State News - LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Why I am no longer a Spartan

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** 2015-03-31, 23:52

LINK

It's an awful opinion but thought it would be interesting to post.

We look down on the people of color. We mock them. We tell them that their feelings are invalid. Our feelings? Our joy over winning a basketball game ... now this, this is a celebration! Worthy of potentially causing an out-of-control fire and hurting others.

But African-Americans’ anger? Unjustified. Uncalled for.

They are savages. Their suffering is not real.

Their lives are not marred by the systemic racism in education and the legal system. Their poverty is escapable, only if they could overcome all of the odds that are purposefully stacked against them.

When I read of the riots, I was ashamed. Ashamed of my campus. Not because of the riots themselves, but because I know that almost all of these students do not see the double standard. They are ignorant, not out of lack of access to knowledge, but because they choose to be blind.

This, including all of the racist things I have heard, I no longer believe that everyone is included in Spartan Nation.

Our chant should not be “Go Green, Go White.” Only “Go White.”

Editor responds..

To insinuate that the weekend's assemblies contained violent conduct — by referring to them as riots — would be inaccurate, based upon what I and other reporters on the ground have seen.

If that changes, so will the terms our reporters use to address it.

We should also consider the comparison the author of the letter made to Ferguson, Missouri. From August to December 2014, 25 businesses were completely destroyed by intentionally-set fires in and around Ferguson, costing about $4.5 million in damages, according to the St. Louis Business Journal.

All motives or justifications aside, one situation involved the destruction of private property on a large scale. The other involved primarily leading chants, setting fire to newspapers and clothing in the street and throwing an inexplicable number of bagels. The discrepancy is clear.

by **xsanguine** 2015-03-31, 23:56

What an idiot.

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** 2015-04-01, 00:42

Did Bob write this? State News - LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Why I am no longer a Spartan 502811600

by Rodeo Burger 2015-04-01, 00:58

That's the kind of shit that gets you a job at ESPN.

Someone is paying attention.

by **Tim Wakefield** 2015-04-01, 01:18

Blah blah blah yeah I'm a privileged white piece of shit, sorry. But this is fucking stupid.

by Rodeo Burger 2015-04-01, 01:26

Tim Wakefield wrote:Blah blah blah yeah I'm a privileged white piece of shit, sorry. But this is fucking stupid.

So am I. And it's a result of generations of sacrifice. I will empathize, but never make apologies. Too many people worked too hard for me to do that. The best I can do, in my position, and with my personality, is show the ground work, the game plan...others are much better suited at "raising people up".

Unless generations embrace sacrifice, it just doesn't happen unless it's a fluke. And it's harder these days than it ever was. And it seems like many less people are willing to do it.

by **xsanguine** 2015-04-01, 02:52

Few things annoy me as much as all this race-baiting shit has the past 15 years since it's been on the upswing. Too many people seeing this trend and using it as an excuse to act like an asshole/criminal and call you a racist if you speak up.

Too many people will back up the person who wrote this, too.

by **Motown Spartan** 2015-04-01, 06:18

holy shit what a panty waste.

by Guest 2015-04-01, 06:55

Everyone wants to find a way to identify as a fucking victim.

State News - LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Why I am no longer a Spartan 1401550746

by **NigelUno** 2015-04-01, 07:07

I would have laughed and thrown that opinion piece into the trash.

The State News published it.

by **Floyd Robertson** 2015-04-01, 07:16

NigelUno wrote:I would have laughed and thrown that opinion piece into the trash.

The State News published it.

There was no reason to publish that letter unless the author was willing to go on record. Requesting to publish it anonymous is sure sign of chicken shit.

by **NigelUno** 2015-04-01, 07:39

Floyd Robertson wrote:
NigelUno wrote:I would have laughed and thrown that opinion piece into the trash.

The State News published it.

There was no reason to publish that letter unless the author was willing to go on record. Requesting to publish it anonymous is sure sign of chicken shit.

Wait. Was it published today? On 4/1?

Is the State News stooping that low for an April Fool's Joke?

by **Floyd Robertson** 2015-04-01, 07:42

NigelUno wrote:
Floyd Robertson wrote:

There was no reason to publish that letter unless the author was willing to go on record. Requesting to publish it anonymous is sure sign of chicken shit.

Wait. Was it published today? On 4/1?

Is the State News stooping that low for an April Fool's Joke?

Nope, published 3/31 between 5-6PM.

by **Robert J Sakimano** 2015-04-01, 07:43

there is nothing that could get in the way of my love of our sports teams.. nothing.

They make me so proud to be a Spartan.

by **NigelUno** 2015-04-01, 07:49

Floyd Robertson wrote:
NigelUno wrote:

Wait. Was it published today? On 4/1?

Is the State News stooping that low for an April Fool's Joke?

Nope, published 3/31 between 5-6PM.

I meant hard print (as in the actual paper).

by **NigelUno** 2015-04-01, 07:49

Robert J Sakimano wrote:there is nothing that could get in the way of my love of our sports teams.. nothing.

They make me so proud to be a Spartan.

A bagel upside your head might get in the way.

by **Robert J Sakimano** 2015-04-01, 07:51

NigelUno wrote:
Robert J Sakimano wrote:there is nothing that could get in the way of my love of our sports teams.. nothing.

They make me so proud to be a Spartan.

A bagel upside your head might get in the way.

only if it were thrown by Hollis. In which case, I'd be disappointed that I'd need to change the name of my cat.

by **Watch Out Pylon!** 2015-04-01, 08:16

Is this only half of the letter or just a case of misplaced anger? I'm not following the logic. Bagel throwing = riot =racism? More like dumb = race baiter = click bait.

Take it to Wells.

by **steveschneider** 2015-04-01, 08:24

My response to the author is go move to Portland you dumb fuck!

by **Travis of the Cosmos** 2015-04-01, 08:55

Standard 19-20 year old trying too hard to be insightful. Not even really worth a response since its just part of the maturity process for some people. A lot of college students have this opinion that they are adults who know a lot of things about the world. In a few years they realize "man, I was really dumb back then." Thatll happen to this person too.

by **The Pantry** 2015-04-01, 08:59

Guess there were not enough black bagel-throwing 'rioters' in the crowd to make the author happy. Hope the idiot truly leaves State

State News - LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Why I am no longer a Spartan Bagel_10

State News - LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Why I am no longer a Spartan Bagel_10

by **NigelUno** 2015-04-01, 09:51

There is no way this is not an April Fool's joke.

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** 2015-04-01, 10:07

NigelUno wrote:There is no way this is not an April Fool's joke.

It was yesterday

by Ted Brogan 2015-04-01, 10:16

I think there's a fraternity at the University of Oklahoma this anonymous person might like to join...

by **Rocinante** 2015-04-01, 10:25

"inexplicable number of bagels"

State News - LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Why I am no longer a Spartan 4198636888

by **Turtleneck** 2015-04-01, 11:26

The Pantry wrote:Guess there were not enough black bagel-throwing 'rioters' in the crowd to make the author happy. Hope the idiot truly leaves State

Look at all those white people. If the crowd was mostly black people they would probably call in the national guard.

by **The_Dude** 2015-04-01, 11:39

Liberal politicians that have instituted generational victim mentality so they can have votes for life and stay in power is awesome.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-03-03/news/bs-ed-ehrlich-ssdi-20130303_1_ssdi-obama-administration-entitlement

http://bipartisanpolicy.org/blog/social-security-disability-insurance-in-obamas-2016-budget/

by **Rocinante** 2015-04-01, 11:42

ZOMG!! LIBERALS

by **The_Dude** 2015-04-01, 11:45

Rocinante wrote:ZOMG!! LIBERALS

Pretty much. The liberal way of thinking has poisoned the country and people's minds. Detached from reality. It's pretty evident and all the stats back it up.

Under Obama...you have diabetes? Here's disability. Alcoholic? Here's disability. No wonder everyone has a victim mentality. Liberals tell them everyday they are victims and sells them on bigger gov't being the fix when all it does is keep people in generational poverty. That's a good thing for liberal politicians though. Keep someone under your boot and you own them.

by **Rocinante** 2015-04-01, 11:50

The_Dude wrote:
Rocinante wrote:ZOMG!! LIBERALS

Pretty much. The liberal way of thinking has poisoned the country and people's minds. Detached from reality. It's pretty evident and all the stats back it up.

Under Obama...you have diabetes? Here's disability. Alcoholic? Here's disability. No wonder everyone has a victim mentality. Liberals tell them everyday they are victims and sells them on bigger gov't being the fix when all it does is keep people in generational poverty. That's a good thing for liberal politicians though. Keep someone under your boot and you own them.

I know, right?

by **Turtleneck** 2015-04-01, 11:51

But one thing that we do know is that game has passed Izzo by.

by **NigelUno** 2015-04-01, 11:55

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:
NigelUno wrote:There is no way this is not an April Fool's joke.

It was yesterday

Today's paper though?

by **MiamiSpartan** 2015-04-01, 11:59

We look down on the people of color. We mock them. We tell them that their feelings are invalid.

When you kick off an article, letter, message board post, etc. with such a horrible straw man argument, it sets a tone that you're full of shit and pretty much kills any legitimate argument that you might make later.

Was there more to the letter? Did he also talk about how a bunch of white kids were celebrating something that a group of mostly black kids accomplished? Maybe something about how it's modern-day slavery, a la the whack job at some university that used a picture of Mateen and Izzo in 2000 to make that point?

It actually makes me miss MSU. It really is part of that college experience to occasionally get exposed to people with some of the most nutty views (from all sides of the political spectrum).

by **Blanch32** 2015-04-01, 12:24

I read this fast, and here's the point I think: white people can't celebrate sport wins.

Sincerely,

Someone who hates sports and partying outside

by **Blanch32** 2015-04-01, 12:27

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:Standard 19-20 year old trying too hard to be insightful. Not even really worth a response since its just part of the maturity process for some people. A lot of college students have this opinion that they are adults who know a lot of things about the world. In a few years they realize "man, I was really dumb back then." Thatll happen to this person too.

Even jemele hill admited to this. Frankly, I'd love to know her take on this piece for reals

by LoneWolfSparty 2015-04-01, 12:29

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:Did Bob write this?

No doubt about it.

by **Robert J Sakimano** 2015-04-01, 12:33

The_Dude wrote:
Rocinante wrote:ZOMG!! LIBERALS

Pretty much. The liberal way of thinking has poisoned the country and people's minds. Detached from reality. It's pretty evident and all the stats back it up.

Under Obama...you have diabetes? Here's disability. Alcoholic? Here's disability. No wonder everyone has a victim mentality. Liberals tell them everyday they are victims and sells them on bigger gov't being the fix when all it does is keep people in generational poverty. That's a good thing for liberal politicians though. Keep someone under your boot and you own them.

I tried to warn people about electing.. err.. "one of them"...

by **SpartanInNH** 2015-04-01, 22:12

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:LINK

It's an awful opinion but thought it would be interesting to post.

We look down on the people of color. We mock them. We tell them that their feelings are invalid. Our feelings? Our joy over winning a basketball game ... now this, this is a celebration! Worthy of potentially causing an out-of-control fire and hurting others.

But African-Americans’ anger? Unjustified. Uncalled for.

They are savages. Their suffering is not real.

Their lives are not marred by the systemic racism in education and the legal system. Their poverty is escapable, only if they could overcome all of the odds that are purposefully stacked against them.

When I read of the riots, I was ashamed. Ashamed of my campus. Not because of the riots themselves, but because I know that almost all of these students do not see the double standard. They are ignorant, not out of lack of access to knowledge, but because they choose to be blind.

This, including all of the racist things I have heard, I no longer believe that everyone is included in Spartan Nation.

Our chant should not be “Go Green, Go White.” Only “Go White.”

Editor responds..
To insinuate that the weekend's assemblies contained violent conduct — by referring to them as riots — would be inaccurate, based upon what I and other reporters on the ground have seen.

If that changes, so will the terms our reporters use to address it.

We should also consider the comparison the author of the letter made to Ferguson, Missouri. From August to December 2014, 25 businesses were completely destroyed by intentionally-set fires in and around Ferguson, costing about $4.5 million in damages, according to the St. Louis Business Journal.

All motives or justifications aside, one situation involved the destruction of private property on a large scale. The other involved primarily leading chants, setting fire to newspapers and clothing in the street and throwing an inexplicable number of bagels. The discrepancy is clear.

Dumbest damn thing I've read in a loooong time.

by Guest 2015-04-01, 22:23

SpartanInNH wrote:
Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:LINK

It's an awful opinion but thought it would be interesting to post.

Editor responds..

Dumbest damn thing I've read in a loooong time.

You must have Blanch on ignore.

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