Is Outrage over Racist Chants in Oklahoma Manufactured?

university-oklahoma-saeBy now, you are familiar with all of the turmoil surrounding the video showing a group of University of Oklahoma students engaged in an expression of free speech that is considered racism by societal norms. You are also aware that the local chapter of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity the students belonged to has been shut down, a handful of students have been expelled, and several athletes previously committing to the University have withdrawn. 

By all accounts, the episode shown in the video is one of the worst cases of racism ever observed on a college campus. The outrage has been so profound that one would think the students in the video were on the verge of running out and physically assaulting minorities. Unfortunately, the lack of perspective shown by those purporting to be outraged is part of what continues to fuel the problem of racism in America.

If our society truly wants to bring an end to the types of episodes portrayed in the video, and that's even assuming doing so is possible, we need to take a step back and examine our reactions to these kinds of things. I would submit to you that the majority of the outrage directed at the University of Oklahoma students is not real. It is manufactured outrage based on political correctness, elitism and a vast amount of ignorance about what really goes on behind closed doors in modern society.

Racism Not Confined to White College Students

For the record, I am not shocked by the behavior I witnessed on the Oklahoma video. I am shocked by how many other people are shocked by it. Does anyone really think that racism is confined to white college students at Midwestern universities? Does anyone honestly believe that only whites can be racist? Because if that is the case, there is a more serious problem than a bunch of frat boys singing a song after having a little too much to drink.

It is true that speaking ill of blacks is completely unacceptable under any terms. It is true that making references to the lynchings of the past is completely inappropriate. It is true that judging individuals by the color of their skin cannot be justified morally or ethically. However, these truths are consistent across all skin colors, economic classes, educational levels, and geographic locations. What is good for white college students in Oklahoma is equally good for everyone else.

Evidence of Manufactured Outrage

Earlier I made the statement that much of the outrage surrounding this latest incident is manufactured. Now, let's get on to the evidence. Exhibit A is a 1992 hip-hop song from an artist of the name of Apache. In this wonderful piece of lyrical artistry, Apache tells his listeners the following:

 

Kill de white people!

Whoahh

We gonna make dem hurt

Kill de white people!

Whoahh

But buy my record first

Hahaha..

 

Fortunately, this song was released on the one and only album Apache made. His short-lived musical career didn't last long enough for him to put forth anything more. Moving on to exhibit B, consider the following comments made by civil rights activist Al Sharpton 1994:

"White folks was [sic] in caves while we was building empires. We taught philosophy and astrology and mathematics before Socrates and them Greek homos ever got around to it."

Lest you say my evidence is too old to be meaningful, don't forget the racist remarks uncovered over at Sony last year. There were also those hate-filled racist tweets leveled at conservatives Nikki Haley and Tim Scott following last November's elections. Some of the tweets posted by disgruntled liberals make the Oklahoma University video seem fairly tame by comparison.

Here's the point: if we are outraged enough to close down a college fraternity and expel students for singing a racist song, why is racism allowed to permeate hip-hop music? If radio host Don Imus is put out of work for making racist comments, why is Al Sharpton still working as a TV commentator? Because outrage is determined by political affiliation. That means it is manufactured.

As I see it, there are three kinds of people involved in this manufactured outrage. First are the politicians and activists who stand to gain from it. Second are the educational elites who believe being outraged makes them superior to everyone else. Third are the run-of-the-mill citizens who are outraged simply because the politicians, activists and leaders tell them to be.

The real problem with racism in the United States is not white college students; it is the leaders of the land who continue to foment racism as a means of dividing and conquering. And that's the truth.

Comments

Added by Steve Sherwood on March 15, 2015 This "author" Is a race baiting asshole.
Added by Jeff Kelman on March 14, 2015 I think of dumb kids wanna say that stuff they can .its sad they even think its ok but that's their problem. But to be stupid enough to be filmed doing shows how truly dumb they are
Added by Mark Daugherty on March 16, 2015 You actually paid money to have this sponsored on Facebook? Geez.
Added by Joe Ward on March 14, 2015 What we think? Me thinks the OK student on the bus who offered his apology said enough
Added by Carlos Christopher Correa on March 16, 2015 They were not imprisoned for what they said, thus their 1st Ammendment Rights were not violated. Every school has a code of conduct and expulsion is usually the punishment. Stop feeling sorry for these over privileged kids that still don't seem to understand that singing about lynching blacks while being white is not ok.
Added by Beenee Overstreet on March 15, 2015 Good try. They're racist and that's fine with you and your business.
Added by Bobby McCann on March 15, 2015 No matter how retarded ..freedom of speech
Added by Jason B Eaddy on March 15, 2015 Lol@ this Post... blame everybody else right? You bring out a 1992 apache song but fail to mention that chant the white boys sang is older than that. Like, 200 years older. Sounds like y'all had a head start with racism
Added by Gee W. Wambulwa on March 15, 2015 Yeah culprits come rescue their own...
Added by Michael Moore on March 14, 2015 Yeah, right, racism isn't a problem. It's just the people who object to it that are the problem. That's just convoluted neoracist logic designed to excuse and defend actual racism - which your business obviously endorses.
Added by Darrell Chambers on March 14, 2015 This has to be the dumbest attempt at justifying stupid I have ever read.
Added by Clint Martin on March 16, 2015 Masking racism with heritage is like masking bigotry with religion. You think you make a good point, but smarter people know you are a moron.
Added by Wyatt Ensminger on March 16, 2015 Here we go again. Trying to cover up these boys' blatant, disgusting racism with references to rap music. The author is able to find one, ONE example - from a relatively unknown musician, no less - and then they go on to perpetuate the idea that racism is rampant in hip hop. Please, bring some more relevant, intelligent examples to the table, because in all my experience with rap music (which I'm sure exceeds that of the author of this article), I've never heard a song written directly with the intent of wishing harm on white people, and to be completely honest, I can't think of a song that even contains lyrics promoting violence against whites. Reaaaally, really sad attempt to excuse what these young men did, and shift the blame onto the black community. Why doesn't the author worry more about the fact that none of these frat boys have even came out and apologized yet? That's a lot more important than the non-existent link that the author is trying to create between hip hop, and these fucking idiots.
Added by The Cheap Place on March 16, 2015 Those who read and able to comprehend the message in the article can see it condemn racism. Reading some of the comments written here surely shows some of you have misunderstood the points. I actually read it after seeing some of the comments and cannot grasp around why anyone would think this article promotes racism.
Added by Jon Kimbrough on March 15, 2015 But it's ok to have extremists infiltrate tax payer funded college's and the hatred for each other and the u.s. in our face for that's what college is for? A disscussion. Fu-- you libtards and the stupid dip shi-- going on a racist rants at a college. We need non of them!! So screw this race bait post!!! Wake up people. Don't condone any of this garbage on either front!!! Or This race baiting post. Non of this is ok!!! Coming from a redneck. Someone who works with their hands, hard working and doing what all the libtards can't fathom to do. But that's racist right.
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