OT - student rally

[njm8845]

http://www.purdueexponent.org/article_9a40a5c2-8b40-11e5-9437-53fbc13874e0.html?mode=jqm

Here's my step by step thoughts:

1. They want Daniels to admit Purdue is a hostile environment caused by hateful racism? That's hardly the picture I get whenever I step foot on campus. Demands like this are pointless and a waste of time.

2. The "Diversity Officer" was another bureaucratic fluff job. Good for Mitch for combining these duties in with the provost, where they belong.

3. Racial awareness training for every single person associated with Purdue? I don't see how much value this would bring.

4. I'm sure some kind of "statistical report" already exists. And being a public university, I would assume it's readily available. Not sure what they are looking for specifically.

5. I don't know what the "Report Hate and Bias Program" is, so maybe the university does need to advertise it better.

6. I'm on the fence with this demand. I guess not much negative would come of it if its inclusion would appease people.

7. Sure, make an advisory board. Another thing where I fail to see significant benefits.

8. I'm pretty sure they already have extensive background checks to be a police officer, so I'm guessing this is aimed mainly at faculty. I'm pretty sure they already have background checks to be a faculty, but if not, then they should.

9/10. This is the one that angers me - that by "Diverse" they mean black. Purdue is a very diverse place - you'd think that an institution with the second most international students in the US would never have to deal with diversity complaints.

And a 30% increase in "under-represented" minorities seems exceedingly large. First of all, if you admit more of anything just to fill an arbitrary quota, then fewer people are admitted based on merit. Secondly, what's the definition of "under-represented"? Should Purdue strive for the exact demographic proportions of Indiana? 9% black, 86% white. According to Purdue's site, 20% of domestic undergraduates are minorities of some kind. So in my opinion, whites are the ones who are under-represented by any logical metric.

11. 100% agree with this. I feel most institutions could tap their endowment for student aid.

12. This is absolute BS. Because a faculty's race is "under-represented", give him more money for research. Doesn't make any sense at all - just smacks of some faculty saying "Yeah, stick this in your demands too"

13. I have no idea what this means. Google doesn't either.

 

[tjreese]

http://www.purdueexponent.org/article_9a40a5c2-8b40-11e5-9437-53fbc13874e0.html?mode=jqm

Here's my step by step thoughts:

1. They want Daniels to admit Purdue is a hostile environment caused by hateful racism? That's hardly the picture I get whenever I step foot on campus. Demands like this are pointless and a waste of time.

2. The "Diversity Officer" was another bureaucratic fluff job. Good for Mitch for combining these duties in with the provost, where they belong.

3. Racial awareness training for every single person associated with Purdue? I don't see how much value this would bring.

4. I'm sure some kind of "statistical report" already exists. And being a public university, I would assume it's readily available. Not sure what they are looking for specifically.

5. I don't know what the "Report Hate and Bias Program" is, so maybe the university does need to advertise it better.

6. I'm on the fence with this demand. I guess not much negative would come of it if its inclusion would appease people.

7. Sure, make an advisory board. Another thing where I fail to see significant benefits.

8. I'm pretty sure they already have extensive background checks to be a police officer, so I'm guessing this is aimed mainly at faculty. I'm pretty sure they already have background checks to be a faculty, but if not, then they should.

9/10. This is the one that angers me - that by "Diverse" they mean black. Purdue is a very diverse place - you'd think that an institution with the second most international students in the US would never have to deal with diversity complaints.

And a 30% increase in "under-represented" minorities seems exceedingly large. First of all, if you admit more of anything just to fill an arbitrary quota, then fewer people are admitted based on merit. Secondly, what's the definition of "under-represented"? Should Purdue strive for the exact demographic proportions of Indiana? 9% black, 86% white. According to Purdue's site, 20% of domestic undergraduates are minorities of some kind. So in my opinion, whites are the ones who are under-represented by any logical metric.

11. 100% agree with this. I feel most institutions could tap their endowment for student aid.

12. This is absolute BS. Because a faculty's race is "under-represented", give him more money for research. Doesn't make any sense at all - just smacks of some faculty saying "Yeah, stick this in your demands too"

13. I have no idea what this means. Google doesn't either.

Equality of opportunity does NOT equal equality of results. I hope MItch remains firm in light of the stupidity across the country. Has the coursework became that easy at Purdue that some have time for this? I realize this is but a small segment, but this country has some real issues at this time rather than diversions. Anyway, I hope MItch remains fair and firm and I'm back to basektball...

 

[pboiler18]

In b4 BoilermakerD calls you all racists

 

[bonefish1]

I'm much more concerned with AJ's status and our crappy football team than I am with a bunch of whiney, entitled, over sensitive students claiming how their life is so tough on campus.
First world problems........

 

[hunkgolden]

We have raised a generation of entitled brats. The new fad now is that "I'm entitled to not have my feelings hurt" otherwise I don't feel safe and I'm not in a welcoming environment. Good grief - it's a college campus full of 18-22 year olds who say and do stupid stuff ALL OF THE TIME. Sack up!

 

[Wiltthastilt]

college students are just the worst.

 

[IndyBoilers2000]

2015 is the year we were offended by everything!

 

[FinallyABoilerFinal4]

The list of demands can all be summed up under one theme: give black people free stuff.

Every kid should be required to play sports at every level of education. Aside from tiring them out so they can't complain, it will teach them something about real life. What does Purdue basketball teach players? If you work hard, you have a CHANCE to play, not a guarantee. If the entire family works hard, you have a chance to reach your goals, NOT a guarantee. If you break the rules, you don't even get a chance. Exactly how life works.

 

[FinallyABoilerFinal4]

college students are just the worst.

Technically, high school students are the worst. College students a close 2nd.

 

[BBG]

2015 is the year we were offended by everything!

Your post offends me!

 

[OrdinaryGatsby]

At #6: Limiting free speech is a very dangerous road to go down. All I'll say on the matter.

 

[SIBoiler2]

Your post offends me!

I'm offended that you're offended by everyone being offended.

 

[woggy718]

I'm offended that you're offended by everyone being offended.

This offensive offense to the original offender is offensive to me.....where's my participation ribbon?

 

[BoilerDaddy]

http://www.purdueexponent.org/article_9a40a5c2-8b40-11e5-9437-53fbc13874e0.html?mode=jqm

Here's my step by step thoughts:

1. They want Daniels to admit Purdue is a hostile environment caused by hateful racism? That's hardly the picture I get whenever I step foot on campus. Demands like this are pointless and a waste of time.

2. The "Diversity Officer" was another bureaucratic fluff job. Good for Mitch for combining these duties in with the provost, where they belong.

3. Racial awareness training for every single person associated with Purdue? I don't see how much value this would bring.

4. I'm sure some kind of "statistical report" already exists. And being a public university, I would assume it's readily available. Not sure what they are looking for specifically.

5. I don't know what the "Report Hate and Bias Program" is, so maybe the university does need to advertise it better.

6. I'm on the fence with this demand. I guess not much negative would come of it if its inclusion would appease people.

7. Sure, make an advisory board. Another thing where I fail to see significant benefits.

8. I'm pretty sure they already have extensive background checks to be a police officer, so I'm guessing this is aimed mainly at faculty. I'm pretty sure they already have background checks to be a faculty, but if not, then they should.

9/10. This is the one that angers me - that by "Diverse" they mean black. Purdue is a very diverse place - you'd think that an institution with the second most international students in the US would never have to deal with diversity complaints.

And a 30% increase in "under-represented" minorities seems exceedingly large. First of all, if you admit more of anything just to fill an arbitrary quota, then fewer people are admitted based on merit. Secondly, what's the definition of "under-represented"? Should Purdue strive for the exact demographic proportions of Indiana? 9% black, 86% white. According to Purdue's site, 20% of domestic undergraduates are minorities of some kind. So in my opinion, whites are the ones who are under-represented by any logical metric.

11. 100% agree with this. I feel most institutions could tap their endowment for student aid.

12. This is absolute BS. Because a faculty's race is "under-represented", give him more money for research. Doesn't make any sense at all - just smacks of some faculty saying "Yeah, stick this in your demands too"

13. I have no idea what this means. Google doesn't either.

I think that the protesters appear to be making a strategic error by making this adversarial and focusing on their demands, rather than taking a more constructive approach of acurately defining the problem and partnering with the university to find the best solutions. I don't know if they have legitimate concerns or not, but this Exponent story is going to generate very little support from the Purdue community as a whole.

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

This offensive offense to the original offender is offensive to me.....where's my participation ribbon?

Well done, Woggy....thanks for your contribution.

 

[SIBoiler2]

From what I've seen nationwide this college student movement should be called "Bernie's Kids". All they really want is free everything with no responsibility attached.

 

[tjreese]

In b4 BoilermakerD calls you all racists

Yeah, well anyone can call me racist, sexist, meanist, or any other made up word that ends in ist. If there is a legitimate case, then it doesn't need publicity, there are many lawyers looking for work against a University. I imagine most of the students are not in the science fields. Years ago back in the mid 70's there was a push for quotas of whatever demographics were making noise at the time. In Columbus, IN I had a brother-in-law in personnel working for Cummins. His boss and best friend was Ulric (Ric) Haynes. A little google will show that Ric was a head negotiator for the Iranian hostage situation as he was appointed by Billy Carter's brother Jimmy to be ambassador to Algiers. Ric happened to be a black man and his beautiful wife used to date Sidney Poitier years before...no reason to mention it other than Elan (sp?) was very pretty! Anyway, Ric said, "We're not going to hire blacks to get a quota as it is not fair to those that are deserving. We are going to find deserving blacks and hire them." What a breath of fresh air at the time...hire the deserving ones.

I had another brother-in-law (deceased) who is the late 80s had almost all the public sector contracts in Ohio. Only heard him speak harshly towards another one time and that was Gerardo Riveria who followed him for two weeks seeing if he could get anything on him. He grew up in a union and was now representing management in Ohio. He said the pendulum has swung too far, but he would never screw union workers. I remember him telling me, Tom I put into some school contracts to have a day off for Martin Luther King day...nobody asked for it, but I thought it the right thing to do.

Bottom line...people can voice displeasure over the antics of those on the campuses today and that doesn't make them a racist. Neither of those brother-in-law's would agree with the nonsense of today

 

[ATLBoiler14]

Many of these requests are perhaps unreasonable; however, I try to remind myself of the privilege i"ve had as a white male in America. I don't think anyone who has this privilege can understand the advantages many of us have had. I don't discount the hard work that many of us on the board and others have put into their careers and lives to get where they are, but imagine putting that same work in and never receiving an opportunity because of your skin color? Imagine being denied a home because of institutionalized policies that allow creditors and jurisdictions to restrict who can buy homes? The examples are endless.

Yes, many of these policies are unreasonable. Yes, Indiana is a predominantly white state. But I think simply stating "black people want free things" is a gross exaggeration. Minorities want an equal opportunity to put their hard work to good use. I can imagine after 20 generations of inequality and being told no, you might resort to unorthodox tactics too.

 

[New Pal Boiler]

http://www.purdueexponent.org/article_9a40a5c2-8b40-11e5-9437-53fbc13874e0.html?mode=jqm

Here's my step by step thoughts:

1. They want Daniels to admit Purdue is a hostile environment caused by hateful racism? That's hardly the picture I get whenever I step foot on campus. Demands like this are pointless and a waste of time.

2. The "Diversity Officer" was another bureaucratic fluff job. Good for Mitch for combining these duties in with the provost, where they belong.

3. Racial awareness training for every single person associated with Purdue? I don't see how much value this would bring.

4. I'm sure some kind of "statistical report" already exists. And being a public university, I would assume it's readily available. Not sure what they are looking for specifically.

5. I don't know what the "Report Hate and Bias Program" is, so maybe the university does need to advertise it better.

6. I'm on the fence with this demand. I guess not much negative would come of it if its inclusion would appease people.

7. Sure, make an advisory board. Another thing where I fail to see significant benefits.

8. I'm pretty sure they already have extensive background checks to be a police officer, so I'm guessing this is aimed mainly at faculty. I'm pretty sure they already have background checks to be a faculty, but if not, then they should.

9/10. This is the one that angers me - that by "Diverse" they mean black. Purdue is a very diverse place - you'd think that an institution with the second most international students in the US would never have to deal with diversity complaints.

And a 30% increase in "under-represented" minorities seems exceedingly large. First of all, if you admit more of anything just to fill an arbitrary quota, then fewer people are admitted based on merit. Secondly, what's the definition of "under-represented"? Should Purdue strive for the exact demographic proportions of Indiana? 9% black, 86% white. According to Purdue's site, 20% of domestic undergraduates are minorities of some kind. So in my opinion, whites are the ones who are under-represented by any logical metric.

11. 100% agree with this. I feel most institutions could tap their endowment for student aid.

12. This is absolute BS. Because a faculty's race is "under-represented", give him more money for research. Doesn't make any sense at all - just smacks of some faculty saying "Yeah, stick this in your demands too"

13. I have no idea what this means. Google doesn't either.

Any chance our "football team" will boycott the last 2 games?

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

Yeah, well anyone can call me racist, sexist, meanist, or any other made up word that ends in ist. If there is a legitimate case, then it doesn't need publicity, there are many lawyers looking for work against a University. I imagine most of the students are not in the science fields. Years ago back in the mid 70's there was a push for quotas of whatever demographics were making noise at the time. In Columbus, IN I had a brother-in-law in personnel working for Cummins. His boss and best friend was Ulric (Ric) Haynes. A little google will show that Ric was a head negotiator for the Iranian hostage situation as he was appointed by Billy Carter's brother Jimmy to be ambassador to Algiers. Ric happened to be a black man and his beautiful wife used to date Sidney Poitier years before...no reason to mention it other than Elan (sp?) was very pretty! Anyway, Ric said, "We're not going to hire blacks to get a quota as it is not fair to those that are deserving. We are going to find deserving blacks and hire them." What a breath of fresh air at the time...hire the deserving ones.

I had another brother-in-law (deceased) who is the late 80s had almost all the public sector contracts in Ohio. Only heard him speak harshly towards another one time and that was Gerardo Riveria who followed him for two weeks seeing if he could get anything on him. He grew up in a union and was now representing management in Ohio. He said the pendulum has swung too far, but he would never screw union workers. I remember him telling me, Tom I put into some school contracts to have a day off for Martin Luther King day...nobody asked for it, but I thought it the right thing to do.

Bottom line...people can voice displeasure over the antics of those on the campuses today and that doesn't make them a racist. Neither of those brother-in-law's would agree with the nonsense of today

Yolande Toussaint....she was in one of Sidney Poitier's movies, "For Love of Ivy."

My parents were big Sidney Poitier fans, and my father passed that on to me. Lilies of the Field, A Patch of Blue, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, etc.

 

[pboiler18]

Many of these requests are perhaps unreasonable; however, I try to remind myself of the privilege i"ve had as a white male in America. I don't think anyone who has this privilege can understand the advantages many of us have had. I don't discount the hard work that many of us on the board and others have put into their careers and lives to get where they are, but imagine putting that same work in and never receiving an opportunity because of your skin color? Imagine being denied a home because of institutionalized policies that allow creditors and jurisdictions to restrict who can buy homes? The examples are endless.

Yes, many of these policies are unreasonable. Yes, Indiana is a predominantly white state. But I think simply stating "black people want free things" is a gross exaggeration. Minorities want an equal opportunity to put their hard work to good use. I can imagine after 20 generations of inequality and being told no, you might resort to unorthodox tactics too.

I bet you are VERY young.

 

[SIBoiler2]

I bet you are VERY young.

and/or spends his time watching CNN or MSNBC where he is well taught to understand white privilege. White male privilege left the building several years ago where I live.

 

[ATLBoiler14]

My age should not distort the message of black oppression in this country. African American oppression doesn't excuse specific incident or crime or complaint one could make, but I think many of these events need to be viewed through the historical lens of institutional and informal oppression and prejudice that still exists today.

I hesitate to even speak to this seeing as I haven't experienced it myself, but I will re-iterate how difficult it is to understand the difference in standing and opportunity one sees if he or she is born black vs white in this country.

 

[boilerbaaller]

college students are just the worst.

As a college student I agree. Had not heard this before this post. My mind is blown away that they think they need this. Granted I am white so I should check my privilege first but over my 4 years here as a student I have never seen anything in bad taste against minorities.

The biggest issue ive seen on campus this year is the crazy religious people going up to students yelling that they are going to hell and that god hates them.

I feel like these students are just trying to get their 5 minutes of fame because most students on campus would agree this is a safe (eh, maybe not for sexual harassment charges) and friendly campus.

 

[TC4THREE]

Many of these requests are perhaps unreasonable; however, I try to remind myself of the privilege i"ve had as a white male in America. I don't think anyone who has this privilege can understand the advantages many of us have had. I don't discount the hard work that many of us on the board and others have put into their careers and lives to get where they are, but imagine putting that same work in and never receiving an opportunity because of your skin color? Imagine being denied a home because of institutionalized policies that allow creditors and jurisdictions to restrict who can buy homes? The examples are endless.

Yes, many of these policies are unreasonable. Yes, Indiana is a predominantly white state. But I think simply stating "black people want free things" is a gross exaggeration. Minorities want an equal opportunity to put their hard work to good use. I can imagine after 20 generations of inequality and being told no, you might resort to unorthodox tactics too.

Nearly everyone fights some sort of discrimination at some point in their life. Race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, appearance, marital status, having children, and probably many other things that typically have little bearing on a person being qualified to do something. It's an imperfect world. I've always felt that the best solution if you feel someone isn't treating you fairly is to move on and find someone else who does but then again I've never been one to enjoy feeling like a victim. It seems like playing the victim role is pretty popular right now though. I think everyone would be better off by focusing on finding the best opportunities available to them and taking advantage of those instead of speculating on the reasons that other opportunities didn't work out for them.

 

[spradecki]

Many of these requests are perhaps unreasonable; however, I try to remind myself of the privilege i"ve had as a white male in America. I don't think anyone who has this privilege can understand the advantages many of us have had. I don't discount the hard work that many of us on the board and others have put into their careers and lives to get where they are, but imagine putting that same work in and never receiving an opportunity because of your skin color? Imagine being denied a home because of institutionalized policies that allow creditors and jurisdictions to restrict who can buy homes? The examples are endless.

Yes, many of these policies are unreasonable. Yes, Indiana is a predominantly white state. But I think simply stating "black people want free things" is a gross exaggeration. Minorities want an equal opportunity to put their hard work to good use. I can imagine after 20 generations of inequality and being told no, you might resort to unorthodox tactics too.

you my friend obviously never looked for a job in the 70's or 80's. affirmative action made it reverse discrimination totally. it's probably even true today but i'm not looking for a job anymore

 

[GodFamilyCountryPurdue]

I hesitate to even speak to this seeing as I haven't experienced it myself, but I will re-iterate how difficult it is to understand the difference in standing and opportunity one sees if he or she is born black vs white in this country.

You're alive, aren't you? Open your eyes! What do you actually see? Do you see many people getting overlooked for a job because of the color of their skin? I can pretty much guarantee you have never seen this. Have you seen a person arrested simply due to the color of their skin? I'll go with a "no" again. You hesitate to speak about it because you are afraid to be labeled something that you are not. You read about. You hear about it. Yet, you never actually see it. That should tell you something. These things did happen in the past. A lot. Are there some occasions that it still happens, today? Absolutely. Some people might not get hired because they are overweight. Some might not get hired because of their looks. That's going to happen until the end of time. It is no longer that these things happen to black people more than anybody else.

 

[pboiler18]

My age should not distort the message of black oppression in this country. African American oppression doesn't excuse specific incident or crime or complaint one could make, but I think many of these events need to be viewed through the historical lens of institutional and informal oppression and prejudice that still exists today.

I hesitate to even speak to this seeing as I haven't experienced it myself, but I will re-iterate how difficult it is to understand the difference in standing and opportunity one sees if he or she is born black vs white in this country.

I'd bet you're 20, in college and really like Bernie Sanders.

 

[bonefish1]

My age should not distort the message of black oppression in this country. African American oppression doesn't excuse specific incident or crime or complaint one could make, but I think many of these events need to be viewed through the historical lens of institutional and informal oppression and prejudice that still exists today.

I hesitate to even speak to this seeing as I haven't experienced it myself, but I will re-iterate how difficult it is to understand the difference in standing and opportunity one sees if he or she is born black vs white in this country.

So, how exactly do you know that it exists if you haven't experienced it yourself? Just because Rachel Maddow says something does not make it true.

Do you think it's fair that a white guy rarely, if ever gets to be a running back in major college football or the NFL?

 

[pboiler18]

Do you think it's fair that a white guy rarely, if ever gets to be a running back in major college football or the NFL?

I do find this incredibly unfair.

 

[ATLBoiler14]

I never seen the full hiring process and I have seen few people get arrested in my life, so the answer to both of those is no.

As a white male, I am the wrong person to answer your questions. I will never have the firsthand experiences necessary to respond to your comments. I try to advocate for what I believe in based on honest conversations with friends, colleagues, and coworkers who had have their own experiences.

The world is not a fair place and it will never be truly fair, but I think we can make great strides to make it a place where inequality is based on random events and not blatant discrimination.

 

[pboiler18]

I never seen the full hiring process and I have seen few people get arrested in my life, so the answer to both of those is no.

As a white male, I am the wrong person to answer your questions. I will never have the firsthand experiences necessary to respond to your comments. I try to advocate for what I believe in based on honest conversations with friends, colleagues, and coworkers who had have their own experiences.

The world is not a fair place and it will never be truly fair, but I think we can make great strides to make it a place where inequality is based on random events and not blatant discrimination.

Where were you brainwashed?

You've never experienced it but have "heard" about it? Cmon...

 

[threeeputtt]

Here are my copy and paste grievances:
Number 10) Only in America...could politicians talk about the greed of the rich at a $35,000.00 per plate campaign fund-raising event.

Number 9) Only in America ....could people claim that the government still discriminates against black Americans when they have a black President, a black Attorney General and roughly 20% of the federal workforce is black while only 14% of the population is black 40+% of all federal entitlements goes to black Americans - 3X the rate that go to whites, 5X the rate that go to Hispanics!

Number 8) Only in America...could they have had the two people most responsible for our tax code, Timothy Geithner (the head of the Treasury Department) and Charles Rangel (who once ran the Ways and Means Committee), BOTH turn out to be tax cheats who are in favor of higher taxes.

Number 7) Only in America...can they have terrorists kill people in the name of Allah and have the media primarily react by fretting that Muslims might be harmed by the backlash.

Number 6) Only in America...would they make people who want to legally become American citizens wait for years in their home countries and pay tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege, while they discuss letting anyone who sneaks into the country illegally just 'magically' become American citizens (probably should be number one).

Number 5) Only in America....could the people who believe in balancing the budget and sticking by the country's Constitution be thought of as "extremists."

Number 4) Only in America...could you need to present a driver's license to cash a check or buy alcohol, enter a court house, or fly, but not to vote.

Number 3) Only in America...could people demand the government investigate whether oil companies are gouging the public because the price of gas went up when the return on equity invested in a major U.S. Oil company(Marathon Oil) is less than half of a company making tennis shoes (Nike).

Number 2) Only in America....could the government collect more tax dollars from the people than any nation in recorded history, still spend a Trillion dollars more than it has per year - for total spending of $7-Million PER MINUTE, and complain that it doesn't have nearly enough money.

And Number 1) Only in America...could the rich people - who pay 86% of all income taxes - be accused of not paying their "fair share" by people who don't pay any income taxes at all.

 

[ATLBoiler14]

I think that is the point here...Many of us have never experienced prejudice, but have only "heard" about it, which is exactly why we have trouble relating to it.

I was brain-washed when decided to understand the world around me by seeking viewpoints from individuals that had different lifestyles and upbringings.

Obviously we disagree, but hopefully a few people today reflect on how their lives might be different if they had been born into a different situation.

 

[hunkgolden]

Where were you brainwashed?

You've never experienced it but have "heard" about it? Cmon...

Can't believe you have to ask that. How about CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN Headline News, NY Times, LA Times, and etc. It is virtually impossible to get away from the liberal message of white guilt/white privilege, white man evil, and etc. He has fallen for it hook, line, and sinker even though he has never witnessed it himself. The liberal media claims another victim. Congrats to them.

 

[pboiler18]

I think that is the point here...Many of us have never experienced prejudice, but have only "heard" about it, which is exactly why we have trouble relating to it.

I was brain-washed when decided to understand the world around me by seeking viewpoints from individuals that had different lifestyles and upbringings.

Obviously we disagree, but hopefully a few people today reflect on how their lives might be different if they had been born into a different situation.

Where do you go to college? How old are you? I think these are important questions.

 

[ATLBoiler14]

Is it really that important to understand my background? I attended Purdue like many of you, graduated in 2010, and you can probably guess where I live.

While it wouldn't surprise you that I lean left, I subscribe to many conservative arguments as well. I don't feel guilty as a white male, but I do think I have a responsibility to at least consider how slavery, oppressive laws, and continued societal prejudice affects the world in which we live. I try hard not to aggregate the thoughts or actions of any group - white, black, christian, atheist, Hoosier, or Buckeye into a single thought or action, although I truly think Irish and Buckeye fans are the worst.

 

[GodFamilyCountryPurdue]

I never seen the full hiring process and I have seen few people get arrested in my life, so the answer to both of those is no.

As a white male, I am the wrong person to answer your questions. I will never have the firsthand experiences necessary to respond to your comments. I try to advocate for what I believe in based on honest conversations with friends, colleagues, and coworkers who had have their own experiences.

The world is not a fair place and it will never be truly fair, but I think we can make great strides to make it a place where inequality is based on random events and not blatant discrimination.

If you don't feel knowledgeable to answer such questions, then don't you think you should stay out of the conversation?

 

[pboiler18]

Is it really that important to understand my background? I attended Purdue like many of you, graduated in 2010, and you can probably guess where I live.

While it wouldn't surprise you that I lean left, I subscribe to many conservative arguments as well. I don't feel guilty as a white male, but I do think I have a responsibility to at least consider how slavery, oppressive laws, and continued societal prejudice affects the world in which we live. I try hard not to aggregate the thoughts or actions of any group - white, black, christian, atheist, Hoosier, or Buckeye into a single thought or action, although I truly think Irish and Buckeye fans are the worst.

Phew. thought you were my little brother there for a second. Thought I was going to show up to his door and beat his ass myself.

Our parents raised us to think for ourselves so in hindsight, this clearly couldn't have been him.

 

[bonefish1]

I never seen the full hiring process and I have seen few people get arrested in my life, so the answer to both of those is no.

As a white male, I am the wrong person to answer your questions. I will never have the firsthand experiences necessary to respond to your comments. I try to advocate for what I believe in based on honest conversations with friends, colleagues, and coworkers who had have their own experiences.

The world is not a fair place and it will never be truly fair, but I think we can make great strides to make it a place where inequality is based on random events and not blatant discrimination.

One of the best life lessons my Dad ever taughht me was when I complained "That's not fair" and my Dad responded "Life's not fair, get used to it".

 

[ATLBoiler14]

I am certainly more liberal than my parents, so I don't think your logic applies there.

I think we can all continue to learn about how we interact with others and try to employ a different perspective than our own. I don't have all of the answers to this topic, and my apologies to any of you if you have a Ph.D in sociology, but I doubt any of us are "qualified."

I'm simply asking we try to think about our life experiences from a different perspective, had we had different opportunities or were we born into different circumstances.

Let's continue this conversation in person at the Nebraska basketball game