A blatantly racist opinion piece penned by a Pennsylvania college student says "white boys" should not "be allowed to talk...
A blatantly racist opinion piece penned by a Pennsylvania college student says "white boys" should not "be allowed to talk."
Leda Fisher, a senior and self-identified "black girl" at Dickinson College, whines about "white boys" in her higher education years "incessantly" speaking about issues and sharing their opinions, in a piece titled, "Should White Boys Still Be Allowed to Talk?
The piece was published on Thursday at the student newspaper, The Dickinsonian. School administration addressed the severe backlash to the openly racist piece on Friday in an email underscoring their position to uphold free speech and condemned prejudice.
"American society tells men, but especially white men, that their opinions have merit and that their voice is valuable, but after four years of listening to white boys in college, I am not so convinced," asserts Fisher in the piece.
"In my time at Dickinson I have listened to probably hundreds of white boys talk. It feels incessant. From classes and lectures, to the news and politics, there is an endless line of white boys waiting to share their opinions on the state of feminism in America, whether the LGBTQ+ population finally has enough rights, the merits of capitalism, etc. The list of what white boys think they are qualified to talk about is endless," she continues.
Fisher then claims most white boys don't "understand that their (ill-informed, uncritical) opinions do not constitute truth. In fact, most often their opinions aren’t even original," she writes. "White boys spout the narrative of dominant ideologies and pretend they’re hot takes instead of the same misleading garbage shoved down our throats by American institutions from birth."
"I am so g****mned tired of listening to white boys," says the senior. "I cannot describe to you how frustrating it is to be forced to listen to a white boy explain his take on the Black experience in the Obama-era. Hey Brian, I’m an actual Black woman alive right now with a brain. In what world would your understanding of my life carry more weight than my understanding? Unfortunately, it is this world, where white men debate the pain of other people for fun and then take away their rights."
According to Fisher, "white boys" are not individuals: "they do not exist separate from the rest of the world," she explains. "You do not speak alone, you speak with the weight of every other white man who has spoken over a woman, erased the contributions of queer people from history, or denigrated 'broken English' as unintelligent. You speak with the weight of policies and laws meant to forever define intelligence by how it measures up to the bros of America."
In "honor of Black History Month," says Fisher, "white boys" should be shut up.
"So, should white boys still be allowed to share their 'opinions'? Should we be forced to listen? In honor of Black History Month, I'm gonna go with a hell no," she says. "Go find someone whose perspective has been buried or ignored and listen to them, raise up their voice."
In abundantly racist form, Fisher then lists stereotypical "white boy" names to highlight her point: "To all the Chrises, Ryans, Olivers, and Seans out there, I encourage you to critically examine where your viewpoints come from, read a text that challenges you without looking for reasons to dismiss it, and maybe try listening from now on."
In a Friday email sent to Dickinson College students and obtained by The Daily Wire, Presient Margee M. Ensign
noted that the controversial piece was published in a student-run newspaper and "does not speak for the college."
noted that the controversial piece was published in a student-run newspaper and "does not speak for the college."
I have heard from many of you about an opinion piece in The Dickinsonian. First, let me remind you that The Dickinsonian is a student-run newspaper that has editorial control over its content. It expresses the opinions of its writers—it does not speak for the college.
"Let me be clear. Dickinson believes in free speech. We also condemn stereotyping and prejudice," continued President Ensign. “Dickinson values inclusivity. We expect our community members to engage in thoughtful dialogue and believe that no group or individual should be silenced.”
"It is a fundamental policy of the college to respect pluralism and to promote civility and mutual understanding," Ensign noted.
The president added that the school "will provide opportunities for constructive conversations to respond to the divisions we are experiencing on our campus and in society" in the days ahead.