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Recently a childish adult comedian launched an inane parody targeted at students upon the Brigham Young University campus. Surprisingly insensitive, this comic wore blackface makeup and used Black History Month as the spring board of his ill conceived project. Angers flared and questions exploded.
Controversy will always be a major marketing tactic because of its well worn effectiveness. Dave Ackerman, obviously aware of this fact, scored a viral video hit with his expose and is probably licking his chops in visions of commercial successes. While I wish everyone the best life possible, dreams don't always come true.
His Black History Month smoke screen video insult ignited feelings of anger, betrayal, and a whole host of negative issues within too many people. But American Black folks have endured centuries of backwards humor profiting others at our expense. What's of paramount importance here are the questions automated by watching the video. Prime among these rufflings is the title of this article.
Did the video represent the predominant racial attitude and stunted understanding of the BYU student body? And is the school's administration aware of its young charges apparent collective mentality in representing the university on a world stage? Both questions are without a definitive answer outside of a direct camouflaged visit to the BYU campus to conduct a personal inventory.
ABC-4 interviewed two professors and one student in response to the viral video and their comments were sadly supportive of the ignorance Ackerman touted as problem solving.
It was claimed that bad memories were brought to the forefront, but a guilty conscience only fuels an already raging fire. History is a great teacher. We need learn the lessons and apply the medicine.
" For White Americans it's something we don't understand because we are White." Chris Crowe, Professor of English BYU. Does Professor Crow speak for all White Americans? My wife is White and her understanding equals mine in this and is better on some points since our kids are Biracial, but this world labels them Black.
Brian Roberts, Assistant Professor of English BYU openly admits the serious lack in the BYU curriculum of studies in African American History. This is an embarrassing admission for Black LDS members to swallow, but it just means the time is come to raise the roof.
" To fight ignorance with ignorance, " as Ackerman claimed, is one of the most myopic thoughts imaginable. Regardless of the offenses leveled and the ignorance commercialized, fact still demands the perspective of the real.
I cannot in all honesty now recommend to my children that they pursue a BYU education without a very, very thorough examination of all elements of life within the BYU student body. But should any of my children elect to get a BYU degree, I would support him/her 100% in love with an in-depth preparation for racial realities as opposed to theoretical practices.
This world ain't always right or wrong as our sometimes clouded judgements pretend, but it is always, inevitably about the real. And as long as we have differences we will have prejudices.
BYU will remain one of the finest learning institutions on earth. The video will run it's course and fifteen minutes of celebrity will be reborn elsewhere, elsewhen. People will keep coming and dying and we will deal with it, trying our best to make it better.
After all's been said and never enough done, it's still all good in the BYU and the one world Hood.
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