The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

Graphic courtesy of Liv Ream; movie flyer from IMDB
In defense of Skinamarink
By Liv Ream, Arts and Entertainment Editor • October 1, 2023
Alternative Spring Break 2023 volunteers in Washington, D.C. Courtesy of Natalie Mowad.
Applications open for Akron’s 2024 Alternative Spring Break
By Taylor Lorence, Correspondent • October 1, 2023
The Northern Cheyenne tribe and community walking the ancient Portage Path from Portage Path CLC to the John Brown Home during a previous years First Peoples Day event. Photo courtesy of Portage Path Collaborative.
UA Holds events in celebration of North American First People’s Day   
By Shananne Lewis, Online Editor • September 28, 2023
White swan on water during daytime photo - Free Uk Image on Unsplash
The Swan's Rapture: a poem
By Emily Price, editor in chief • September 27, 2023
Desperately Seeking an Amazon Fighter, sculpture by Kimberly Chapman
"Easy Prey" art exhibit on display at Myers School of Art
By Taylor Lorence, Reporter, Secretary • September 21, 2023
“On the left, there’s me at work! I received the New Student Orientation “Gold Standard” award alongside 
and at the same time as my friend Gillian.”
Courtesy of Connor VanMaele
Fall 2023 Print Edition: Going the Distance
By Connor VanMaele, Correspondent • September 19, 2023
L to R: Steve Horner, Heather Barhorst, Haley Kuczynski, Shawna Blankenship, Brynley Harris, Jessie Redwine at the Pop-Up Pantry. Image Courtesy of ZipAssist.
ZipAssist Holds Community Resource Fair Tuesday, September 19 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the SU 2nd Floor
By Shananne Lewis, Correspondent • September 18, 2023
Film critic Liv Ream and friend pose for photo (Image via Liv Ream)
My Barbie experience
By Liv Ream, Film Critic • September 17, 2023

For minorities, racism is still very real

“In case you didn’t know it, racism is alive and well in the good ‘ole U.S. of A. There’s still the horrible racism, complete with hatred and violence. There’s also institutional racism, the kind where minorities don’t earn as much as whites and get passed over for promotions.”

In case you didn’t know it, racism is alive and well in the good ‘ole U.S. of A.

There’s still the horrible racism, complete with hatred and violence.

There’s also institutional racism, the kind where minorities don’t earn as much as whites and get passed over for promotions. Often, they don’t even get a call back after they fill out applications.

But there’s a newer, more malevolent version of racism. You know the one, the one where whites claim that racism doesn’t exist. That’s right; whites believe that racism is a relic of our shameful past.

Some argue that blacks have made great strides in this country and are now on a level playing field with whites. Some go so far as to suggest that they have greater advantages than whites, due to affirmative action, quota systems and reverse racism.

We come across this all the time. Remember when Don Imus called the Rutgers’ women’s basketball players nappy headed hos? Afterward, he repeatedly asserted that he is not a racist, that he interacts with black people all the time.

Recently, Rush Limbaugh caused a flap after he borrowed the Magic Negro concept from an L.A. Times columnist and ran with it. All the way to a song parody about Barack Obama sung by an Al Sharpton impersonator. Limbaugh claimed that wasn’t racist either.

Remember when Michael Richards – Seinfeld’s Kramer – unleashed a barrage of racial epithets at several black people in the audience at a comedy club? During his public apology, he insisted he was not racist, that he did not know where that vitriolic hatred came from.

This is a problem.

Understandably, screaming the N-word at black people is not the equivalent of being a Klansman. But it’s not exactly innocuous either.

In fact, what Richards did is probably a lot more common than we would like to think.

When people have a negative experience involving a minority, racial slurs seem to be second-nature.

When whites deny that racism exists, it’s a slap in the face to the minorities who experience it every day of their lives.

But it also closes the door to any opportunity of discussing racism, dealing with it head-on and trying to get past it.

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