One year ago today, a backpacker and self-described “student of life” came to Middlebury College. He stayed for one week, until he was forced to leave by five officers for making students uncomfortable. During his visit, he spent most of his time in town or in the library translating medical articles into his native Serbo-Croatian. He engaged everyone he met inquisitively, eager to listen, ask questions and share his own perspective.
Regardless of his actions that made others uncomfortable, he
also stood out. He was immediately identified as an ”outsider” and suspiciously
questioned by some staff and students. We must ask ourselves: why? Why did
Luaay, a tall black man with dreads, stand out so much on our campus? After his
removal, accusations abounded that he was homeless, an accusation not only
false but fundamentally reflective of a classist worldview. Luaay could be removed
but the prevailing ideology of xenophobia and judgments steeped in race and
class remain.
Let us take this day to engage and grapple with issues of
race and class on campus.
Let us reflect on the exclusion that is fundamental to our
elitist education.
Let this be a day of reflection on Love, Understanding, Anti-racism, Anti-classism, and (the former) Yugoslavia. LUAAY.
Great banner - congrats on your resistance to classism and racism at "liberal" arts colleges
ReplyDeleteMiddlebury is racist.
ReplyDeleteDiscuss.
Luaay deserved to be arrested
ReplyDeleteThe statement on this poster is grossly out of context and shows little understanding of what actually happened last year. Stop poorly beating a dead horse, please.
ReplyDelete"AnonymousDecember 13, 2012 at 10:00 PM
ReplyDeleteLuaay deserved to be arrested"
Except that reason for arrest,at least official one was never given by arresting authorities that night to Luaay who was being arrested.
And,that itself is direct clear violation of human rights guaranteed by constitution and myriads of other legislations.
UNLESS the reason such as:
-" People are afraid of you!"
-"Unless you comply to be removed from campus immediately,you are going to jail" etc.
are valid.
"You ain't white=you ain't right " is in fact basis of US constitution ,which is again based on the mentality of majority of US population,US political climate,way of life and actions towards anyone of a dark skin.