Any BC Students/Alumni Care to Address This?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Boston College
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<p>[On</a> campuses, students struggle with racism, ethnic tensions - The Boston Globe](<a href=“http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2007/12/05/theyre_sitting_right_next_to_us/?page=1]On”>http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2007/12/05/theyre_sitting_right_next_to_us/?page=1)</p>

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<p>Is this sort of thing surprising to you? Do you feel these are justified, accurate complaints about BC’s campus atmosphere in regards to nonwhite students? Or do you feel there’s another side to the story?</p>

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<p>...What the...? As an Asian student whose makeup of friends are 60% white, I can say that this has not happen to me or any students of colors that I know off. I don't deny that this kind of thing exists at a college campuses. Furthermore, this article doesn't pertain to BC but universities and colleges across Boston. Speaking from my opinion, this is blowing things out of proportion. Look at this line:</p>

<p>""Oh my God, that [stuff] smells so bad," when they eat ethnic food behind the closed doors of their rooms. "Obviously for something like that," says Jeon, 20, "you can't call the police and say, 'They're complaining about [my] food.' That's why it's so dangerous - there's no legal recourse."</p>

<p>OH COME ON! I love Vietnamese and Chinese food. But anyone who had had really Vietnamese food know there are certain dishes smell awful. One of favorite dishes in Asia is known as "STINKY TOFU." When have we become so hypersensitive so everything that pertains to other culture. Saying someone's food stinks doesn't equate to a hate crime. There is a fine line between hate-crime and don't like the smell of food.</p>

<p>BC has done it could to make students of all colors and background feel safe and happy at its campus. And this is not some PR bs they sent out to the press. When a waiter at a local dinery/bar made some racist joke at an Asian students, there was a call of boycott from the student population. </p>

<p>Next, parties are thrown by students from many different universities. You cannot identify that those who made those horrible comments are BC students. Parties that I had been to at BC contained everyone. Are there more white than any other groups, YES, because 75% of the school is white.</p>

<p>And why the hell am I defending the entire population of BC 9000 undergraduate students for something a few racists, who might or might not be BC students and who should have never been admitted to any college, did? </p>

<p>Does BC have racists? YES
Does Harvard have racists? YES
Does Howard University have racists? YES</p>

<p>Is there a systematic discrimination at those schools from the administration down to the students? NOO!</p>

<p>P.S.
OP I'm not attacking you, you bring up a very legitimate question and I hoped I answered according to my perspective in my angry rant.</p>

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<p>"During a recent meeting of BC's Black Student Forum, Maryann Odusanya and Hewette Moore, 21-year-old seniors, described an incident from two years ago. They, along with two black female students and four white students, tried to enter an off-campus student house party to which they had been invited. When the black students arrived at the door, says Odusanya, "the white female . . . she's looking at us like, 'What are you doing here? Are you selling stuff?' She didn't say that, but that was the vibe we got"</p>

<p>Wow...Is that supposed to sound...terrible? A noose was hung at my high school last week with racial slurs written around...</p>

<p>Sorry, but that sounds to me like the girl was just downright stuck up rather than arrogant. If that is their best anecdote of racism, it seems to me like they're grasping at straws.</p>

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<p>Dear marge_sherwood : Having spent time at BC on weekends, night, weekdays, and everything in between, I have NOT seen any evidence that BC produces a hostile racial environment - not even a shred. As for Ms. Choi's quote, I am sorry that she feels uneasy with the college atmosphere, but the "real world" will be a million times worse than anything she has seen at Boston College. Your second quoted paragraph sounds as if Ms. Choi is making general statements that racists could be in the seat next to her as would be true anywhere.</p>

<p>That said, Ms. Choi's comments should not be dismissed. Actually, it would not be unusual or unexpected for BC to contact her and discuss the situation with more confidential specifics sought.</p>

<p>BC as a community demonstrates huge tolernance and this article comes as a complete surprise to me. "Men and women for others" are the core of the Jesuit experience is at odds with what Ms. Choi is experiencing.</p>

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<p>I am a recent alum (class of 07) and I am really surprised about this statement. While I don't want to downplay the quoted student's experience, I will say that the Jesuit spirit at Boston College allows open discussions of race, religion, sexual orientation etc. With that said, BC has a sizeable population of very sheltered and naive students of all races and religions. It often takes time for some of these students to learn what is acceptable to say or to ask in a diverse community. </p>

<p>I will never forget the time when one of my good friends described another one our friends as a "chinaman." This girl was not racist but she came from an all white community and never knew that this was not an acceptable phrase until we told her. Similarly, one of my African American roommates who grew up in a homogeneous community jokeingly remarked our senior year that she is surprised that she had learned to trust and be friends with a group of "rich white girls." College is a place to meet new people and to expand our, sometimes unfortunately narrow, horizons.</p>