Originally published March 2, 2010 at 12:10 p.m., updated March 2, 2010 at 12:25 p.m.
ADDITIONAL INFO:
Anyone with information call:
Crimestoppers -
(573) 875-TIPS
Mizzou Police-
(573) 882-7201
University of Missouri Columbia students spoke out at a Town Hall meeting Monday night after an incident at the Black Culture Center early Friday morning where someone left cotton balls on the ground in front of the building.
University of Missouri, Columbia Police tell Globe-Democrat.com that they are investigating but at this point have no arrests. Police said although there is no surveillance video directly in front of the center, they are reviewing other surveillance video searching for anyone carrying large amounts of cotton balls. Investigators are also working with local stores looking into recent purchases of large amounts of cotton balls.
Meanwhile, University of Missouri Chancellor Brady Deaton issued the following statement in regards to the incident:
- “In today’s early morning hours, a disheartening and inexcusable act was committed on our campus when cotton balls were strewn at the front entrance to our Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center. Those guilty of this despicable action have not yet been identified, but MUPD became involved immediately and is conducting an investigation. This university is fully committed to tolerance and respect for every one of its members, and this kind of conduct will not be tolerated at MU. I urge anyone who has information related to this crime to contact MUPD immediately and to join me in expressing your own individual concern and support to the members of our community who were the apparent targets.
Mizzou police said tips are coming in and they are looking for even more information as they piece together the events that led up to the incident.
Comments
gman (anonymous) says...
I suppose this has something to do with slaves picking cotton ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS AGO. I still haven't figured out why fried chicken is offensive. The bottom line is--blacks are not going to give up the victim/race card as long as there are disingenuous white liberals who will kiss their asses.
March 2, 2010 at 12:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ExistentialHumanist (anonymous) says...
@ gman: like it or not, many black people still feel the "pain and humiliation" of 200+ years of slavery. I'm not one to argue the historical relativism of a 1-to-1 ratio of "years under slavery to years allowed to be affected by it after abolition", but there is a serious and present power dynamic between whites and blacks. You may not feel "racist" or "prejudice" yourselves, but the fact of the matter is that many colored people in this country are looked down upon and passed over (socio-economically) because of their skin color.
I've taken this kind of thing with a grain of salt for most of my life. My reaction to this would be to laugh at a pathetic joke aimed at denigrating minorities who are attempting to better themselves through higher education. An overreaction is EXACTLY what these pranksters are trying to get.
Bottom-line is there are always going to be colored people in this country who feel disenfranchised as long as citizens of European decent marginalize their opinions and feelings as being part of a "victim mentality".
March 2, 2010 at 12:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gman (anonymous) says...
I think you just made my point.
March 2, 2010 at 1:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
iloveny01 (Voltaire) says...
G-man has no point - other than the one atop his head.
March 2, 2010 at 1:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ExistentialHumanist (anonymous) says...
@ gman: your point was, "Black people should forget about slavery. Racism doesn't exist. White liberals perpetuate the racism "myth" and if black people would get over themselves all would be well."
Am I right?
March 2, 2010 at 2:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tmmy99 (anonymous) says...
Call the naacp, Jesse, and Al
they care about this---
but don't get outraged from drive-by's, shootings, drugs, murder,Gangs, stabbings, uneducation in the black community.
but some cotton balls is a real riot attempt.
grab your bullhorns!!!
March 2, 2010 at 4:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ExistentialHumanist (anonymous) says...
@ tmmy99: "drive-bys, shootings...murder...stabbings", couldn't just say, "violence"? By the way, do you know what the correlating factor in the things you listed was? I'll give you one hint: it's not race.
March 2, 2010 at 5:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Normstradamus (anonymous) says...
Does "color" make a slave?
In the late 1800's, my relatives "richer" bloodline sold their lower class bloodline to work in the tiff mines of Missouri. Granted, they were from France and white; BUT they sold their OWN family to make themselves more money!! Same thing that African-Americans NEED to understand; don't blame the white people for buying the "slaves" of your past generations; BLAME THE PEOPLE WHO SOLD THEM!!!
When I mention that I come from a family of slaves, and try to show black people that they aren't alone, I'm met with hostility!! Why is that?? Just because I'm white, don't assume that my family "owned" one of you!! As a matter of HISTORY, we were one of you!!!
March 2, 2010 at 5:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bill (anonymous) says...
If this was a "joke" as some call it, it's a pretty bad joke. I don't think they should lock the guy up, but he should pay a heavy price for such a stupid and insensitive prank or whatever you want to call it.
March 2, 2010 at 8:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Rune04 (anonymous) says...
ExistentialHumanist said: like it or not, many black people still feel the "pain and humiliation" of 200+ years of slavery.
A child is not born with the pain and humiliation of his ancestors. That pain is taught and ingrained. How about starting with something like this, we as a people were exploited by people on two continents. It was a very dark period for our people, but it has made us stronger and gave us the determination to better ourselves and contribute in the effort to make sure this never happens again.
Take a statement something like that and build on it. Is it too late?
March 3, 2010 at 5:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )