<p>A student and her bf attended an on-campus party (theme was Celebs in Rehab) as Whitney and Bobby - - complete w/ bodypaint (face, arms, neck) and "afro" wig.</p>
<p>Black students were offended; White students said the black students were being too sensitive (it was just a joke!).</p>
<p>Very sad.</p>
<p>Sadly I've seen a lot of "Black face" Halloween costumes - not so much at my school, but definitely at others when I visit. I understand both sides - but I find the magic marker-ed faces unsettling and slightly racist.</p>
<p>What about freedom of expression?</p>
<p>It can be legal and permitted but still be racist.</p>
<p>Campus</a> Life; What Students Think: Racism Is a Big Issue - New York Times</p>
<p>This has become an issue in many ways. I remember one year there were some American Indian protests about Halloween Indian costumes. I guess if the group being imitated takes it as an offense, it is not a wise decision to push it. Why would you want to do so?</p>
<p>just cuz yo have the right to do something stupid, doesn't mean you should</p>
<p>and btw, you can do whitney and bobby without painting your face black</p>
<p>wabash- do you not see the difference between the law and doing something that is offensive?</p>
<p>legal doesn't always mean right</p>
<p>it was legal to own slaves, but did that make it right?</p>
<p>
[quote]
A student and her bf attended an on-campus party (theme was Celebs in Rehab) as Whitney and Bobby - - complete w/ bodypaint (face, arms, neck) and "afro" wig.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This will trigger an unending debate, at the end of which none of us will be the wiser. Ranging from "Ghetto fabulous" to "South of the Border" theme parties, especially in college, are almost always prone to earn criticism. </p>
<p>In this case, in addition to the black painting, should the choice "Celebs in Rehab" not raise concerns? After all, aren't some of the offenders not victims of their professional environments, if not from genetic predispositions to addictions?</p>
<p>And lastly, are we not hypocritical when finding a Bobby and Whitney offensive but laughing wildly at costumes deriding George Bush and Cheney, or Ronald Reagan? Of course the same leftists would find a witchy costume with the face of Hillary Clinton quite offensive?</p>
<p>The reality is that our society is quite fickle and unpredictable when deciding what is funny and what is offensive. Ask yourself when is the last you time you told a "colorful" or sexist joke ... or laugh at one?</p>
<p>PS By the way, did you hear that they canceled Thanksgiving in Arkansas .. again?</p>
<p>I agree, the theme itself was in poor taste.</p>
<p>As for the costumes deriding Bush, Cheney, Regan - -one might take offense at mocking the office of vice/pres, but race (or other group identity) isn't implicated. As for Hillary - - a which costume might offend some, but it would certainly be worse if a man was in the costume, b/c of the male/female power dynamic.</p>
<p>There's a thin line b/w funny and offensive; tread carefully.</p>
<p>Ask yourself when is the last you time you told a "colorful" or sexist joke ... or laugh at one?</p>
<p>I'm the wrong person to ask. As a child I didn't like Roadrunner cartoons because I felt sorry for the Coyote.
I also don't laugh at jokes that aren't funny.
It's pretty across the board that you don't tell middle aged white women jokes, unless you are one, and no one can complain about your family other than yourself.
I also find making fun of easy targets- to be cheap and mean.</p>
<p>The same issue has arisen at SUNY Geneseo as per this story in the Lamron (the student newspaper): The</a> Lamron</p>
<p>I think if we started a thread for every incidence of racial, sexual preference or religious intolerance on a college campus we would have a mighty long list. </p>
<p>It's not fair to single out Smith. Every college campus has a few ignorant kids.</p>
<p>And I'm sure the student body, administration and faculty at Smith made clear their repugnance.</p>
<p>I understand that this is offensive because of the historical significance of blackface. On the other hand, a lot of college students aren't actually aware of this, and I can understand someone wanting to make their costume as realistic as possible, and figuring that this means they need to paint their skin.</p>
<p>How would a white student costume realistically as a black public figure without face/body paint, assuming that they can't find a mask of this figure?</p>
<p>I agree, not fair to paint all Smithies as insensitive and immature because a few acted that way! And the administration reacted immediately.</p>
<p>Blackface is considered politically incorrect. There are certain things that should be avoided if you don't want to stir up this sort of controversy. For whatever reason, making fun of celebrities' problems is not in that category, but blackface is.</p>
<p>jessie: Your post has a balanced, sensible perspective, usual for you.</p>
<p>Xiggi: Deriding political figures because we disagree with their politics which they have made public and an issue for public scrutiny and debate is very different for deriding celebs for their foibles. Your point about the entire theme of the party is germaine.</p>
<p>I think there is something tasteless about whites coming as blacks unless the intent is celebratory and admiring just because of the history of racism in this country. Without even knowing the historical context of black face, I think this is something a white student who is empathetic and has a modicum of historical knowledge (Smith) should intuitively know.</p>
<p>No, I don't think black students are in any way being too sensitive.</p>
<p>Would someone come as Robert Downy Jr. with a hook nose? (Yes, he is half Jewish.)</p>
<p>And I say hook nose because black face in no way approximates the exact color of these celebs skin, nor in fact, does Whitney Houston wear an afro. So, they were suggesting Whitney and Bobby just by evoking their "blackness", surely racist.</p>
<p>What I saw as terrific was the speed with which the Administration and student governmetn responded. As I see it, these are "teachable" moments, and glad they didn't let it slide.</p>
<p>I think the admin's response was, as you said, terriffic - - but quality and quantity of the student comments are troubling (check out the dailyjolt). Worse still, there are reports that an RA told the black students to stop being so f****** sensitive. If this is true, then some reprimand may be in order, in addit to whatever instruction/training//cr the college has planned for the commun at large.</p>
<p>
[quote]
And I say hook nose because black face in no way approximates the exact color of these celebs skin, nor in fact, does Whitney Houston wear an afro. So, they were suggesting Whitney and Bobby just by evoking their "blackness", surely racist.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Did they actually use blackface, as in the blackening shoe polish or grease paint used in the days of old, or did they simply paint their faces and bodies with some shade of brown makeup/face paint? I can't tell from the info so far, and the answer would affect the way I view the issue, as the former has a long tradition of association with racism, whereas the latter could legitimately be an innocent, misinterpreted attempt at a realistic costume.</p>
<p>I don't have a clear mental image of Whitney Houston - I did not know that she does not wear an afro. Using that to costume does seem a little strange - all I can think of by way of innocuously-meant reasoning is that that the student's hair could not reasonably be made to look realistic for costuming and the only "black person" wigs were afros.</p>
<p>But surely to use race as the most important identifying element about a person is racist in and of itself; in fact isn't that part of its definition?</p>
<p>I've seen a photo, and it appears that the student used grease paint. I have no doubt that the student was merely attempting to "look realistic forconstuming" and intended no offense. But unintended offensive conduct is still offensive. And here, the issue is less the student's misguided attempt at realistic costuming is less the issue than the response of other White students, who have insisted that the black students who took offense were being too sensitive.</p>