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Tuesday, December 18, 2012

A Letter To The Editor: UMES

This is a touchy subject, but I would like to know how a college can order shirts with the saying " The Blacker the College, The Sweeter the Knowledge " on it? I mean the white race has been portrayed as being racist, not allowed to do anything. The race war will never stop as long as the other side is allowed to shove it in your face and nothing be done. How can a University be allowed to let this happen? If this is not reverse discrimination, what is?

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

So before anyone passes judgement, I feel the need to provide some perspective on the quote. The quote is derived from the saying:

"the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice"

This has always been a common "come-back" for people with darker complexions who have long been ridiculed by both whites and other blacks. Along the same theme, you have many whites and quite a few blacks that equate historically black colleges with a subpar education. While this is true of several HBCU's (some would argue UMES), there are plenty of great examples of HBCU's delivering high quality educational opportunities. The statement used on the shirt is simply an acknowledgement of both the stigma associated with HBCU's and a way to take pride in one's institution. I doubt anyone sees this as a race-based insult to other schools, especially since many of these students readily head over to parties at SU or in Salisbury. Plus there is a good chance that these students actually applied to predominantly white schools during their college selection process.

In short, take a chill pill Phil. We have much bigger issues to worry about than this shirt. Hope my comment helps before the usual loons turn this into a "race war".

Anonymous said...

It is reverse discrination...case closed. Can't wait to see the opinions stating it is not.

Anonymous said...

reverse discrimination? Who made up such a retarded term?

Anonymous said...

This is plain old discrimination. So are a number of things like Black Entertainment Television, Ms. Black America and UMES's policy to have classes where only minorities are allowed to enroll.

Anonymous said...

lol @11:27. I attended commencement this past friday. An honorary degree was conferred to a white woman. A white student delivered the "students' address". And 3-4 white graduates received special recognition from the president for being the first graduates of the golf management program. If this is the face of discrimination these days, then man MLK did a GREAT job!!

Anonymous said...

Concerning UMES having minority only classes. Does that mean only for blacks, being a minority in general or only for whites, a minority at UMES?

Anonymous said...

This is certainly something that the Black Caucus in Congress should be addressing. If an institute of higher learning needs to resort to promoting what a student is rather than what they have learned or achieved, what's the purpose of education there (if there is any). To the first commenter, stop making excuses.

Anonymous said...

First off, there is no such thing as reverse discrimination, the reverse of discrimination is no discrimination at all. Secondly, who is being discriminated against? This shirt, at worst, is racism but probably just someone promoting their school. Be careful, your racism is showing.

Anonymous said...

Let SU put out a similar shirt using the word white and see what reaction u get.

Anonymous said...

The Whiter the college the better the knowledge? How would that go over?

Anonymous said...

Funny that they complain that not enough white people apply to go to school there, and then they sell this t-shirt. You can't have it both ways, UMES. Either make it inviting to everybody, or enjoy being a place that mostly appeals to blacks.

Anonymous said...

You will find folks of color are the most racist of all.
The while population has, for years, given in to the race card, and because of this the folks of color has stepped all over them. You know the addage, "give them an inch, they'll take a mile".
I, too, am entitled to my opinion. Enough said.

Anonymous said...

They can do it easily. Students get a cool shirt instead of a diploma. Compare graduation rates with a "non Black" university.

Anonymous said...

You can BET if this was done that Mary Ashanti & the NAACP would be all OVER it!

Anonymous said...

they are childish creatures, let them have their silly t-shirts. hokey slogans won't raise them up a single rung on the evolutionary ladder. you is what you is and you ain't what you ain't.

Anonymous said...

It's racist-Period. There's no defending this unless and until shirts are also available that say "The Whiter the College, the Sweeter the Knowledge", The Yellower....., The Redder....."

A classic example of discrimination and whomever did this is a racist for not being inclusive. Don't make an excuse up. There isn't any. When someone isn't inclusive of all races they are a racist and guilty of discrimination. There's no gray area.

Anonymous said...

As far as I'm concerned, any federal funding should be stopped immediately. They can be "historically" whatever the blazes they want to be but I'm sick of the "we can do it because we're black" crap. We're all supposed to be one. If so then stop playing the race card every time you don't get your own way. Disband the NAACP, too.

Anonymous said...

If I were a member of the UMES student body, I would be camping with others in the office of whoever promoted this shirt campaign for trashing the integrity of obtaining a degree here. This is a real disservice to students and faculty there. Not only should this be shut down, there should be a public statement from UMES condemning it. Think about the implications: Go to SU, get a degree. Go to UMES, get a T shirt? Sunsations in Ocean City has more choices if this is all UMES can bring to the table.

Anonymous said...

Reverse discrimination is a very real defined phrase that means the unfair treatment of a majority. Look it up~~~ 12:22.

Anonymous said...

Blacks use any means possible to keep the free stuff flowing in their direction. Research thehistory of Rhodesia, now known as Zimbabwe. You will find out all you need to know of the capabilities of blacks and whites.When all the whites are exterminated who is going to pay for all of your freebies black people???

Anonymous said...

Rhodesia- was named for Cecil Rhodes more know as the founder of the Rhode Scholarship.
Rhodes was dedicated to a socialist one world government so the most important (even more important that intelligence) is for recipients of the scholarship to have the same beliefs as Rhodes. There is nothing hororable about being a Rhodes Scholar as everyone has been led to believe. It's not an achievement. It's mind control for above average students.

Christopher Hall said...

It has come to my attention, that my T-Shirt, has caused some uproar. I want to emphasize on the term "MY." IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM IS UMES AFFILIATED WITH THIS T-SHIRT. UMES DID NOT PLACE THIS ORDER, AND UMES HAD NO PART IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF THESE T-SHIRTS. These shirts were designed by myself and my business partner. This was a business venture that we decided to partake in, and the only affiliation we have with UMES, is that the students there are our target market, along with the students at the other 105 Historically Black Colleges & Universities. We did not make this shirt to diminish the name of any predominately white institution, but in order to instill a sense of pride in matriculating at an HBCU. This blog post is bias, and it's clearly a desperate attempt, to call reverse discrimination in order to make the author feel as though he leveled the playing field, in terms of racial discrimination of Caucasians and African Americans. Let the record show that this by no means is equivalent to the years of discrimination African Americans have faced. This shirt, "Blacker the College, Sweeter The Knowledge HBCU Undergrad(Alumni)," is making reference to HBCUs history, as being a school whose doors were open solely for the education of the negro. Some people take pride in the fact that they attend an Ivy League School; some take pride in the fact that they attend one of the Seven Sisters’ School; and this shirt is for the people who take pride in attending an HBCU. Other minorities and even people of the majority have supported our shirts and bought one; because they belong to an Historically Black College and University. It’s not a race or discrimination thing, it’s a pride thing.  If a white person attends an HBCU and decides to purchases one, is he or she a racist? Absolutely not, he or she just appreciates the school and loves the HBCU he or she attends; and let the record show people of all cultures and American diasporas have purchased this shirt. 

Star Karmel said...

Most of the comments on this post is racist and discriminating against Blacks. There is nothing wrong with the T-shirts. If someone wants to exhibit pride in one's college there's nothing wrong with that. I love the comments that talk about reverse discrimination and "hokey slogans won't get them up," that's racist! We were enslaved for centuries with no reparations and we were discriminated against for years after that and we still are discriminated against i.e. this post. We had to have a civil rights movement just to have equal rights. At one point we couldn't go to school because of the color of our skin. The reason why we have HBCU's is because of discrimination that was started by the White Race. Today many people look down on Black colleges. The shirt isn't condemning White schools, nor is it saying that getting a White education is wrong. I'm Black, I got a White Education and I LOVE the shirts. The shirt is lifting up HBCU's and letting everyone know that attending such a college is just as good as any school. To say that UMES shouldn't get funding because of the phrase is extreme and a ploy to close down an HBCU. Guess what, that'd discrimination! You're offended because students have a sense of pride in their college and their race. That's ridiculous!!! I really hope all of you were the ones standing against Whites who were saying, "We want our White House Back or We want our country back" when Obama was running for president. Since you're so obsessed with Racism I really hope you started a movement against Denise Helms who called Obama the N Word and hopes he gets assassinated. Since I didn't hear anything about the movement I suggest you guys stop trying to downplay this shirt, stop belittling Blacks, and stop "pulling the race card" cause we all know Blacks still suffer from discrimination in education, jobs, and in our own neighborhoods. I don't see you guys fighting to remove the Holiday Christopher Columbus Day since he raped and killed minorities. Until you do any of these things, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DOWNPLAY THESE SHIRTS. So Chill out!!!
(excuse any mistakes)

Miya Cox said...

This is ignorance, the racist majority (as proven by these posts) wants to control everything we do and think and then all of a sudden scream reverse discrimination. I mean really who could do it better than the people who have done it for hundreds of years to different minorities and still found a way to justify it! You all who commented anonumously in a racist or discriminatory should be ashamed but of course you are not. Go figure you would tell others to be sensitive to the majority's oppression when you can't even accept the econmic plight of two individuals trying to make a better lives for themselves. Go get a life!

Ronald Thompson,III said...

Tell them Chris. People need to look at the facts before they just leap out there and embarrass themselves

Dionne Williams said...

Thsnk you!