UCSD Dr. Seuss celebration canceled amid racial tensions
KUSI San Diego
SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A planned celebration Tuesday at UC San Diego to mark the late Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel's 106th birthday has been canceled due to the recent racial tensions on campus.
Dolores Davies, a UCSD library spokeswoman, said today that Audrey Geisel, the author's widow, asked that the event be called off this year because of the racial unrest.
"It was at her request that we cancel the party," Davies said. "We wanted to honor Ms. Geisel's wishes."
Racial tensions exploded at UCSD in the wake of an off-campus party on Presidents Day intended to mock Black History Month. Called the "Compton Cookout," participants where urged to dress "ghetto" and promote racial stereotypes.
The situation was inflamed several days later when racially insensitive language was reportedly used on a student-run television program. Last week, a noose was discovered hanging on a light fixture at UCSD's Geisel Library.
The incidents prompted demonstrations on campus and impassioned pleas by black students, who make up less than 2 percent of the student body, for administrators to improve safety and bolster diversity.
Geisel, who died in La Jolla in 1991, published more than five dozen children's books, including "The Cat in the Hat," "Green Eggs and Ham" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."
UCSD's Geisel Library is named after the author and his wife.
Sure is a lot of racism in the BYB today. I spent about two hours trying to figure out what the hell is going on on UCSD campus yesterday. I usually spy for potential stories on the "What's Trending" section of Yahoo and spotted this story. As best I can tell a frat threw a party called the "Compton Cookout," which had obvious racial overtones and stereotypes about blacks. Now the proverbial pot is being stirred by a "hood" caricature called Jiggaboo Jones, who has taken the talking stick from the frat and ran with it, probably to push his own DVDs.
Say whatever you want about free speech vs. hate speech and racism rearing its ugly head, I just wish this didn't have to ruin a fine day like Dr. Seuss Day. That man shed blood, sweat and tears to give you masterpieces like the Cat in the Hat and this is how you all repay him? I say the campus uses an event like this to come together. For one day say "we're not gonna prtest" and bring your Dr. Seuss books to the quad where people of all races can come together and learn. Take it from the Whos. Instead of hating the Grinch they loved him and he eventually changed his ways. Martin Luther King and Cindy Lou Who both made great strides in race relations.
Instead of an apology there has been steady escalation and now the noose. So, what exactly will the excuses be for this cowardly act that brings up memories of the confederate KKK of the South in their attempts to keep slavery and the non-whites in fear? Is it that are uneducated, is it that their parents planted these seeds of hate, is it that they are live in fear because our President in the white house is not 100% white. In my opinion this is what the republican party of “birthers, baggers and blowhards” have brought you. These kids follow what their dullard leaders say, they listen to Beck, Hedgecock, Hannity, O’Reilly, Rush and Savage and the rest of the Blowhards, they are young and dumb. Are you surprise at what they do when you know what they think?
ReplyDeleteRacism begins with our families, parents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, grandparents, people we admire, respect and love.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as we grow and mature we come to the realization that what we were told by our family when we were children were slanted lies base on their prejudices. We realize that most people are like ourselves and not so different and want the same things, like a home, steady work, a Medicare plan and schools for our children (if you travel you will see this). We realize that most people are of good hearts and goodwill.
This reminds me of a parable from the good book where a Levite and Priest come upon a man who fell among thieves and they both individually passed by and didn’t stop to help him.
Finally a man of another race came by, he got down from his beast, decided not to be compassionate by proxy and got down with the injured man, administered first aid, and helped the man in need.
Jesus ended up saying, this was the good man, this was the great man, because he had the capacity to project the “I” into the “thou,” and to be concerned about his fellow man.
You see, the Levite and the Priest were afraid, they asked themselves, “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?”
But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: “If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”
That’s the question before us. The question is not, “If I stop to help our fellow man in need, what will happen to me?” The question is, “If I do not stop to help our fellow man, what will happen to him or her?” That’s the question.
This current climate of blaming, mocking or demeaning others for our own short comings, is not new, we have had this before and we have conquered it.
Remember “Evil flourishes when good men (and women) do nothing”. Raise your voices with those of us who believe we are equal and we can win this battle again
June 4, 1977: An original poem composed for the 99th Commencement of Lake Forest College by Theodor Seuss Geisel (a.k.a Dr. Seuss). Eugene Hotchkiss III was president of Lake Forest College from 1970 to 1993.
ReplyDeleteOn Dr. Seuss’s piece of paper were these words:
My Uncle Terwilliger on
the Art of Eating Popovers
My uncle ordered popovers
from the restaurant’s bill of fare.
And, when they were served,
he regarded them
with a penetrating stare…
Then he spoke great Words of Wisdom
as he sat there on that chair:
“To eat these things,”
said my uncle,
“you must exercise great care.
You may swallow down what’s solid…
BUT…
you must spit out the air!”
And…
as you partake of the world’s bill of fare,
that’s darned good advice to follow.
Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.
And be careful what you swallow.
—Dr. Seuss
http://www.lakeforest.edu/alumni/spectrum/spring04/seuss.asp
Damn skippy
ReplyDelete