WTKA Roundtable 5/27/2021: They Like Things Quiet
Thing discussed: The university’s report and recommendation that Fielding Yost’s name be removed from Yost Ice Arena, and the history of racism at the University of Michigan.
- Panel: Mostly fine with renaming the building, think it’s a small gesture and the story is much larger, involving most of those in power at the University of Michigan and other institutions around the country before, during, and after Yost’s life.
- Seth: Racism is quiet. It’s not about smoking guns and bad actors—it’s a culture that puts the feelings of racists over equality and a system of keep things “pleasant.”
- The “Moral Map” standard versus the reality that of Michigan’s 103 building names, all but one—the William Trotter Multicultural Center—are named for white people. Trotter’s lesson: You have to agitate.
- Craig: We should be celebrating Black athletes of Michigan's past. They were great, and ignored.
- Seth: 13.5% of my graduating class in 2002 was African-American; the last class was 4.4%.
- Report issues: Didn’t talk to the experts like John Behee whose information was used. Craig: It read less like a history and more like a legal brief, and he was really bothered that it made Gerald Ford out to be a hero. Willis Ward does not support that story.
- Seth: Michigan was different from other schools because they had protesters against sitting their Black player. Yost hired Pinkertons, who found three leaders of the protesters whom President Ruthven dismissed.
- Brian: Doesn’t that disqualify him from having a building named for him? Seth: Sure, but it’s a small part of a much greater system that’s still in force today.
- Sam: Highlight the student response. Highlight history. Discusses historical events of attacks on Black communities, and their resonance in events today.
- Seth: Example of Belford Lawson Jr. (read the article here). Same movements we have today. Same reactions we have today.
- Sam/Seth: History of Ocoee Massacre on Election Day 1920 in response to Black registration to vote, and how these stories are not told, kept quiet, specifically because they resonate with the same issues today.
- Michigan must teach this part of their history—name of a building is such a small part.You have an opportunity here to apply some function by teaching people, and open up the conversation again to real changes. Do more than being symbolic.
- Seth: Story doesn’t end with Yost. Crisler’s Quota system is visible in the team photos.
- How far does it go? Seth: If we just draw the line to people who had major campus protests against them you're fine.
- Example of resonance: Tulsa Massacre was about Black community having money. Today this happens.
- Sam: It's not about individuals--it's about how these events resonate with what happens today.
[Hit the JUMP for the player, and video and stuff]
You can catch the entire episode on Michigan Insider's podcast stream.
Segment two is available here. You can also watch the video here:
THE USUAL LINKS
- Helpful iTunes subscribe link
- General podcast feed link
- Direct download link (right-click/save as)
- What's with the theme music?
It wasn’t just about that racist incident; it was about what that incident represented historically.
I just now looked and if you consider that a response, I guess you must be in the Klan or something.
That's classic! You never looked to see if someone responded but went ahead and claimed no one did in furtherance of your disingenuous argument. And then to claim that considering mooseman's reponse a response means I am in the Klan?!?
Disingenuous, bad faith arguments all day long from you. Not one bit of substance.
It wasn't a response as I asked what would a legitimate protest of the policy look like and he listed a series of crimes you could commit.
The response was obviously showing my disregard for their/your position.
A legitimate protest might involve, I don't know, maybe a march with signs expressing that you disagree with the university's policies. It wouldn't be an insulting demonstration belittling 400 years of oppression that also degrades your fellow UM students.
The University can’t change it... ever hear of Gratz v Bollinger?
Yeah, I'm familiar with it.
Can you point me to the part where the decision says Schlissel can't visit a kid's house or school?
I'll wait.
Is that really something major university presidents do? I have never heard of that before. At a school? maybe. At an individual students home? What university president does that?
None of them do that.
I am not asserting that the bureaucrats at Michigan are particularly lazy, just that bureaucrats in general are lazy and ours are not an exception.
Comments