[1492] in Discussion of MIT-community interests
Re: response to "Ghetto Party" incident (fwd)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Ray Jones)
Wed Oct 8 13:18:05 2003
Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2003 12:47:07 -0400
From: Ray Jones <thouis@MIT.EDU>
To: MIT-Talk@MIT.EDU
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.4.55L.0310081056180.15055@scyther.mit.edu>
> We should make it clear that this is not a censorship issue.=20
vs
> Expulsion of the students found to be culpable is certainly not an
> answer, but neither is simply having them write =C2=93I will not use
> racial slurs=C2=94 500 times on a chalkboard.=20
These statements cannot be reconciled. The latter implies that there
must be some punishment of an official nature.
Any official sanction should be seen as reprehensible, an exercise of
power in an attempt to compel belief.=20=20
Contrast such an approach with Professor Belcher's messge, which
attempted to explain why he was personally bothered by the the
invitation. This is a much more effective approach. To say that the
invitation offended some large group of students won't inspire the
authors to reconsider their actions. A single person coming forward
and saying, "I found the message offensive, and this is why," is worth
more than any punishment could be. We relate to each other and learn
from each other on a personal level.
I cannot, personally, take personal offense at the invitation. I lack
the context and background to have been personally offended by it. I
can, however, understand the offense taken by others, at least
somewhat. And I can encourage the authors of the invitation to do so
as well.
Ray Jones
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