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MEAT
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Fri Jun-16-17 05:36 PM

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110. "The Media Brought the Alt-Right to My Campus"
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The Media Brought the Alt-Right to My Campus
June 16, 2017

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/06/16/opinion/media-alt-right-evergreen-college.html?referer=https://t.co/YOM70C6lPZ


Olympia, Wash. — Evergreen State College is always an unusual school, located on the outskirts of the eclectic town of Olympia, Wash., but something about the end of the school year inspires people to really let their freak flags fly. Drum circles and students with colorful hair and piercings are commonplace, and it’s not out of the ordinary to see the circus club practicing acrobatics.

This year is different. Many students are leaving campus as quickly as they can, and some, fearing for their safety, say they won’t come back.

A few weeks ago, a video clip of students demonstrating outside the office of Bret Weinstein, a biology professor, went viral. In the clip, students can be seen shouting at Mr. Weinstein and calling him racist. Mr. Weinstein appeared on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show in a “Campus Craziness” segment and sat for interviews with many other media outlets.

In an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Weinstein wrote that students attacked him verbally “seemingly out of the blue” after he objected to an event in which “white people were asked to leave campus” for a day. He said that the college had “slipped into madness.”

As a student here, I know that the truth is more complicated. The protests were part of a planned week of action over several incidents that had sparked a schoolwide discussion on race. A series of emails that Mr. Weinstein sent to an all-faculty list were a small part of this. In one email, he objected to the design of an equity council that would guide faculty hiring to improve racial equity. In another, he voiced his opposition to a new structure for the Day of Absence, an Evergreen tradition since the 1970s.

The tradition was inspired by a Douglas Turner Ward play in which all the black residents of a town disappear so that the populace is forced to recognize their vital contributions. In previous years, students and faculty of color would leave Evergreen for a day and hold off-site workshops while white students stayed on campus.

This year, the organizers decided to hold workshops for white people off-campus instead — a reversal of the original concept. The intention was to put the focus on students of color, and highlight their contributions within the Evergreen space. The off-campus event was optional, and students who wanted to participate had to enroll: The workshops could hold only 200 people. Evergreen has about 4,000 students. There was no way the whole school could have been forced to participate.

Yet Mr. Weinstein declared that this event structure was “an act of oppression” against white people.

It is important to point out that Mr. Weinstein was within his rights to question how these initiatives were structured. But his critiques seemed to diminish the very purpose of them. Students wanted him to understand why these initiatives were so important to so many in our community.


What can’t be seen in the viral video of the student protest in his office is that students started by calmly stating their concerns. The way he responded to those concerns made students feel invalidated. It may have seemed inappropriate that they let their emotions escalate in frustration, but that doesn’t mean there was no context.

But the media saw in Mr. Weinstein a self-proclaimed progressive who appeared to be vilified simply for voicing a dissenting opinion. Evergreen students were accused of violence and of trying to enforce a divisive political correctness.

The fallout from that coverage hit our campus like a hailstorm. It may not have been his intention, but Mr. Weinstein’s many interviews effectively became a call to arms for internet trolls and the alt-right. Online vigilantes from 4chan, Reddit and other forums swarmed to unearth Evergreen students’ contact information. They have harassed us with hundreds of phone calls, anonymous texts and terrifyingly specific threats of violence that show they know where we live and work.

After I published an essay on Medium to explain the protesters’ side of the story, my full name, phone number and home address were posted online, and I was bombarded with hate-filled messages. I found my name and personal information on message boards, along with rape threats and discussions about which racial slur fit me best (the consensus was the N-word). It took three days to get my personal information taken down, and for others it took longer.

In the past few weeks, the school has been shut down four times because of threats, including one from an anonymous caller who said, “I’m on my way to Evergreen University now with a .44 Magnum. I am gonna execute as many people on that campus as I can get a hold of.”

Downtown Olympia has seen a sudden influx of visitors wearing Nazi and white supremacist regalia. Campus buildings have been scrawled with graffiti that says, “Diversity Equals White Genocide” and “No Safe Space For Commies.” Swastikas and racial slurs have been chalked and painted on Evergreen property.

Yesterday, the campus was mostly shut down after 3 p.m. because Patriot Prayer, a right-leaning protest group that espouses a love for guns and President Trump and a hatred for so-called snowflakes, descended on the campus for a “free speech” rally. Patriot Prayer was recently in the news for marching in Portland, Ore., after the killing of two people by a white supremacist who was aligned with the group, even though the mayor of Portland pleaded with them to postpone their event.

While recent events may have brought negative attention to my school, I am proud of students here who found a way to create change. In the movies, protests always look heroic, but they tend to be messy in real life. Weren’t the protests of the 1960s unpopular and messy sometimes, too?

After a series of petitions and protests by students, George Bridges, the president of Evergreen, agreed to require bias training for the staff and faculty and create better protections for undocumented students. It wasn’t everything the students had asked for, but it was a step in the right direction.

Bret Weinstein’s interview with Tucker Carlson aired on the same day students met with President Bridges. We were surprised to hear Mr. Weinstein’s claims, which seemed far removed from what we had witnessed, and saddened to see how almost overnight his version of events became the entire narrative.

Mr. Weinstein’s story about Evergreen’s regressive campus culture fit neatly into many misconceptions about the “new left,” so it seemed to go unquestioned. However, for many students, staff and faculty at Evergreen, the harassment that came after the negative coverage of the protesters was a shocking and bitter twist. It is not lost on us that students of color are the ones who have been disproportionately targeted.

------
“There is no fate that cannot be surmounted by scorn.” -Albert Camus

  

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Black lives matter at Evergreen College [View all] , denny, Fri Jun-02-17 09:53 PM
 
Subject Author Message Date ID
How do you say "go fuck yourself" in gibberish?
Jun 02nd 2017
1
Line stepping?
Jun 04th 2017
24
      Your "validation" of blackness or black effectiveness is toothless
Jun 04th 2017
27
           ...
Jun 05th 2017
28
                It's obvious neither of us cares about what the other is typing
Jun 05th 2017
33
                     smh
Jun 05th 2017
39
                          You. Not an individual white person. You specifically.
Jun 05th 2017
42
dude woke up last week and decided he wanted to start some shit
Jun 02nd 2017
2
No.
Jun 02nd 2017
3
i know the story. the white dude did wake up one day
Jun 02nd 2017
5
      like literally, he decided to get posting on twitter
Jun 02nd 2017
6
           I thought you were riding with Denny. My fault.
Jun 02nd 2017
7
A quote:
Jun 02nd 2017
4
What is your point?
Jun 03rd 2017
8
      I do. I think he's wrong as fuck.
Jun 03rd 2017
9
           Why did you make the "non-male" distinction?
Jun 03rd 2017
10
           Because #youoksis is full of black men stories
Jun 03rd 2017
11
                Is this story about a "day of absence" for white ppl or something else?
Jun 03rd 2017
22
                     same here
Jun 19th 2017
140
           RE: I do. I think he's wrong as fuck.
Jun 03rd 2017
12
                Who's we? Post a pic
Jun 03rd 2017
13
                     Your foundation is weak.
Jun 03rd 2017
14
                          Got it. Sit this one out Greg
Jun 03rd 2017
15
                               "No whites!" - MEAT
Jun 03rd 2017
16
                                    This you? 4. "For what it's worth"
Jun 03rd 2017
17
                                         We gon be alright
Jun 03rd 2017
18
                                         I'm glad you could get to the bottom of the real issue
Jun 03rd 2017
19
                                              You'll live. Go play Bocce, it's Saturday.
Jun 03rd 2017
20
                                                   LOL
Jun 03rd 2017
21
What do you mean by 'starting some shit'?
Jun 04th 2017
23
      RE: What do you mean by 'starting some shit'?
Jun 04th 2017
25
      RE: What do you mean by 'starting some shit'?
Jun 06th 2017
78
RE: Black lives matter at Evergreen College
Jun 04th 2017
26
I came checking for an evergreen college post but you Bamma'd
Jun 05th 2017
29
White people love telling black people how to be.
Jun 05th 2017
31
      ^^^^
Jun 05th 2017
32
      I hear you but them Evergreen kids are obnoxious and appear
Jun 05th 2017
34
           what's the actual breakdown of this story?
Jun 05th 2017
35
           Post four
Jun 05th 2017
36
           thx
Jun 05th 2017
41
                No.
Jun 05th 2017
50
           Like there can be no spin. LOL.
Jun 05th 2017
38
                I meant your breakdown... I'm not trying to read all that right now
Jun 05th 2017
40
           They could be 1000% wrong (they're not) and denny still shouldn't speak
Jun 05th 2017
37
                They could publically claim I'm sub-human and a genetic defect
Jun 05th 2017
43
                I would whistle to the beat of your tear drops.
Jun 05th 2017
45
                OK, I am black. So now that we got your authenticity test out the
Jun 05th 2017
44
                     It's not an authenticity test. This wasn't about generic white people.
Jun 05th 2017
46
                          Ok but you do so the difference between voluntarily associations
Jun 05th 2017
47
                               RE: Ok but you do so the difference between voluntarily associations
Jun 05th 2017
48
                               why can't kids in college protest shit on campus?
Jun 05th 2017
51
                               That they are in college is kind of the point of why they shouldn't
Jun 05th 2017
52
                                    Meh.
Jun 05th 2017
54
                               Additionally this government has never been a neutral actor
Jun 05th 2017
49
                               what were you doing in college Buddy? GTFOH bruh...
Jun 05th 2017
53
                                    Dumb shit, which gives me special insight into seeing dumb shit.
Jun 05th 2017
55
                                         Better to do your dumb shit early.
Jun 05th 2017
56
                                              Except pole-vaulters aren't motivated by a hate-based idealogy.
Jun 06th 2017
57
                                                   You'll live white man.
Jun 06th 2017
62
                                                   This kids aren't advocating hate. They are being short-sighted
Jun 06th 2017
63
                                                        Nah dude is the victim. All he can sympathize with is the white ego.
Jun 06th 2017
65
                                                        Tenets of Critical theory:
Jun 07th 2017
84
I watched about 15 seconds of your 1st video...WTF is the connection
Jun 06th 2017
64
      Worse than that, he states in his original post the org has no value.
Jun 06th 2017
66
      I missed this post and a chance to respond.
Jun 10th 2017
94
           I stopped reading at 'I was misinformed' (c) Denny
Jun 10th 2017
103
                What exactly is your pont?
Jun 10th 2017
104
                     the point is that you're constantly off base looking for confirmation
Jun 19th 2017
141
Denny, stop stroking yourself.
Jun 05th 2017
30
I'll cop to being self-congratulatory in tone.
Jun 06th 2017
58
      It's no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick socie...
Jun 06th 2017
59
      RE: It's no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick s...
Jun 06th 2017
60
      Also wanted to say....
Jun 06th 2017
61
      Your refined racism is all too obvious to me, denny.
Jun 17th 2017
132
           ^^^
Jun 19th 2017
142
      Do you have kids? It's hard to imagine a person with children 9edit)
Jun 06th 2017
67
      There is nothing nihilistic about facing reality.
Jun 06th 2017
70
           You are the epitome of dorm room activism. LOL.
Jun 06th 2017
72
                And you kick it in your racist white neighbor's house then cry to us
Jun 06th 2017
73
                     LOL. Ain't nobody cry about nothing.
Jun 06th 2017
74
                          Yeah sure. That's enough of your trolling for one day.
Jun 06th 2017
75
                               That's just as easy.
Jun 06th 2017
76
                                    I requested intelligence, but I'll respond to your attempt at it.
Jun 07th 2017
83
      http://gph.is/28UVs7K
Jun 06th 2017
71
      You should have lead with this and probably not tied it to Evergreen
Jun 06th 2017
68
      When people tell you who they are believe them.
Jun 06th 2017
69
      When people don't signal my virtues....categorize them.
Jun 10th 2017
106
      people always want to lead with this and then make it about something el...
Jun 06th 2017
77
      I tirelessly watched hours of footage.
Jun 07th 2017
85
      gratitude isn't a left problem or a campus problem or a generational pro...
Jun 06th 2017
79
      I don't think the two are mutually exclusive
Jun 06th 2017
80
      I think that's a mischaracterization
Jun 06th 2017
82
      Willfully blind statement.
Jun 07th 2017
86
      i don't follow
Jun 07th 2017
88
           THERE IS NOONE who has talked more about alt-right than me.
Jun 07th 2017
89
                i didn't say anything about the alt right.
Jun 10th 2017
92
                     Dont worry Bro, he just T.U.I'n right now.
Jun 10th 2017
96
                     I wasn't clear there.....
Jun 10th 2017
102
      I'm not saying we shouldn't be critical of society.
Jun 10th 2017
91
           so your issue with them is they're prone to hyperbole?
Jun 10th 2017
93
                My issue is with critical race studies.
Jun 10th 2017
97
                     so your issue is with the overgeneralizing of their criticisms?
Jun 10th 2017
99
                          Every single non-Stem department has been taken over by critical theory.
Jun 10th 2017
101
      I don't disagree with you but you should be careful not to sound
Jun 06th 2017
81
           I tried to read it.
Jun 07th 2017
87
                wtf
Jun 19th 2017
144
Updates:
Jun 10th 2017
90
I wonder which building Weinstein's, a biological sciences professor, of...
Jun 11th 2017
108
Statement of solidarity from Faculty.
Jun 10th 2017
95
an added point.
Jun 10th 2017
100
      The link above does not include the filter settings.
Jun 10th 2017
105
           AND ANOTHER THING!!!!!!!!
Jun 10th 2017
107
Another biology prof from Evergreen speaks out
Jun 10th 2017
98
Naima Lowe speaks out:
Jun 15th 2017
109
need to listen to these young people
Jun 16th 2017
111
I saw the clip on Vice News....
Jun 16th 2017
112
Read two posts up.
Jun 16th 2017
113
      First off, I already know what the issue is
Jun 16th 2017
114
           I'm an adult. Saying you're acting like a ho now.
Jun 16th 2017
115
                Calling names without talking about the actual issue?
Jun 16th 2017
116
                     Piggy backing on ho ass denny, ignoring the kids actual words
Jun 16th 2017
117
                          You assumed I didn't grasp the start of the incident.....
Jun 16th 2017
118
                               You watched the clip and the kids are full of shit
Jun 16th 2017
119
                                    Yes...they had all the leverage on that issue.....
Jun 16th 2017
120
                                         Black students have zero leverage over a white man and a national
Jun 16th 2017
121
                                         Whatever.....stay on your soapbox
Jun 16th 2017
123
                                         One of us is defending black people one of us is finding nuance in denny
Jun 16th 2017
125
                                              Just because they have a point doesn't mean it's well executed
Jun 16th 2017
126
                                                   The fact that you want to contribute to a conversation about blackness
Jun 16th 2017
128
                                                        So you had nothing to say back about what I said
Jun 16th 2017
129
                                                             Not a word.
Jun 16th 2017
130
                                                             Wait. Your bonehead ass isn't black either?
Jun 17th 2017
131
                                                                  He's Asian.
Jun 17th 2017
136
                                                                  His fault
Jun 17th 2017
137
                                                                  lmao
Jun 19th 2017
143
                                         holy fuck man...it's like polar poast
Jun 19th 2017
145
                                         There is alot of misinformation in this exchange.
Jun 16th 2017
122
                                              You a bitch.
Jun 16th 2017
124
                                                   glass houses fam...
Jun 19th 2017
146
                                                        I feel like some folks are addicted to white criticism.
Jun 19th 2017
147
                                                             i feel u
Jun 19th 2017
148
Both had a point. Both executed it horribly.
Jun 16th 2017
127
Escellent article here:
Jun 17th 2017
133
LET. IT. GO.
Jun 17th 2017
134
      There are several reasons why this is relevant to me personally.
Jun 17th 2017
135
           RE: There are several reasons why this is relevant to me personally.
Jun 17th 2017
138
                RE: There are several reasons why this is relevant to me personally.
Jun 18th 2017
139
Bump bump
Jun 17th 2020
149
New doc on the Evergreen matter (link)
Jun 17th 2020
150
WOW THEY NUKED IT.
Jun 17th 2020
151
taibbi post is gone?
Jun 17th 2020
152
      YEP. NO EXPLANATION
Jun 17th 2020
153
           that sucks. i'm pretty much for never deleting posts
Jun 17th 2020
154
Up
Jun 28th 2021
155

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