<p>Did anyone hear the news about the Black Panther Group staging protests on Duke's campus tomorrow? lol Why? I mean, do students even care or want to get involved in this case? I get the impression that most students don't want to think about the scandal and would rather just live their lives, but this group is trying to shove it in their faces and explode/exaggerate the case. I mean, c'mon. Why don't they just stop all this ********? Is there really that big of a rascism problem in Durham?</p>
<p>i thought you weren't coming to duke?</p>
<p>Yeah I am.</p>
<p>the New Black Panthers Party are just a bunch of sensationalists... many members of the original Black Panthers Party from the 60s have spoken out against this new group which shares no official affiliation with the "real" Black Panthers. In the 60s it was about empowerment... but the NBPP is more about reverse racism than anything else.</p>
<p>Where do you get the impression that most students just want to forget about the scandal?</p>
<p>The fact that a rape took place, or the possibility thereof, I think, is more than enough reason to stage a protest by any student group. If most Duke students just "lived their lives" as if nothing had happened, then you and I, and most other incoming freshmen would probably not have decided to attend such a place in the fall. I know I wouldn't. Fortunately though, the admin IS taking an aggressive stance toward the case, and there ARE groups like the Black Panthers and many other Duke students who are responding to the issue instead of neglecting it.</p>
<p>Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, what are you talking about chlor? The Black Panthers I saw on TV were adult black males (attorneys, lawyers, etc.), not college students, who aim to bash on Duke and are angry at the situation. They are not trying to "increase awareness" or anything; they are trying to unite the black citizens of Durham County against Duke. I would definately not want these kinds of people right on the campus!</p>
<p>Oops, sorry about the misunderstanding. Your references to the students not caring led me to think that Duke had its own student-run version of the BP. Still though, I'm glad that people aren't just treating the case like nothing had happened. If something this serious isn't dealt with, we'd still have segregated America and the turbulent 60's wouldn't have been so, er, turbulent. Anyway, there's definitely a more lengthy discussion on this in the Parent's Cafe with plenty of good arguments on both sides.</p>
<p>chlor, I don't think you realize what the NBP is. We're not talking political protestors here. We're talking lunatic fringe, comparable to the KKK and Aryan Nation, who had every intention of staging a protest with weapons on campus without the university's permission.</p>
<p>Exactly...</p>
<p>No, I know what they are, now that the OP clarified what he meant. And they are definitely nowhere as extreme as the hooded KKKs or the Aryan Nation.</p>
<p>Somehow I still doubt you actually know what they are, seeing as you're willing to paint their protest in a positive light as "people [not] just treating the case like nothing happened." Just in case you're getting them confused with the Black Panthers from the 60s: [url=<a href="http://www.blackpanther.org/newsalert.htm%5Dlink%5B/url">http://www.blackpanther.org/newsalert.htm]link[/url</a>]</p>
<p><em>edit</em> in response to chlor</p>
<p>yeah idk... they arent as violent... but their views are in many ways just as extreme. <a href="http://www.newblackpanther.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.newblackpanther.com/</a></p>
<p>So they believe black people should 1) not have to pay taxes 2) get free healthcare anyway (from magic money) 3)have exemption from military service 4) all be released from prison</p>
<p>I'm African American, and I'm going to be heading to Duke next year. I understand what you are saying. I really wish people would just let the entire scandal die, I hate hearing lacrosse jokes everytime I tell people where I'm going. </p>
<p>I go to boarding school in Mass. and I've been pretty privledged my entire life. I think this type of issue (self segregation, etc.) usually almost always comes down to economic backrounds. People who grew up in similiar environments tend to stick together. Unfortunately, in the US. most people who are from poorer areas are minorities (hispanics, blacks, etc.) and so, blacks tend to group together, while whites do as well. I think if you aren't this type of person, and don't look at a person skin color or economic backround as a qualifier for your presence you will be fine.</p>
<p>Just to clarify - there is a world of difference between The New Black Panther Party - which is the group protesting tomorrow - and The Black Panther Party, which has in fact disavowed the NBPP (statement</a>). Accionar</p>
<p>It comforts me to know that I will be going to school with people like DukeEgr93 next year =)</p>
<p>chlor - you do realize you will be taking class from me and not with me, right? :D</p>
<p>hahaha - Dr. G is so cool that people are mistaking him for a student now :P</p>
<p>don't worry chlor i know many students as well as many professors feel the same way as Dr. G about this situation.</p>
<p>Okay -- while I DO think that good can come out of this (more discussion, conversation, really trying to resolve issues, etc.), I DO NOT want this to be happening tomorrow. Our campus is now on semi-lockdown, with all dorms being solely accessible to the people living in them. We've been getting numerous e-mails about how they were originally planning on bringing guns, but were told not to.....however, it is very, very possible that this "protest" will turn violent, given the NBP history (they are sort of known for their militance and protests, from what I've heard - I don't think they'd just change their minds due to something Brodhead tells them). And tomorrow? Tomorrow is our first day of finals. I don't know about anyone else, but I really do not want to be dealing with violent protestors and possible gun firing on campus while I'm taking 2 finals that I'm ALREADY stressed out about and finishing up a paper. I mean, I've spoken to at least 10 or 11 people today who are trying to get room changes for their final exams because they do not want to be taking their finals in rooms that are too close to the Chapel - both because of the possible noise level and because they're actually frightened of having to walk there. That is not OK. Student activism, I like. Fear of gunfire, I do not. ESPECIALLY NOT DURING FINALS WEEK - because this is SORT OF stressful enough.</p>
<p>bandcampgirl, the protesters are not supposed to be near the chapel. They will be across the street from campus somewhere along duke university road. Don't worry if you are walking past the shapel you <em>should</em> be safe . . . but then again i'm not going to leave my apt tomorrow most likely. (Luckily I just don't have any finals tomorrow). Anyway, there will be police EVERYWHERE. Apparently there will be duke police all over campus. And probably checkpoints on all the access roads (chapel drive, science drive, campus drive) etc, to make sure that people who are coming have a legitimate reason to be here. So don't worry, I hope campus will still be a safe place to take finals tomorrow. If anything really bad does happen I'm sure they will put us all on lockdown immediately and cancel finals . . . and hey at least then everyone will all get a's or they'll all be take-home or something! :P Sorry just trying to look at the bright side. </p>
<p>Also, what are all the emails saying? I live off campus so I've only gotten the one from Brodhead.</p>
<p>Eh, I've basically just been getting e-mails from people speaking about the high probability that they WILL be coming onto campus and carrying guns...</p>
<p>The problem is, Brodhead made them "promise" that they would stay off campus and not have guns. But judging by the NBP's history, the way they do protests, and basically everything they stand for-- plus the fact that they're even bothering to come at all-- it is VERY UNLIKELY that things will actually happen that way. I've heard from numerous sources that they most likely will at least be TRYING to come onto campus - and their goal will be the Chapel. I've even heard rumors of Chapel-related bomb threats. The truth is, they could tell Brodhead anything he wanted to hear -- that doesn't mean it will actually happen that way. I just really have a gut feeling that this is going to turn into something much worse than some people think.</p>
<p>Campus-wide conversation is awesome. So is working to proactively bring change to our school. So are the little "progresses," like the massive group of NCCU students who came out to our Take Back The Night march and got up to speak at our speak-out in front of the Chapel. All of that is awesome - I love that. But militant racist groups coming to campus and (most probably) threatening the well-being of our student body? NOT so much.</p>