years? The sad truth is that most of the time I know that coming to Bucknell wasn’t worth it, unless my presence here is simply meant to expose the less-cosmopolitan Bucknellians to a Hispanic.
The first encounter I had with racism at Bucknell occurred while I was being recruited for the baseball team in August of 2010. It was my official visit and I was due to sit down and have a conversation with a baseball coach (he is no longer at Bucknell). As the awkward chit-chat slowly died down, he started to say all the right things that any eager student-athlete dreams of hearing: this is the place for you, I think you can be instrumental in our program, etc.
Then, he paused and said: “Don’t worry about your grades or SAT scores. I know your scores are a little lower than Bucknell’s requirement, but I think we can get you in.”
I’m ashamed to say that I was too blinded by the opportunity of playing college baseball to realize that even the quickest glance at my academic record would show that my SAT score was nowhere near subpar. In fact, my score was better than most of those students accepted. Why then, did he assume my scores to be subpar? Why did he feel the need to reassure me that he could “get me in” to a school that I could have gotten into myself? There have been many days since matriculation that I’ve wished I hadn’t ignored such an obviously prejudiced remark. I might have saved myself from witnessing things at this school that I am quite literally too ashamed to do anything about.
During one semester at Bucknell, I had a Professor that I absolutely loved. I remember liking everything about the teaching style and the Professor and I shared a few fascinating conversations during office hours. But then we ran into each other one afternoon at Mercado Burrito down on Market Street. I was thinking about what to order when I saw my Professor, made eye contact, and walked over. The conversation’s closing remark was: “Hey, you would be a good person to ask, let me know if the burritos here are truly authentic.” I thought it was a joke but, then again, we weren’t that close and the tone of the comment seemed sincere. I never addressed the situation and never went to office hours again, and I don’t think that a 19 year-old should have the burden of explaining the complex cultural and historical differences between Mexicans and Puerto Ricans to an adult with a Ph.D. In other words, I don’t think this was a teachable moment. I’m sad to say that I’ve failed to avoid similarly annoying moments (because that’s what it really is to me at this point). A staff member recently saw a t-shirt that I wore to class that was decorated with the phrase “Homeland Security.” The full design is actually a picture of Sitting Bull, Red Cloud, and a few other Native American leaders followed by the punch-line: “Fighting Terrorism Since 1492.” It’s exactly the sort of t-shirt that one might expect a history major to own. The staff member asked if I had any relatives working for the Dept. of Homeland Security and when it became clear that the t-shirt design was intended as a joke, the next comment was: “Oh, I thought you knew someone working for Homeland. Because I have a cousin down in Texas who works for them. You know, trying to keep out all the goddamn Mexicans.” The saddest part about this encounter was that I didn’t know if the comment was meant as a personal insult because I’m Hispanic or, perhaps more disheartening, that the staff member wasn’t aware of my ethnicity and felt comfortable making the comment because there weren’t any Mexicans around.
These are the few incidents that came to mind in the hours after I left the Weis Center and do not come close to translating the day-to-day ignorance, which include: the fact that one of my professors lauded my papers as being exceptionally articulate and eloquent, only to have him tell me that he had assumed English was my second language; the fact that I’ve never heard the words nigger and faggot used more frequently than I have over the last four years here; the fact that approved themes for parties at this school have been homelessness, Bloods & Crips, and “interchangeable noun + Hoes.” I’ve been too embarrassed to bring up most of my concerns to my parents, especially those concerning my ethnicity. I don’t want them to know that they have sent me to mature in a community that is less inclusive and more ignorant than what they would have hoped for their child.
My time here has ultimately left me disillusioned and several times since matriculation I have returned home to talk to student-athletes about the college process and their options. I must admit that I answer honestly when kids ask me whether they should look into Bucknell. I always tell them no. When they happen to be children of color, I tell them that college is a time for personal growth and intellectual curiosity; it’s not about being around to help catch up ignorant classmates. I tell them that it isn’t their job to educate others with their presence and to periodically remind them of what’s offensive or of what’s hateful or of what’s threatening to say. And while my discomfort is by no means continuous or unending, I have grown accustomed to simply trying to get through the semester and survive until graduation. President Bravman, I do not wake up in the morning and think about how I can make the Bucknell community a more welcoming place for people like me. It is insulting to be spoken to as if I have some hand in fixing a problem that apparently my ethnicity created.
In some sense, your remarks yesterday exemplify everything that is insufficient in our national discourse on race. Apparently, “Nigger. Black people should be dead. Lynch ’em,” is the threshold for an admission that racism exists on this campus. That such racism is a reality here is something that I could have told you four years ago, and is something that you would have been made aware of had you allowed people to speak yesterday. Moreover, based on your Howard University comment, you also seem to misunderstand why black and brown people often feel alienated on this campus. I’m Puerto Rican. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. I am from a racially diverse, but by no means minority neighborhood. I attended Poly Prep Country Day for high school. Poly Prep happens to be predominantly white. The vast majority of my close friends are white. In fact, I have never lived in a place or gone to a school where most people looked like me. Furthermore, I have two adopted brothers–one of whom is black. So not even all of the people in my household looked like me growing up. Minorities on campus are not uncomfortable because they are surrounded by white people. In some perverse way, this seems to suggest that we have a defeatist attitude from the start; that we are so weak-minded and provincial and so wanting of racial comfort that merely being around this many white people makes us uncomfortable. This sentiment–which I must stress was the implication of your Howard University comparison–could not be more simplistic nor could it be further from the truth. We are often uncomfortable because of the views that some people on this campus have expressed and the atmosphere (tolerated by this administration) that allows these views to fester. “Nigger. Black people should be dead. Lynch ’em,” is just the latest and most obvious example of deep cultural failings. I hate to disagree with you, but I don’t want my white friends here to have to imagine themselves at Howard University to “put themselves in my shoes.” For one, I don’t want to be pitied for not just being around people who look like me. Secondly, my friends shouldn’t have a problem living in an overwhelmingly black community so long as they weren’t reciprocally confronted with ignorance. My happiness and comfort are not dictated by how many brown and black people surround me. To suggest that such is the case is not only insulting but also seeks to devalue the life-long friends that I have made with those who just so happen to be white. I think many of your false assumptions would have been clarified or corrected had you allowed students to speak.
I also don’t think the vast majority of students, and obviously not the black students, needed to sit in silence for five minutes to figure out why saying: “Nigger. Black people should be dead. Lynch ’em,” is wrong. And perhaps even more ridiculous, I don’t think that they need to sit for five minutes to think about what steps they are going to take to make Bucknell a place more accepting of them. President Bravman, I hope that you see what’s odd–and slightly masochistic–about asking minorities to commit themselves–in addition to their school work, athletics, and extracurricular activities–to be solution to the problem that others have with them.
President Bravman, yesterday you said that when you came to Bucknell you thought that this institution might last 1,000 years. Yesterday you suggested that somehow we as a community have lost the Bucknell ethos of inclusion, respect, etc. But I have been here nearly as long as you have, so we must have existed on different campuses for these past four years. I do not agree that the question we need to ask ourselves is “How did we get here?” Some of us feel that this is the way Bucknell has been. We didn’t get here. We should instead be asking “How do we finally end this nonsense for good?” And perhaps this is a good time to agree with you that I also do not presume to know how to end racism. For one, I don’t think such a thing is truly possible. But I think it is within our grasp to aspire to just having isolated incidents. In other words, we can do more than we are currently doing, which seems to be almost nothing. As evidenced by the remarks made by some of my fellow Bucknellians on the local news, some think that the moral of this story is to be careful what you say because it might affect your future. Nonetheless, it is abundantly clear that this community has a long and arduous road to travel when some of our students don’t even know how to be properly outraged.
This letter, and the change I hope it motivates you to pursue, is not change that I’ll ever see. My four years at Bucknell have come and gone. But, there are no doubt others that will experience that which I have recounted for you in this honest appeal. Please encourage dialogue in the future and please make the healing of Bucknell’s wounds a mandatory event.
Although I do not know you well, I can tell that you are a good man who wants what’s best for his students. Please do more for us.
-Marcus A. Hernandez
CF • Apr 16, 2015 at 3:30 am
I truly hope Marcus represents Bucknell proudly as an alumni, that his years at Bucknell are not reflected upon as wasted years. That the platform provided for him all that he needed to be a respected responsible citizen and his contribution, such his letter, live on within the Bucknell community and perhaps even act a pillar of respect among mankind. This is so much more than race. It is about human decently. It is about showing respect for one another no matter race, gender, religion or economic status. Reducing it to race alone misses the point. ‘Hoe’ parties really? Lets bring in the sisters and mothers of those that arranged it and discuss the relative ‘hoe-ness’ of them and assess the level of comfort to human decency and respect. Bucknell is not going to change the world but it can be a place of refuge where each respect each other at even the most basic level. Marcus’ parents deserve recognition for raising a man of such strong moral character. Perhaps some Bucknell students need to divorce themselves from the behaviour of their parents and consider the value of respecting all humans because I am reasonably certain Bucknell did not create the issue.
TMC • Apr 11, 2015 at 5:47 am
Mr. Hernandez,
I appreciate this article. The MISSED OPPORTUNITY to have the affected students actually speak about their experiences at Bucknell, within Lewisburg, and the surrounding areas, may have been strategic. The staff does not want to hear the TRUTH about negative racial issues on campus because it makes them ACCOUNTABLE for future incidents. An open forum WILL negatively effect the academic future of those non-colored students that commit despicable acts.
What the majority of Bucknell students may not know is that many of the minority students on campus where heavily recruited from urban areas. The cream of the crop! They chose Bucknell University and competed against thousands of other great students/including their high school classmates and fought hard to win those scholarships. Many will be the first person in their family to attend a university. These students (OUR CHILDREN) have never dealt with people driving by in cars and hurling racial slurs, having bottles and cans thrown at them, and in 2015 not being served at restaurants – until that came to Bucknell. If they happen to be the only student of color in the class – having to REPRESENT their entire race on social issues they may not have experienced yet.
Our children don’t tell us about the HORRORS they experience at Bucknell because they are RESILIENT, HONORABLE and RESPECTABLE SCHOLARS, who have studied hard to obtain there college degree. The last thing they want is parental interference. I have feared for my child’s life for 4 years. But when they are young adults, you have to let them make their own decisions and be accountable for their actions.
Greg • Apr 9, 2015 at 5:52 pm
One fact gets neglected here: Bucknell ignored its own due-process requirements in the student code to summarily expel three students on the most specious of grounds, that their racist words (with no context from the school) created a physical threat to the campus. If we value the rule of law and not simply the rule of the mob, these students would be afforded a hearing and a chance to explain themselves.
Jordi • Apr 8, 2015 at 2:55 pm
Thank you for your thoughtful, honest, insightful letter. I am a professor here, and I hope before and after WVBU-gate, I do the little things to build rapport and trust with all my students so that we can talk about race or other “difficult” topics. I agree with you that tolerating racist attitudes and comments, whether from ignorance or prejudice, is part of who “we” are as Bucknell. Why would we think this collection of people has some special apartness from the racism that permeates our society? So, in terms of being pro-active in small ways, when I can, owning that race is deeply enmeshed in American culture and society, is a first step.
It is not easy to live in a multicultural society that treats people equally while also acknowledging and celebrating cultural differences. Or, I don’ know of any obvious examples. So building such a society is an act of hope and progress. Being honest and open is a key part of this project. And there is room for lots of people to join in. That is the spirit of progress I hope we can further and expand.
Ned Searles • Apr 8, 2015 at 5:03 am
Fantastic, soulful, brilliant letter….thank you!
Matt • Apr 6, 2015 at 9:50 pm
Such an amazing article Marcus. You have given a perspective that not many people can see or understand and hopefully this will open some eyes.
Ludmila Shleyfer Lavine • Apr 6, 2015 at 6:13 pm
Thank you for your letter, Marcus! I had a similar reaction to being asked to sit in silence, and that is coming from a relatively privileged position of a white tenured faculty member. After reading your letter, I realized that this annoyance of mine could not compare to the deep insult that some of our students and colleagues must have been feeling. It is not your job to make Bucknell a better place, but Bucknell is indeed better for having thoughtful students like you.
Heather Batten • Apr 5, 2015 at 2:19 am
I am appreciative beyond words for the generosity and compassion that Marcus has displayed by yet again having to explain painful experiences caused by racism to white people who do not understand. In many ways, it is our the fault that we do not understand – we are merely fish who can’t see the water we swim in. But it is past due that we take responsibility for our ignorance. Well meaning (or not) white people and white culture are perpetuating the oppression of people of color. The incident at WBVU is a manifestation of this culture and therefore the expulsion of three students is not the solution to a much more complex, deep-rooted issue. Bucknell and it’s community needs to make serious, wide-reaching changes to undo this culture of racism. I recommend to other white people who are interested in being part of a solution to seek out anti-racist training. The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond provides a working in Undoing Racism that is nationally recognized and an education on race in the US that is not available at Bucknell. It is not the time to debate Marcus (or any person of color) on their experience of racism. It is the time for those of us with power and privilege to use it to become allies in the struggle for justice.
Heather (Adams) Batten ’00
JK • Apr 4, 2015 at 11:18 pm
^Although many of you make very valid arguments, I think you’re being prejudiced toward the Offended White Alum because she’s white. She’s part of the majority, how could she possibly understand the struggles that minorities face in a nation where racism exists?
The short answer, as many of you have pointed out, is that she can’t. But she’s thinking about it, which was the moral of the jelly bean story. Someone who is racially conscious reads into the color of jelly beans more than someone who’s racially blind.
“As a white person you are completely removed from the daily experiences of a person of color.”
Think about this statement. Although it is in fact true that a white person cannot completely understand the adversity a person of color faces on a daily basis, to say that all white people are incapable of empathizing the negative feelings that result from discrimination isn’t right either.
In a perfect world, we could treat everyone exactly the same, regardless of differences. The sad truth is that we have to treat each other differently, because institutional racism does exist. It’s a result of how our country has developed over the years.
Correcting the problem of institutional racism is one that will take many many years to fix, but change is slowly happening there.
As far as Bucknell as a campus, our own organizational structure promotes this separation between whites and minorities. From what I’ve seen on campus in my three years here, minority groups and the stereotypical rich white kid (yes I’m intentionally stereotyping) interact on a friendly level, but don’t ever really seem to hang out. This separation appears to be a result of how we introduce new students to the school. Our current system relies on orientation (people meet but don’t really hang out) and other on campus organizations. The main organizations to which most students identify are the Greek system, sports teams and clubs, and for most minority students, Posse. With so many polarizing organizations, it’s no wonder that the majority is racially insensitive and flat out ignorant sometimes. These organizations make it easy to fall into the common perceptional fallacies that groups often create.
In short, to change the problem on our campus, we need students to unite and realize that we’re all members of this community, we’re all just people trying to live life in the pursuit of happiness. All members of the community must work together and communicate together, amongst each other.
Someone above had said that it’s time for the white majority to listen. I agree with that, but to say that they can’t respond doesn’t help the situation. It’s important to note that everyone, and I mean every single person, has a different understanding of things. No two people see an issue in the exact same way because everyone is different. The color of someone’s skin shouldn’t dictate the degree of empathy you believe they are capable of feeling.
I don’t mean to belittle anyone else’s opinions, this is just my personal opinion.
Thanks for reading,
– JK
JB • Apr 6, 2015 at 12:18 pm
Your assessment that (s)he is “thinking about” the issues is generous, as others have pointed out, but what is worse is that her voice is harmful here. By questioning Marcus’s experiences — “Maybe you’ll find that you’re reading into something too much. That you’re looking for something that isn’t there.” — she validates all the rest of the quiet white majority who feel similarly but who don’t even want to engage with the issue. The lack of response from her, or anyone except you who is willing to stand up for her, is telling and troubling.
Listening requires acceptance of others’ points of view. We all know how people like this white alum feel, their voices are all around us. We need to contemplate and absorb the minority voices that will challenge and disquieten our worldview. (And, really, does it need much thought to realise why a student would not call out a professor on casual racism?) And we should do so quietly, until we have something new or positive to contribute, not belittling questions such as this alum offered.
By the way, where do students learn this habit of softening something they fear may be controversial with “this is just my personal opinion”? Of course it is. Be bold! You are clearly engaged with the issues (much more so than the alum that you seek to defend), and you have time still at Bucknell to learn more and to contribute more to this cause.
Rich Dionne • Apr 4, 2015 at 9:16 am
Mr. Hernandez,
Thank you. Thank you for sharing your pain, your hopelessness, and most importantly, your all-too-often-neglected perspective.
As an alum of Bucknell, I’m ashamed and embarrassed. During my time in Lewisburg, Bucknell was certainly a very white place to be. And, in subtle and not-subtle ways, it was racist, sexist, and homophobic. But I can’t think of a racial incident of the magnitude you refer to here. It is simply appalling, and the ignorance that underlies it–and that tacitly supports it–is frightening. Frankly, that a student could be educated enough to be accepted to an institution with an apparently high-bar academically and still hold such ignorant, intolerant, hateful views is highly disturbing. I thought more of my alma mater.
Marcus, I’m white. I say this because no matter how hard I try, my white privilege permeates all I say and do, and you deserve to know that’s where I come from. Perhaps ironically, that privilege is something I learned about at Bucknell–and it’s important for you, and anyone else who feels alienated, discriminated, in-the-minority on campus, to know that allies exist. For all the privileged, bigoted, ignorant faculty, staff, and students you encounter, there are better people at Bucknell, too. Maybe they were louder in my day–I sure hope that’s not true–but they exist, amongst the faculty, staff, and your fellow students.
I hope this incident, and your letter, serve as a wake up call to those allies to speak up, to stand up, to be heard.
Thank you, Marcus, for reminding us all how important that is; I’m so terribly sorry that it took an incident like this one–and all the other less-noticed ones, all the hurts you and others have felt–to make it happen.
Rich Dionne, ’96 M’98
Kat • Apr 4, 2015 at 12:22 am
An excellent piece of writing crafted by an excellent mind. Well done, Marc.
Current Student • Apr 3, 2015 at 7:10 pm
Offended White Alumni,
I am sorry you feel attacked on top of your pedestal of white ancestry and as a Bucknell alum who loves your alma mater. If you read the whole article and and could comprehend it correctly (how hopefully most Bucknell students and alumni could), you will realize that Marcus was not saying that all of bucknell was racist or that every bucknellian ever is trying to insult him, rather that there is a fundamental underlying problem that exists at Bucknell. This is highlighted by the obsene comments by the three, rightfully, expelled students as well as the ignorance of individuals throughout the community, like yourself, that these problems are present and need changing. You depicted yourself as “very white” (whatever the hell that means) so you clearly would not understand the problems ethnic minorities face daily at Bucknell. Comments like yours add to the continual problem we are facing and in no way promote the spirit of change.
Offended White Alumn • Apr 3, 2015 at 5:13 pm
I have a MILLION questions after reading your opinion.
As a very white alumn from a very white background I immediately have my back up after reading this. I LOVE Bucknell. Five years after graduation I still purposely wear blue and orange any chance I get and I am still following the news for interesting stories about Bucknell (including this one). From the moment I stepped foot on campus my junior year of high school I knew it was the school for me. Did I feel like I fit in because I looked like the kids on campus? Or did I fall in love with the promise of being able to continue my athletic ambitions as well as attending a school with a distinguished academic reputation. I went to a private school in high school (just like you) and my grades as well as my SAT scores fell on the better side of the range for Bucknell’s accepted students (just like you). I had heard the horror stories of valedictorians getting rejected from their dream schools so when the coach that recruited me told me he had a slot for me on the team and that I would be admitted in the “early decision” pool I was elated. Now, I haven’t seen your transcript nor was I in the room when the coach told you “I know your scores are a little lower than Bucknell’s requirement, but I think we can get you in” but a situation similar to my own, that made you raise your brow to racism, filled me with exuberance.
My family often tells me I’m too sensitive. I cry bloody murder to anyone who will listen every time a co-worker asks me if I had a late night or asks if I’m sick. EVEN if I am sick or EVEN if I was out until 2am on a Tuesday I will have my back up about the comment. Hell, I’m probably only responding to this article because of my sensitive nature. When you’re looking to be wronged you can find it anywhere.
Today I heard a co-worker going into the jelly bean jar and saying he only liked black jelly beans. Another responded saying they’re disgusting and she preferred the white ones while chuckling. Was she committing a racist felony? Or did she truly believe that candy tasting like licorice was laughably gross. My opinion is that it depends on the audience. Someone looking to be wronged, OR someone who has historically been wronged, might be quicker to see the racism in the jelly bean conversation.
I hadn’t heard about the WVBU “lynch ’em” comment until reading your opinion. So I did some research. I URGE you to read this opinion article on the matter: http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2015/04/01/college-radio-dj-at-wvbu-expelled-over-racially-charged-broadcast/. I couldn’t agree more.
You don’t have to be looking for racism or have been wronged by racism to find ignorance in the students comments. But the expulsion of the students to prove a point or as a jump start to change the culture on campus seems similarly ignorant. I found in the opinion article about the radio comments a tweet for the Daily Show’s new host, Trevor Noah,‘To reduce my views to a handful of jokes that didn’t land is not a true reflection of my character, nor my evolution as a comedian.’ Maybe I’m wrong to have hope for those students, but I wish for them a second chance. I think having them at President Bravaman’s forum at the Weiss Center would have been even more powerful. Do not make an example by kicking them out of school. Encourage change with communication.
Marcus, you seem to feel burdened by telling professors and other Bucknellians how their comments have hurt you. No one is asking you to start a club at Bucknell. No one is asking you to make posters and hang them in the Langone center. In the moment, if you are TRULY offended, take the chance to tell whoever what they said is offensive. Maybe you’ll find that you’re reading into something too much. That you’re looking for something that isn’t there. I
would most importantly like to point out that I am not excusing nor denying that there isn’t some culture of racism on campus. But to lump all Bucknellians together and say so definitively that Bucknell is not a place where children of color can come “for personal growth and intellectual curiosity,” that they too will be burdened with “educating others with their presence and to periodically remind them of what’s offensive or of what’s hateful or of what’s threatening to say” seems similarly ignorant.
Another White Alumn • Apr 3, 2015 at 7:22 pm
Dear Offended White Alumn,
Your dismissive and questioning reaction to Mr. Hernandez’s letter is part of the reason his call for dialogue is so important. As a white person you are completely removed from the daily experiences of a person of color, on Bucknell campus and in our society as a whole. You cannot experience them. And because of that you do not get to tell someone else what their experiences are or how they should feel about them. Mr. Hernandez’s experiences are exactly what they are and we should listen to what he has to say and reflect on how we can do better for him and anyone else who feels like him. The issue here isn’t “does racism exist at Bucknell?” It does, as it does across our country; sometimes it is overt and sometimes it manifests in a thousand tiny cuts that accumulate over months and years, but it is undoubtedly there. How do I know this? From listening to Mr. Hernandez and others like him who speak out, some whom are friends of mine, some of whom are complete strangers, who tell their stories to those of us who cannot experience it for themselves. It is not their responsibility to tell these stories, but I am grateful when they do. So to Mr. Hernandez, thank you.
As Mr. Hernandez says, the type of dialogue we need right now doesn’t include a lot of white people talking. It does include a lot of white people listening. Listening to experiences that may make you uncomfortable. Experiences that may hurt you. Or maybe haunt you. Experiences that may “get your back up.” But perhaps instead of dismissing his feelings as “finding something that isn’t there” you should examine why you are offended by his feelings. Why do you not take them as legitimate experiences?
In response to your concerns that perhaps the students were trying to make a joke on the radio and failed, I admit that is possible. But does it matter? Violence, whether physical or verbal, against an entire group of people isn’t acceptable under any circumstances. And yes, before you protest, those comments were violent. And you compared them to disliking licorice jellybeans. Please take a step back and examine that for a moment.
I love Bucknell just as you do. And because of that I want to make it a place where everyone can feel part of a safe and inclusive community. I take the perspectives and experiences of people of color (and other minorities) on Bucknell’s campus seriously *because* I love Bucknell. I do not attempt to tell them, as you are doing, that they really are part of a safe and inclusive community, but just don’t know it. It is when their experiences change that we’ll have a safe and inclusive Bucknell community, and when it happens we’ll know it.
Sincerely,
Another White Alumn
Seriously? • Apr 3, 2015 at 7:35 pm
Hah you’re offended by someone else’s offense! Do Bucknell a favor and stop wearing that orange and blue – you’re making the rest of us look bad.
Andrew • Apr 3, 2015 at 8:15 pm
You didn’t get it, “Offended White Alum.” In fact, your comments are offensive to me as a white alum. There, I am telling you. Please don’t do that again
HHH • Apr 3, 2015 at 9:09 pm
To the Very White Alum,
I would like to continue this discourse with some concerns of my own. My concerns are not rooted in the articulate words of this brave young man, my concerns are the core assumptions of your opinion. Being that everyone is most assuredly entitled to their own opinion, I would only encourage you to expand your gaze.
Admittedly, you are “a very white alumn from a very white background.” While this was no fault of your own you must also understand that because of this, you will not have the lived experiences of an ethnic racial minority. Please refrain from the “well of course that’s true” response, and understand that this realization is rooted in an existential shortcoming we posses as human beings. You assert that you went to private school and you were also an athlete, and while this is exemplary and merit worthy, this does not discount the fact that you did not engage your schooling, athletics, or Bucknell experience in the same way an ethnic or racial minority would have. These assertions of commonality are horribly reductionist in nature and do not acknowledge the fact that while you may understand someone’s experiences and life as a series of singular characteristics, nobody has an objective understanding of such. Thus, I would encourage you to refrain from taking the tone of “having a similar experience” because two people that experience the same exact things engage them in an entirely different way. So while you were “exuberant” when you found that you would be fulfilling your dreams, understand your experience was not the same as Marcus’s or anybody elses, despite your assertions.
You were not in the room with Marcus and neither was I, so all we can do is make educated guesses as to what could have “raised his brow to racism.” Interestingly enough, you two were in similar academic standing, so despite the mistake of assuming similar standing means similar intelligence, let’s assume such is the case. If both of your grades were slightly above the average, what could have led this staff member to assume that Marcus was subpar. Surely if this man was informed of Marcus’s grades and could have seen that Marcus was slightly above average such an assertion about his academic shortcoming would not have been made. Then it must be asked: what could have led to this assumption in Marcus’s case that did not happen in yours? If we are assuming similar academic standing would suffice for admission to Bucknell, where could the doubt have come from? Now where you may assert the answer would be a “cry for racism,” I would be hesitant to make such a point. I am hesitant because from what I can understand about Marcus, which is only limited to subjective scrutiny, he does not seem to be one that would “cry racism.” If the academic and well-versed letter he wrote did not leave you with the understanding that this is not a young man who would “cry racism” I am not sure this discourse can continue. This is not to say that people who “cry racism” are unintelligent, but rather that the term “cry racism” stemmed from a horrific misunderstanding of what is like to experience racism. However, if you had asserted that this is a young man who is capable and well versed enough to know when there is a “slightly racist undertone” to a statement, I would be more encouraged by your objection. However, “crying racism” and asserting that people do so is a horrible generalization of those that have been subjected to racism or discrimination.
My second concern arises in your attempt to rationalize or justify how the observer to a potentially racist conversation could seek out racism. As I try to reserve my disdain, I am, at the least, disappointed that an intelligent Bucknell alumni would evoke an example that in essence reduces inter-race relations to office banter about jellybeans. I guess one could assume that some one “could look to be wronged” in a conversation about jellybeans. While this is your opinion, my opinion is that to reduce the racial conversation to a matter of color, or even worse, color of jellybeans, is a failed metaphorical deployment to desperately bolster an ill-advised point that does a disservice to the complexities of race dynamics.
As you have encouraged readers to read the article you posted, I took your advice. I found this particularly interesting because it seemed that you deployed this article in an attempt to justify the expelled student’s words as a way of “pushing the boundaries;” as such is often done on radio shows according to Dan Reimold. This is interesting because Reimold makes the “pushing the boundary” argument when referring to radio content that was intended to be humorous but “missed” its target audience. Perhaps one of the most important aspects of satire is that it is intelligible humor that is well informed, funny, but most importantly teaches the audience something or points to the flaw in the focal point of the joke. Now, either you’re simply just not funny, or you concurrently possess a poor understanding of “pushing the boundary,” humor, or satire. I will out rightly assert that there was nothing satirical nor humorous about what the students said on the radio. What was said on the radio is a stark reminder that this sort of explicit and overt racism is not yet in our past.
I would also like to address the issue of the ignorance in assuming that the expulsion of these three students was a tool deployed by Bucknell’s administration to “jump start” a conversation on racism. Where the “ill- informed” may see the administration’s decision as a means to catalyze a conversation on race, I would hope that most people saw this decision as a means of the administration reinforcing a standard of ethical consideration. While you may assert that Marcus’s may be reading into something too much, I would have to assert that you have not read into things enough, or that you take too much comfort in believing that attending Bucknell gives you an understanding of what it is like to feel or experience what racial and ethnic minorities have experienced at Bucknell.
– HHH
Michael • Apr 4, 2015 at 12:37 pm
A self proclaimed “very white alum” writes 6 long paragraphs in response to an eloquent article about Bucknell being an inhospitable place for minorities and the only sympathy expressed is for the kids who used the n-word and said black people should be dead and lynched. Can’t think of a better encapsulation of Bucknell’s problems in this area.
Sabrina Kirby • Apr 3, 2015 at 4:28 pm
Excellent letter. Thank you. All afternoon I’ve been hearing students praising your letter. This gives me hope.
Erik J. Hernández • Apr 3, 2015 at 4:13 pm
I echo our parents… I’m proud to have such an outstanding & insightful young man as my brother! Continue to reach for the stars and make a difference in our society. Love you!! 😉
Ana and Harry Hernandez • Apr 3, 2015 at 12:09 pm
We are so blessed to be your parents. Well written, son.
Linda Dunne • Apr 8, 2015 at 11:25 am
You should be very proud!
David Perez II • Apr 3, 2015 at 11:44 am
Hermano Hernandez, I applaud you for “speaking truth to power.” Are you, by chance, a Posse Scholar? I believe Bucknell still recruits scholars. I was actually a Posse Scholar at Vanderbilt University back in 1993 — Vandy Posse 4. If you’re considering a career in education, I would highly encourage you to consider applying to the Student Affairs in Higher Education (SAHE) program at Miami university. Our profession needs individuals like you.
Andrew • Apr 3, 2015 at 8:12 pm
Perhaps not the appropriate time and place…
Michael • Apr 3, 2015 at 11:36 am
Very well written, Mr. Hernandez. You are absolutely right this is nothing new – my time was marked with an ugly incident of two clueless rich white kids parading around in blackface pretending to be Venus and Serena Williams for Halloween.
There was a big “community forum” where the students gave a tearful apology and were forgiven. The main takeaway seemed to be sympathy for the blackfacers, and confusion as to why people were so upset about behavior that, while ignorant, wasn’t the product of overt racism. There was zero discourse about how the incident fit into Bucknell’s culture – chock full of “ghetto mixers” and “pimps n hoes” parties – being a less than hospitable place for minorities.
Carol Kearney High • Apr 3, 2015 at 10:26 am
You have written one of the best opinion pieces I’ve ever read. Thank you.
Ruth Tincoff • Apr 3, 2015 at 9:46 am
Thank you Marcus Hernandez. Your letter is required daily reading as we move forward.
Kathleen Knight Abowitz • Apr 3, 2015 at 9:03 am
Excellent letter, Mr. Hernandez. Your words cause me, as an educator at an institution not so unlike Bucknell, to reflect on how I can do more to create better climates for students like you. Thanks for your words.