University Art Student Hangs 'White Only' and 'Black Only' Signs on Campus

[unokitty]

Students were shocked when they arrived at the University at Buffalo, in New York, to find the racist posters hanging above water fountains and outside bathroom doors...

But the graduate fine art student insists it was part of an art project and were designed to 'get a reaction out of people.'

...She has now apologized if the stunt 'hurt people' but refused to back down saying 'I won't apologize for what I did.'

Many other students took to social media to demand the university took immediate action.

Jessica Wilkiet said: 'As a UB stakeholder, educator, parent, and human being, I demand a swift and appropriate official response from the University.

'UB has failed to appropriately handle this situation. It creates an extremely unsafe environment for all students, but especially for students from communities of color. It is reminiscent of Jim Crow culture and the university should respond with zero tolerance. Unacceptable!'

Signs, posted for class project, caused outrage Wednesday

One outraged student tweeted, “Not only is this a hate crime, but it is also an act of terrorism.”

The university said in a press release that it is “continuing to review this matter through appropriate university policies and procedures."

BSU e-board members said the discussion about the signs would go on for a few days. Members have taken to social media with the hashtag #WeWantAnswers, hoping for a response from administration.

Statement by Student Artist


What is your opinion?
Is this a hate crime?
Is this terrorism?
Does this create an 'unsafe environment?'
Or is this something else?

From your perspective, has the University failed to 'appropriately handle' this situation?

Also from your perspective, what would be an appropriate response from the University?

Uno

 

[PokerGuy]

"hate crime"? "terrorism"? WTF are these morons smoking?

Given the history of the country with segregation and racism, having "white only" signs on bathrooms and fountains etc is stupid and insensitive... but "hate crime"? "Terrorism"? That's just as stupid.

 

[MomentsofSanity]

Inappropriate and should be actioned. In todays world of low information ragers something like this can have severe negative consequences.

You can call it art. But there's a big difference between inflammatory art when people know it's done in an artistic fashion and just throwing up signs like this.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Considering the history behind these types of signs, it was an incredibly stupid thing to do.

 

[Oyeve]

Not a hate crime, just a stupid dumbass crime. The ones who should be punished are her parents for raising a dumbass.

 

[PokerGuy]

Not a hate crime, just a stupid dumbass crime. The ones who should be punished are her parents for raising a dumbass.

What crime specifically would we be talking about? Is insensitivity a crime?

 

[Oyeve]

What crime specifically would we be talking about? Is insensitivity a crime?

No, but stupidity should be.

 

[IronWing]

Fails as art. Fails as satire. Fails as political commentary. Fails all around. No response is really needed other than to take down the signs and maybe point and laugh at the person who put them up.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

It definitely got a reaction out of people. Art achieved.

I think people are dramatically overreacting to this. Having our past shoved in our noses is a healthy exercise from time to time. Being reminded that our parents grew up in a time where it was literally illegal for blacks and whites to marry helps add necessary context to the state of race relations in the country today. If putting up a few signs helps shock people into remembering that a generation ago blacks could legally be treated as less than whites, then shock away.

I wonder how Obama feels about this given his recent jabs at overly-sensitive liberals on college campuses who complain any time they're subjected to a different point of view?

 

[cbrunny]

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

There is nothing "criminal" about hanging a piece of paper. Hence, using the word hate crime is a step past retarded.

Now had she been a psychology student trying to see PC people and their stupid over-reactions, then I can understand. But I'm not sure what the hell this has to do with art?


This goes hand in hand with the latest South Park episode

 

[Londo_Jowo]

I guess one man's art is another man's offensive object.

 

[Nashemon]

I guess one man's art is another man's offensive object.

Pretty much this. You either get art or you don't.

Those who find it stupid should read the link the OP posted for possible enlightenment.

http://www.ubspectrum.com/article/2015/09/white-only-and-black-only-letter-to-editor

 

[unokitty]

...This goes hand in hand with the latest South Park episode

++

South Park on Caitlyn Jenner, PC Culture, Tom Brady

Uno

 

[fskimospy]

It definitely got a reaction out of people. Art achieved.

I think people are dramatically overreacting to this. Having our past shoved in our noses is a healthy exercise from time to time. Being reminded that our parents grew up in a time where it was literally illegal for blacks and whites to marry helps add necessary context to the state of race relations in the country today. If putting up a few signs helps shock people into remembering that a generation ago blacks could legally be treated as less than whites, then shock away.

I wonder how Obama feels about this given his recent jabs at overly-sensitive liberals on college campuses who complain any time they're subjected to a different point of view?

Punishing someone for making art you think is insensitive or stupid is itself insensitive and stupid. While I totally support safe zones and things like that, their purpose is to allow someone who feels uncomfortable to remove themselves from that situation. This is an attempt to punish art and expression, which is the opposite of that.

I definitely think the trend towards suppressing speech on campuses is a problem, and that the people pushing for this person to be punished should take a long look at themselves.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I hope the university takes her out and punishes her big time....

Then when they pull her into the office and realize she is BLACK herself... they get to sit there and be like "Wait, she is a minority, so we can't do anything to her...." Oh what a conundrum!

The nerve of these idiots on social media is hilarious.

Jessica Wilkiet said: 'As a UB stakeholder, educator, parent, and human being, I demand a swift and appropriate official response from the University.

'The responses that have been given to students, faculty, and staff thus far have been not only inadequate, but insulting, ignorant, and bigoted as well. This is not the UB I am a proud graduate of.'

For the record, I've NEVER heard anyone other than a white person called a bigot. So this is already getting interesting

 

[Zorba]

Now had she been a psychology student trying to see PC people and their stupid over-reactions, then I can understand. But I'm not sure what the hell this has to do with art?

I could see a psych student doing it to either measure the outrage, or to see how many people followed the signs instructions.

Some psych students while I was going to school would go into class rooms and get people to segregate, but male/female and white/other. They found when a person was physically telling people to do so people would do it without question (even though it was just some random grad student). But if they put up a sign, like on a library table, it was ignored almost all of the time.

As far as this goes, it was dumb, but unfortunately that isn't a crime. If being dumb was a crime, who ever thought it was terrorism would definitely be in jail.

 

[werepossum]

Fails as art. Fails as satire. Fails as political commentary. Fails all around. No response is really needed other than to take down the signs and maybe point and laugh at the person who put them up.

Agreed. Fail Nation, genuflect before your new queen.

It definitely got a reaction out of people. Art achieved.

I think people are dramatically overreacting to this. Having our past shoved in our noses is a healthy exercise from time to time. Being reminded that our parents grew up in a time where it was literally illegal for blacks and whites to marry helps add necessary context to the state of race relations in the country today. If putting up a few signs helps shock people into remembering that a generation ago blacks could legally be treated as less than whites, then shock away.

I wonder how Obama feels about this given his recent jabs at overly-sensitive liberals on college campuses who complain any time they're subjected to a different point of view?

I agree that people are dramatically overreacting to this - no surprise on a college campus - but I also agree with Ironwing that this totally fails as art. (And everything else.) For one thing, literally everyone with one working appendage can repeat it perfectly, so talent-wise and muse-wise it's several steps below a good macaroni Abraham Lincoln. For another, it's shocking and offensive - but little else. Dog crap smeared next to the restrooms would also be shocking and offensive. When one's "art" can be replaced with feces with little loss in impact or message, one should quietly slink away and try harder next time.

 

[waggy]

Fails as art. Fails as satire. Fails as political commentary. Fails all around. No response is really needed other than to take down the signs and maybe point and laugh at the person who put them up.

/this. i fail to see the art in it.

 

[alien42]

i support the artist, then again, i made two art projects in high school based on Hitler.

 

[IronWing]

i support the artist, then again, i made two art projects in high school based on Hitler.

Nail and string Himmler was the best, beat popsicle stick Albert Speer by a mile.

 

[Oyeve]

Sorry if this sounds "racist" but I see this as an uppity black college chick trying to incite something for her 15 minutes of fame.

 

[WHAMPOM]

Signs, posted for class project, caused outrage Wednesday

One outraged student tweeted, “Not only is this a hate crime, but it is also an act of terrorism.”
Statement by Student Artist


What is your opinion?
Is this a hate crime?
Is this terrorism?
Does this create an 'unsafe environment?'
Or is this something else?

From your perspective, has the University failed to 'appropriately handle' this situation?

Also from your perspective, what would be an appropriate response from the University?

Uno

All I see is a sorrowful reminder of what was legal fifty years ago. Good for her, if we forget our past we are doomed to repeat it. And we do repeat it from the treatment of royalists at the start of our nation to the anti-voter-immigrant-women-poor-black-religion poltics of today.

 

[Exophase]

Considering the history behind these types of signs, it was an incredibly stupid thing to do.

I don't understand this sort of response. Wasn't the point of this activity to educate people on the history behind these types of signs?

It seems to lack any real kind of intelligent commentary, but it hardly seems like something that was done in contextual ignorance.

My guess is that a lot of the people who were offended thought the signs were put up by someone who was actually in favor of bringing back segregation or making some kind of other racist statement.

 

[BoberFett]

I guess all Kim Davis has to do is claim that she was doing performance art to remind people what it was like to be gay last year. :sneaky: