"Thug Day" at affluent High School

[cKGunslinger]

Dallas Morning News

Students at Highland Park High School dressed as gang members, rap stars, maids and yard workers this month during homecoming week ? a tradition one Dallas civil-rights leader says is racially insensitive.

On senior Thug Day, students wore Afro wigs, fake gold teeth and baggy jeans. On Fiesta Day, which was to honor Hispanic heritage, one student brought a leaf blower to school.

"The scary part of something like this is you have to wonder how long these kids will continue to think this way," said Bob Lydia, president of the Dallas chapter of the NAACP. "These kids will be leaders of this country one day."

...

Some researchers say insensitivity is a direct result of the sort of racial isolation that exists in places like Highland Park.

"The reality is that they're ignorant of the lives of nonwhites ? it's like a parallel universe," said Charles Gallagher, a sociology professor at Georgia State University who studies white perceptions of race. He has tracked the recent rise of racially themed events, such as so-called "ghetto parties," on university campuses.

"You have a community of adolescents who live in a complete white bubble," Dr. Gallagher said. Many Park Cities residents refer to their community as "The Bubble."

"If they have interactions with blacks or Hispanics, it's typically someone serving them a soft drink or the Mexican who cuts their lawn."

Highland Park High's student body is about 94 percent white. The school has six black, 65 Hispanic and 32 Asian students.

Dr. Gallagher said the increasing frequency of ghetto parties is linked to the emotional distance young people feel from the civil-rights movement.

"They think America is colorblind and that racism has disappeared," he said. "Color becomes a style ? if a white kid wants to put on a FUBU shirt, he can do it. They can have something like this and say, 'I wasn't being racist ? I was just playing with these symbols.'"

Elizabeth said both controversial theme days should continue, but that administrators should be more vigilant about sending home students who dress inappropriately.

"I apologize for the few students who were dressed inappropriately," she said. "But we were not being racist."

A few students being insensitive asshats, or a much larger problem of racial-ignorance among the youth?

The latter part of the article talks about kids being "out of touch" with the current state of race-relations in the US, but is this necessarily bad? I agree that insensitivity, isolation, and ignorance is a poor combination and certainly not a desirable trait, but (ignoring the racists in the bunch for a moment) is the fact that many of these kids truly are "color-blind" a somewhat lesser evil than the alternative?



Note: "Highland Park" is one of, if not the most affluent area of Dallas - it's like the "90210" of Texas, as I understand it.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: cKGunslinger
On senior Thug Day, students wore Afro wigs, fake gold teeth and baggy jeans. On Fiesta Day, which was to honor Hispanic heritage, one student brought a leaf blower to school.

NCLB :thumbsup: :laugh:

 

[OrByte]

I think being color blind can be a good thing but people aren't taking the time to teach these affluent kids what it means to love themselves and each other. If you love someone, you don't make fun of them that way.

Also, its like saying yeah I get along with my race and you get along with your race and its no big deal...well it is. You can't just go out to the park and play with just the kids that look like you.

I also think that it is kinda funny to honor mexican-americans on fiesta day by bringing a leaf blower to school....thats pretty damn funny!

 

[EatSpam]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: cKGunslinger
On senior Thug Day, students wore Afro wigs, fake gold teeth and baggy jeans. On Fiesta Day, which was to honor Hispanic heritage, one student brought a leaf blower to school.

NCLB :thumbsup: :laugh:

Don't knock it! Its a Republican dream job, a true "Job of the Future(tm)".

 

[RightIsWrong]

Listening to a morning show on the way to work....they were saying that it was reported that on Fiesta Day a lot were dressed as maids also.

 

[Inspector Jihad]

ehh...thats lame.

 

[judasmachine]

I say send them to compton or watts for school for a week, and see if they feel it's cool, then.

(courtesy of the dead kennedys)

"Holiday In Cambodia"

So you been to school for a year or two
And you know you've seen it all
In daddy's car thinkin' you'll go far
Back east your type don't crawl
Play ethnicky jazz to parade your snazz
On your five grand stereo
Braggin that you know how the ****** feel cold
And the slums got so much soul

It's time to taste what you most fear
Right Guard will not help you here
Brace yourself, my dear

It's a holiday in Cambodia
It's tough kid, but it's life
It's a holiday in Cambodia
Don't forget to pack a wife

Your a star-belly sneech you suck like a leech
You want everyone to act like you
Kiss ass while you bitch so you can get rich
But your boss gets richer on you
Well you'll work harder with a gun in your back
For a bowl of rice a day
Slave for soldiers til you starve
Then your head skewered on a stake
Now you can go where people are one
Now you can go where they get things done
What you need my son:

Is a holiday in Cambodia
Where people dress in black
A holiday in Cambodia
Where you'll kiss ass or crack

Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot [etc.]

And it's a holiday in Cambodia
Where you'll do what you're told
A holiday in Cambodia
Where the slums got so much soul

 

[Genx87]

Ever watch MTV?

Kids are emulating what they see on TV.

 

[RightIsWrong]

Originally posted by: Genx87
Ever watch MTV?

Kids are emulating what they see on TV.

Then maybe they need to change the channel and see that blacks are not only what MTV shows, but what C-Span and the news shows also. Folks like Annan, Condi, Colin, Obama, etc. also are part of the race.

Using the MTV excuse is a poor one at best. This is nothing but a bunch of privledged spoiled kids that have been shielded from reality and don't have parents that are taking enough of a part in their lives to notice that they feel apathetic racists views are a-ok.

If you want to see what these kids are truly like, I suggest you use your own excuse. Watch Laguna Beach and see what these kids are like. They have separated themselves from all other races in social settings.

 

[Polish3d]

Amazingly there is a hispanic guy outside my window right now running a leafblower lol


Anyway I think most anyone from my generation (I just turned 23) is more than sufficiently sensizited to racial issues, no question, it was taught to us from kindegarten

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: RightIsWrong

Originally posted by: Genx87
Ever watch MTV?

Kids are emulating what they see on TV.

Then maybe they need to change the channel and see that blacks are not only what MTV shows, but what C-Span and the news shows also. Folks like Annan, Condi, Colin, Obama, etc. also are part of the race.

Using the MTV excuse is a poor one at best. This is nothing but a bunch of privledged spoiled kids that have been shielded from reality and don't have parents that are taking enough of a part in their lives to notice that they feel apathetic racists views are a-ok.

If you want to see what these kids are truly like, I suggest you use your own excuse. Watch Laguna Beach and see what these kids are like. They have separated themselves from all other races in social settings.

Sure it is a poor excuse but can explain why white suburban kids would try to dress like "thugs"?

btw I have watched laguana beach and laugh my ass off at the assclowns on that show. That is exactly what they are, a bunch of spoiled suburban white kids who want to play thug.

But they grew up watching thugs on MTV and how they glorified being a pimp, gangsta, and all around assclown. So it shouldnt be a surprise these kids are turning out like this.

 

[dahunan]

Hispanic does not = Mexican Only and I think it is very rude and ignorant to honor anyone's heritage in that way.

Maybe on White Heritage day people should dress up as Klan Members or as Nazi's or maybe they should pay their black friends to wear shackles and he could walk in looking like he just purchased them as slaves?

Uhm.. YES they are being dirty little racists.. they are not raised to understand what life is like for non-whites.,....

 

[OrByte]

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: RightIsWrong

Originally posted by: Genx87
Ever watch MTV?

Kids are emulating what they see on TV.

Then maybe they need to change the channel and see that blacks are not only what MTV shows, but what C-Span and the news shows also. Folks like Annan, Condi, Colin, Obama, etc. also are part of the race.

Using the MTV excuse is a poor one at best. This is nothing but a bunch of privledged spoiled kids that have been shielded from reality and don't have parents that are taking enough of a part in their lives to notice that they feel apathetic racists views are a-ok.

If you want to see what these kids are truly like, I suggest you use your own excuse. Watch Laguna Beach and see what these kids are like. They have separated themselves from all other races in social settings.

Sure it is a poor excuse but can explain why white suburban kids would try to dress like "thugs"?

btw I have watched laguana beach and laugh my ass off at the assclowns on that show. That is exactly what they are, a bunch of spoiled suburban white kids who want to play thug.

But they grew up watching thugs on MTV and how they glorified being a pimp, gangsta, and all around assclown. So it shouldnt be a surprise these kids are turning out like this.

Things like Mtv and "Thug Lyfe" are only a problem because parents and adults don't invest in their kids and schools.

Mtv is just cashing in and taking advantage.. Mtv isnt the problem. Apathy is.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: OrByte

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: RightIsWrong

Originally posted by: Genx87
Ever watch MTV?

Kids are emulating what they see on TV.

Then maybe they need to change the channel and see that blacks are not only what MTV shows, but what C-Span and the news shows also. Folks like Annan, Condi, Colin, Obama, etc. also are part of the race.

Using the MTV excuse is a poor one at best. This is nothing but a bunch of privledged spoiled kids that have been shielded from reality and don't have parents that are taking enough of a part in their lives to notice that they feel apathetic racists views are a-ok.

If you want to see what these kids are truly like, I suggest you use your own excuse. Watch Laguna Beach and see what these kids are like. They have separated themselves from all other races in social settings.

Sure it is a poor excuse but can explain why white suburban kids would try to dress like "thugs"?

btw I have watched laguana beach and laugh my ass off at the assclowns on that show. That is exactly what they are, a bunch of spoiled suburban white kids who want to play thug.

But they grew up watching thugs on MTV and how they glorified being a pimp, gangsta, and all around assclown. So it shouldnt be a surprise these kids are turning out like this.

Things like Mtv and "Thug Lyfe" are only a problem because parents and adults don't invest in their kids and schools.

Mtv is just cashing in and taking advantage.. Mtv isnt the problem. Apathy is.

Both are a problem. Parents who would rather be their kids best friends than parents. And a network targeting teens who blast them with images of thugness and assclowness.

 

[OrByte]

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: OrByte

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: RightIsWrong

Originally posted by: Genx87
Ever watch MTV?

Kids are emulating what they see on TV.

Then maybe they need to change the channel and see that blacks are not only what MTV shows, but what C-Span and the news shows also. Folks like Annan, Condi, Colin, Obama, etc. also are part of the race.

Using the MTV excuse is a poor one at best. This is nothing but a bunch of privledged spoiled kids that have been shielded from reality and don't have parents that are taking enough of a part in their lives to notice that they feel apathetic racists views are a-ok.

If you want to see what these kids are truly like, I suggest you use your own excuse. Watch Laguna Beach and see what these kids are like. They have separated themselves from all other races in social settings.

Sure it is a poor excuse but can explain why white suburban kids would try to dress like "thugs"?

btw I have watched laguana beach and laugh my ass off at the assclowns on that show. That is exactly what they are, a bunch of spoiled suburban white kids who want to play thug.

But they grew up watching thugs on MTV and how they glorified being a pimp, gangsta, and all around assclown. So it shouldnt be a surprise these kids are turning out like this.

Things like Mtv and "Thug Lyfe" are only a problem because parents and adults don't invest in their kids and schools.

Mtv is just cashing in and taking advantage.. Mtv isnt the problem. Apathy is.

Both are a problem. Parents who would rather be their kids best friends than parents. And a network targeting teens who blast them with images of thugness and assclowness.

yeah, you have my support on that. The problem I have with blaming MTV is that if tomorow MTV went away you would have something else spring up and spew the same garbage. There is SOMETHING out there that wants to feed us this garbage, it takes personal responsibility and accountability to deflect that trash from our kids, our families. I do with my kids.

 

[azazyel]

I'm sorry is teenagers being self-centered and insensitive a new thing? We had gangster parties in college as well as white-trash parties. Gangster parties were a great excuse to drink 40s and white-trash was great for drinking crap beer. (this was about 10 years ago)

 

[RightIsWrong]

Originally posted by: OrByte
yeah, you have my support on that. The problem I have with blaming MTV is that if tomorow MTV went away you would have something else spring up and spew the same garbage. There is SOMETHING out there that wants to feed us this garbage, it takes personal responsibility and accountability to deflect that trash from our kids, our families. I do with my kids.

True dat.

 

[Inspector Jihad]

someone just needs to put a nice little ass whupping on those kids...that should settle things.

 

[raildogg]

Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
someone just needs to put a nice little ass whupping on those kids...that should settle things.

Settle what? You don't like how certain people act? Me too!

 

[OrByte]

Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
someone just needs to put a nice little ass whupping on those kids...that should settle things.

what they need is a student exchange system..bring in some kids from south central for a couple of weeks, send some kids from this prep school to LA, that will change their attitude. and it can be done, hell it doesnt even need to be some ghetto school in LA, I am sure DALLAS has plenty of ghetto, impoverished schools to participate.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: OrByte

Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
someone just needs to put a nice little ass whupping on those kids...that should settle things.

what they need is a student exchange system..bring in some kids from south central for a couple of weeks, send some kids from this prep school to LA, that will change their attitude. and it can be done, hell it doesnt even need to be some ghetto school in LA, I am sure DALLAS has plenty of ghetto, impoverished schools to participate.

They already do that, at least in Minneapolis.
Let me just say it was nothing but a disaster. No kids went into the inner city(big surprise) and the kids who came from the inner city usually spent half their time fighting, selling drugs or in jail.

 

[OrByte]

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: OrByte

Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
someone just needs to put a nice little ass whupping on those kids...that should settle things.

what they need is a student exchange system..bring in some kids from south central for a couple of weeks, send some kids from this prep school to LA, that will change their attitude. and it can be done, hell it doesnt even need to be some ghetto school in LA, I am sure DALLAS has plenty of ghetto, impoverished schools to participate.

They already do that, at least in Minneapolis.
Let me just say it was nothing but a disaster. No kids went into the inner city(big surprise) and the kids who came from the inner city usually spent half their time fighting, selling drugs or in jail.

not surprised. Thats too bad.

 

[ntdz]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: cKGunslinger
On senior Thug Day, students wore Afro wigs, fake gold teeth and baggy jeans. On Fiesta Day, which was to honor Hispanic heritage, one student brought a leaf blower to school.

NCLB :thumbsup: :laugh:

I laughed my ass off when I read that part.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: OrByte

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: OrByte

Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
someone just needs to put a nice little ass whupping on those kids...that should settle things.

what they need is a student exchange system..bring in some kids from south central for a couple of weeks, send some kids from this prep school to LA, that will change their attitude. and it can be done, hell it doesnt even need to be some ghetto school in LA, I am sure DALLAS has plenty of ghetto, impoverished schools to participate.

They already do that, at least in Minneapolis.
Let me just say it was nothing but a disaster. No kids went into the inner city(big surprise) and the kids who came from the inner city usually spent half their time fighting, selling drugs or in jail.

not surprised. Thats too bad.

Yes it is, because the suburban schools in Minneapolis are superb. But the kids coming out dont take it serious, and most like their parents dont either, and thus end up making life miserable for everybody. On top of that I am sure many stereotypes are reinforced by this forced integration.

 

[maluckey]

So now, making fun of sterotypes is racially insensitive???:Q

What's next? Pointing out that BET is a channel aimed at Blacks (not whites) is racially insensitive?? What about Univision? I don't see North American (in English) lifestyles represented. I also think that by the standard of he article above, that St. Patricks day and Columbus day, along with Christmas and Ramadan should be abolished as racially insensitve. The term African American sis racist, as is W.A.S.P. (Not the Rock Group).

The good thing is that none of them bother me. I could care less if they declare Monday a Lithuanian appreciation day, or every second Tuesday, Black appreciation day, or instead of Christmas we celebrate Gansta Day. It's all the same. It's not hate, but celebrating one groups contribution. Ghettos and yes, even thugs brought us Rap music along with and a new and evolving style of dress and values. It's not good or bad, but a contribution to soceity nonetheless. What's the issue again?

To say someone is "racially insensitive" is to say that you (the one pointing the finger) are racist yourself. Race isn't what holds one back....it's ignorance of yourself. If you find it offensive that someone portrays someone as a maid, or a gardener, you should look in the mirror. If you are not a gardener or a maid, then you are not being targeted so who cares. If you are, you should ask yourself if you are happy. If so, then who cares. Maids are an honorable profession, so is being a gardener. If you are not happy where you are, then maybe you should do something about it instead of whining that someone portrays you unfairly.