Allegations of racism at KKG fundraiser.

[PiKA2001]

I attended a "Jail N Bail" event earlier this year benefitting the dependents of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. I can only assume the detractors have never been to one or even know what it is because I can't see how someone could HONESTLY be offended by it. I wish that these groups hadn't cancelled the event.

http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/19883/


ETA- I was going to post this in the offensive costume party thread but it looks like it's been deleted. Too much butt hurt going on there I guess...

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

I can't see how someone could HONESTLY be offended by it.

Read the original letter.

http://dailynorthwestern.com/2014/10...tly-offensive/

I lived in Evanston for 9 years and there is serious tension between the university and the community. I know that lots of places have town vs. gown issues, but these are exacerbated in Evanston by race and class.

For example, the first winter I lived there, it snowed while I was out of town, and I called the city info line to ask how much the ticket would be if I couldn't get someone to go move my car for me. The response was, "oh, you live in the NINTH ward? Don't worry, the tow trucks won't get down there for at least three days."

[DrPhil]

Jail and prison are not something to be taken lightly. I can see how it can be insensitive for people to seemingly make light of it, especially since "Reading is Fundamental," the children's literacy nonprofit that KKG's and ZBT's event was supposed to benefit, mostly services racial and ethnic minorities. If this was a nonprofit with a higher percentage of whites being serviced, to match the total population of whites in this country, it would not have caused such an alarm. That is especially since the organizations that use the "Jail and Bail" theme tend to be predominantly white organizations. A predominantly Black, Hispanic, or American Indian/Native American organization has a lower likelihood of using a "Jail and Bail" theme because the populations serviced by these organizations are less likely to find the theme humorous or cute.

I wouldn't have called this "racist" and I am tired of people using that word everytime there is a misunderstanding or they deem something offensive.

This is just another example of a bad combination of good things. Life happens. Lesson learned.

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

ETA- I was going to post this in the offensive costume party thread but it looks like it's been deleted....

Hopefully it has just been "misplaced" and the moderators will find it.

[flowerchild241]

This is ridiculous. I've seen it on news sites in the past few days and can't think of how the fundraiser would have been offensive. People of all races and economic (I have more than a few friends who have gotten picked up for something ridiculous) get arrested and then bailed out, especially in college. This was a cute fundraiser! And for children. Its not like everyone was in blackface and claiming to be gang members or something ridiculous/inappropriate along those lines.

Whats next, kids from higher income houses can't play cops and robbers on the playground unless they are a minority?

[DrPhil]

In all seriousness, to some people this may seem fun and to other people it seems unnecessary. It is one thing for some people to intraracially chuckle it up with this theme. It is more difficult for some people to interracially chuckle it up with this theme.

And even if a college campus is able to momentarily get over racial segregation and hang out for a "Jail and Bail," we already know college is a bubble of society. That doesn't mean the average person in a racially segregated city (most cities are) is able to do the same.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by flowerchild241

People of all races and economic (I have more than a few friends who have gotten picked up for something ridiculous) get arrested and then bailed out, especially in college.

Yes, but not in the same proportions. I could tell you countless stories about white friends in Cook County who were let off with a warning for minor possession, and countless stories about black friends in Cook County who were harassed while doing nothing wrong. But besides my anecdata, African Americans make up about a quarter of the population and about two-thirds of the prison population of Cook County. It is disingenuous to act as though all races are affected equally by the prison-industrial complex.

All that said, I think the appropriateness of this event comes down more to execution. Whether or not "jail and bail" is inherently offensive, obviously this would be a problem if those "arrested" start acting out negative stereotypes of "prison thugs" and the like. The fact that they are wearing orange jumpsuits makes me think they are already heading in that direction. This could go very wrong very quickly, and I could see why the sponsoring organizations would not want to go down that path.

It's like a Greek organization sponsoring an "Around the World" costume party...it's just asking for trouble.

[als463]

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) has sponsored "Jail and Bail" events to raise money for their cause. Is that offensive?

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by als463

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) has sponsored "Jail and Bail" events to raise money for their cause. Is that offensive?

Have you read this thread?

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by als463

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) has sponsored "Jail and Bail" events to raise money for their cause. Is that offensive?

According the the guy at NU offended by the Jail and Bail it would depend on who attended. If the majority of attendees were wealthy white elitists (which is what makes up NU's Greek system) than yes.

[DrPhil]

If they are appearing to make a joke out of the prison system and use certain imagery. This goes far beyond silly kids playing cops and robbers.

ETA: Not to mention, a large percentage of children serviced by Reading is Fundamental have incarcerated family. It isn't cute and funny to raise money for disadvantaged kids using a theme that is highly correlated with how and why the kids are disadvantaged in the first place.

Context people, context. Racial and socioeconomic privileges allow for rose colored glasses and the ability to say "how is that offensive" and "ohhhh we never thought of that."

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Context people, context.

This.

[flowerchild241]

I guess this really depends on where you a from. I am aware that nationally there is a major disparity in the arrest rates / prison sentences of african americans/minorities to whites but where I'm from that isn't the case. I grew up in a planned? City I guess where the intent when building it was to mix people of different races and socioeconomic backgrounds. They put mansions, moderately priced single family homes, and low income housing all not to far from each other. And then by having school systems set up by district you get everyone to mingle.

Basically my point is most people where I'm from wouldn't be offended by this if it took place at our school just because of how everyone grew up. It just depends on who you ask and what their take on things is.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by als463

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) has sponsored "Jail and Bail" events to raise money for their cause. Is that offensive?

I wonder if in this instance, potentially insensitive is closer to the mark than offensive.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I wonder if in this instance, potentially insensitive is closer to the mark than offensive.

I think "Jail & Flail" would be way more insensitive.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I think "Jail & Flail" would be way more insensitive.

Way more! But I wasn't clear—by "this instance," I meant the instance in the OP. Sorry.