Racism is real. White actors in 19th century minstrel shows proved it when they painted their faces black and acted like bumbling, uneducated African-Americans in front of hundreds of people. Their actions perpetuated the mistreatment of millions.
And 21st century high school students also proved it with their racially charged verbal and physical attack of 16-year-old African-American boy last week in Oregon.
Clearly, racism is real. But so is ignorance.
In 2007, the Pew Research Center reported that 31 percent of Americans polled couldn’t name the vice president.
A 1999 Gallup Poll revealed that almost one-fourth of Americans didn’t know what country the United States gained independence from. Even common knowledge seems uncommon.
If Americans can’t name the vice president, it follows that they might not be too familiar with 19th century theatre customs.
When a group of ASU fans painted their faces black before the Mizzou game as part of the school’s “Blackout” campaign, something tells me minstrel shows were the last thing on their mind.
But Syracuse University professor Dr. Boyce Watkins begs to differ. In a column published on YourBlackWorld.com, he not only accuses the students of blatant racism, but also frames all of Arizona as a racist cesspool where they fit right in.
He references immigration laws and the Obama honorary degree controversy as proof that ASU officials “are probably quite proud” of the “racially-disgusting behavior.”
Fans jumped to Arizona’s defense. Discussion board posts on Big Lead Sports blamed only the group of “stupid ASU girls” but pardoned the rest of the state.
However, ignorance is not limited — not to one group of fans, and not to one state. Glossing over the uglier parts of history is a nationwide trend.
Children learn that colonists brought Native Americans new crops, not new diseases. History books explain the Civil War as a fight about morals, not about economic differences and states’ rights. Therefore, it’s not unlikely that these students learned about Thomas Jefferson and Ulysses Grant without hearing much about racist social trends.
Racial equality activists seek to reverse that standard. They try to publicize contemporary examples of inequality, and I’m all for that notion. When three innocent citizens are removed from a plane in Denver because of their race, I want to hear about it.
Unfortunately, the most publicized news is often the most innocent. The oblivion of these ASU fans joins the ranks of many stories activists have blown out of proportion.
In 2010, the NAACP called public attention to a talking Hallmark graduation card they said contained “demeaning” audio. But somehow, I doubt Hallmark referenced “black whores” in its outer-space-themed card under the guise of “black holes.”
Or how about a few days ago, when a Jewish New York University Professor was accused of sneaking the phrase “all Jews should be sterilized” into a lesson about unacceptable, dangerous opinions?
The story went viral when a student alerted Jewish advocacy groups. Meanwhile, only local stations publicized the racial violence in Oregon.
While activists blow innocent actions out of proportion, real racism skates by unnoticed. Instead of reversing racial ignorance, attacks like Watkins’ only nourish it.
Reach the columnist at algrego1@asu.edu
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