Monday, May 3, 2010

Don't Apologize For Doing It, Apologize For Getting Caught...

If you haven't heard about blacks being "genetically inferior," read this;

The other day I had my friend post a link on my wall regarding an email that was sent out by a "badass" 3L from Harvard Law School. Apparently, the young woman was involved in a discussion amongst her colleagues in which she conceeded that African-Americans are "genetically inferior" to whites. Well this woman decides to further her opinion by sending out an email to her friends who thought that she had merely used bad judgement and gave her a Jamie Foxx pass (blame it on the goose) by sending an email to these same associates that bolstered her sentiments and gave "persuasive athority" to support her reasoning. This same email was forwarded to the Harvard chapter of the Black Law Students Association which was in turn forwarded throught their (unofficial) listserv and made it's way to the ugly world of the internet. (Glad to know that the messiness that I experienced in law school is also prevalent in Tier 1 law schools.) From the BLSA listserv, this email made it's way to nationwide news, Media Take Out, Facebook, and Twitter. Black folks were angry that Harvard BLSA didn't have a response to the hurtful email, while others were looking for whoever they could blame, and others were calling for the third year student to lose her Federal clerkship. My question to all readers of this posting is "why are we surprised?"

A few years prior many people wondered why I supported Ron Paul in his political endeavor after he said that all black and Latin males at the very least are semi-criminal. But I like Paul because at least he doesn't attempt to conceal his racist views, something that I appreciate. Given the history of our country, I think that everyone has some racist views, not calling them all racists, just people having those kind of thoughts. With that being said, we should all appreciate any opportunities to know who thinks less of us merely based upon our race, gender, orientation, and/or upbringing. I've never been a fan of the political way of thinking in which u have to put on a front and seem to be everyone's friend when u drag folks through the mud behind their backs. So everyone who disagrees with me should understand why I say that I'm not mad at the racist student's email. Furthermore I'm not mad at HBLSA's lack of response, nor the fact that the Federalist Society has actively came out and stated that the student is not involved in their organization nor where the comments made at a Federalist Society function. What I expected to happen did, Harvard has apologized and the racist student has in turn issued her own bullshit apology. But that's where I get upset at.

Like the title of this posting reads, I much would prefer for people to apologize not for the dumb shit that they do, but for getting kaught when they do they dumb shit. My father raised me to say what u mean and mean what you say, so you'll have to excuse me when people issue apologizes for things that they said. How about you not apologize for what was done and apologize that u hurt people's feelings, I think that would be received much better, if not, at least it's the truth. I think what troubles me the most is the reality that this student is not the only one who thinks in such a manner. When I applied to law school I scored a 155 on the LSAT and was bewildered how I was told that my mid-fifties percentile assigned to my score was good. I had heard often that it was a good score for a black male and was totally upset by that notion. I'm not an affirmative action baby, nor am I privy to playing off advantages that others may give me. Was my LSAT score good because my genetically inferior brain could never anticipate getting anything close to a 180? Or maybe that's the reason why law schols at HBCUs which cannot seem to get bar passage rates of 70 percent account for greater than 80% of all black attorneys in the US?

I'm not sure how to feel about this whole situation and write this for help on how others should feel. One one hand I'm appalled at this commentary and subsequent email, but on the other hand I agree. On one hand I want this woman to lose everything that her Harvard education is about to get for her, but on the other hand I pity her for not being to express her self in a closed environment and that being exposed to the world at large. But at the end of the day, TI said it best; all this dumb shit is just fuel to my fire, MOTIVATION!!!

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