<p>Those of you already in college (or who have already graduated): how are/were racial relations? </p>
<p>Many people are always harping about how multi-cultural college will be, and how people will learn to work and learn together, and about each other, and other nice, diverse stuff. But it seems to be the hard truth-- in many cases-- that racial division can just get worse during college. Racial cliques, for example.</p>
<p>Also, Asians can be targeted. A Princeton grad was harassing scores of female students-- going as far as soiling their drinks or cutting off locks of their hair-- because they were Asian. There was an awful incident at Tufts recently in which an Arab student was repeatedly beaten by frat boys-- because he was Arab.</p>
<p>Its incidents like this that really make Middlebury unattractive to African-American students, already only 2.7% of Middlebury students are African-American, but now to hear that there is racial profiling makes my stomach turn.</p>
<p>Thanks for posting this. What a horrendous story! Based on it, I would not encourage any black students to go to Middlebury. I am surprised, too, the story hasn't yet hit the national press.</p>
<p>I would say that race relations depend on two things: where you come from and where you go to school. Forget about percentages. Universities will advertise that they are diverse because *** percent of the population is black, Latino, etc. Really, that doesn't matter because a majority of the time people gravitate to their own groups anyway. I'm Mexican-American from a border town in Texas where 95% of the population looks like me and I went to school in DC where most other students had either never seen a Mexican before, didn't like them, or only knew them as the people that take orders at the McDonald's. Needless to say, when it came to race relations, while I was never physically hurt, being told that I was nothing more than the "crazy little Mexican girl" or that I would always be "nothing more than an immigrant in this country" (I'm fourth generation) wasn't exactly the best. But it did teach me a lot about people, and a lot about myself, who I am, and what I believe. They weren't great experiences, but they certainly helped me gain a greater appreciation for home.</p>
<p>Where's Paul Harvey when we need him? This Middlebury article just screams, "where's the REST of the story?"</p>
<p>I feel like there's a huge piece of the puzzle missing. I know that Middlebury is a pretty white bread place, but the college administrators are not likely to give the heave-ho, especially to an Af-Am senior, without some reason. I just don't find the story credible as a complete account.</p>
<p>It seems that there is more to this story. I don't think we should be so quick to judge Hawkins. It seems that evidence is being withheld because it involved "sexual touching." </p>
<p>I hope that a talented lawyer picks up this case and reveals the truth.</p>
<p>You have to understand that people who do those kind of stuff usually have some kind of mental disabilities. They are incredibly intelligent, but they are so hermetic that these actions may be their only entertainment.</p>
<p>Racial relations can be tense at times, but no worse than in "real life."</p>
<p>It's just that many people entering college haven't had to face these issues head-on, and when they do get faced with them they're shocked that they exist. </p>
<p>All-in-all, I never had anything that really made me uncomfortable happen in college, and my friends and I are the multicolored crew.</p>
<p>the "princeton grad" you're referring to was actually not a princeton grad. he was a grad student and was immediately expelled, obviously. weird people are everywhere and you cant blame universities for isolated incidents. psychos are everywhere.</p>
<p>and regarding the middlebury college article, im very skeptical to believe that it was pure racism involved in first-state-to-legalize-civil-unions vermont. the article is slanted, and none of us has all the facts. the deans probably overreacted, but hes probably not the angel the article makes him out to be.</p>
<p>Exactly. This paper is obviously trying to portray Middlebury as racist. While Middlebury might be at fault, it would be nice if the paper had interviewed or included both sides of the story. </p>
<p>As I already said, I'm not going to make any conclusions. If this man was sexually assaulted, then Middlebury is doing the right thing in protecting Hawkin's privacy. The problem with that, though, is that people on the outside don't understand why the poor harmless black man is being wrongly suspended. </p>
<p>I am not drawing any conclusions on this story just yet. I am just as adverse to racism as any other normal American, but I'm not going to point fingers without all the facts.</p>
<p>While it's nice to portray Hawkin's as a rich, vindictive, and cruel jerk, it might not be accurate.</p>
<p>Billy Murphy already sued Middlebury to allow O'Neil to graduate, and he lost in court last week. Clearly there IS more to the story than meets the eye. Also, Middlebury cannot comment on closed door judicial hearings because doing so violates the Federal Educational Records Privacy Act. The Village Voice article tells half the story, and is a poor example of investigative journalism.</p>
<p>right I tend to agree
Since Billy Murphy is a high profile attorney somebody would have jumped on this besides the voice if there was anything to it.
Heck since media is so liberal it would have been on the nightly news!</p>