Major Problems at Mizzou

[ljbab728]

Missouri Tigers football players to strike until embattled Tim Wolfe resigns

A group of black players on Missouri says it will stop participating in football activities until university system president Tim Wolfe resigns.

[Roger S]

Well as a Jayhawk.... I've always thought there were major problems at Mizzou.

[Urbanized]

Yeah too bad Mizzou's not still in the Big 12; Kansas always made the most out of the Civil War genesis of their rivalry (free state vs slave state, Jayhawkers, etc.). They could have really made some hay out of such allegations on the MU campus.

Also, we could all use a weak sister to beat up on in conference. Baylor, TCU and WV have not gracefully accepted perrennial also-ran status.

[Roger S]

Also, we could all use a weak sister to beat up on in conference. Baylor, TCU and WV have not gracefully accepted perrennial also-ran status.

I was invited to the ISU/OU game last night and I heard a couple of guys sitting behind me discussing the demise of Nebraska/Colorado/Missouri since they bailed on the Big XII.

[Tundra]

I was invited to the ISU/OU game last night and I heard a couple of guys sitting behind me discussing the demise of Nebraska/Colorado/Missouri since they bailed on the Big XII.

Don't know if you caught the final moments of the Nebraska game or not, but talk about a wacky ending. Its hard to think they were 3-5 coming into that game, Major decline in that program......

[Snowman]

I was invited to the ISU/OU game last night and I heard a couple of guys sitting behind me discussing the demise of Nebraska/Colorado/Missouri since they bailed on the Big XII.

While it may have accelerated Colorado's slide, certainly there attendance has dipped every year since they left, but they seemed like they had been in a bad rut on the field from around a decade before they left the conference.

Nebraska was pretty much in flux before they left and most of the years seems to have had little change.

I still mostly remember Missouri as a pretty average (sometimes poor) team that was doing somewhat better than their normal at end of their time in the Big XII.

[bradh]

Going back to the OP, I'm still trying to figure out why this the demands of this protest should be met.

[dankrutka]

Going back to the OP, I'm still trying to figure out why this the demands of this protest should be met.

Why not? I know a lot of the graduate students participating and it took a lot of racist issues over years for it to come to this. The president really failed in being responsive to his students. There's a critical mass of students and community members participating now, and I think it'll lead to change. If nothing else, university officials will concede because of the terrible press... which has always been a strategy in civil rights struggles.

[bradh]

Why not? I know a lot of the graduate students participating and it took a lot of racist issues over years for it to come to this. The president really failed in being responsive to his students. There's a critical mass of students and community members participating now, and I think it'll lead to change. If nothing else, university officials will concede because of the terrible press... which has always been a strategy in civil rights struggles.

I just read the list of demands. Do you think all of those should be met?

[dankrutka]

I just read the list of demands. Do you think all of those should be met?

No, I wasn't speaking to specific demands. That's for the people on campus to figure out. I was just saying that I think their cause is legit.

[zookeeper]

I just read the list of demands. Do you think all of those should be met?

I know I DON'T. This kind of thing is ridiculous. This is a typical politically correct cause about perceived racism that would just empower others to find a reason to do the same at their schools for the same purpose - to further the White Shame cause...which is the real goal here and it's getting really old. The fact that nobody has come out and called this for what is shows the fear among whites of being called 'racist' for standing up to this mob making demands for 'justice." Nobody is protesting the free-fire criminal zones in most black neighborhoods in American cities. THAT's where their attention needs to be, but that would mean blacks accepting responsibility for what they want to blame on White Privilege.

If Mizzou had any guts at all, they would tell the football players that they play Saturday or lose their scholarships. Period. The administration cannot be held hostage by anyone.

[okatty]

The Mizzou offense has arguably been on strike all year.

[dankrutka]

I know I DON'T. This kind of thing is ridiculous. This is a typical politically correct cause about perceived racism that would just empower others to find a reason to do the same at their schools for the same purpose - to further the White Shame cause...which is the real goal here and it's getting really old. The fact that nobody has come out and called this for what is shows the fear among whites of being called 'racist' for standing up to this mob making demands for 'justice." Nobody is protesting the free-fire criminal zones in most black neighborhoods in American cities. THAT's where their attention needs to be, but that would mean blacks accepting responsibility for what they want to blame on White Privilege.

If Mizzou had any guts at all, they would tell the football players that they play Saturday or lose their scholarships. Period. The administration cannot be held hostage by anyone.

Even when students face actual racism (which happened at Mizzou), they are discredited and defamed. Ugh.

I know a lot of the graduate students involved in the protests. They're awesome, caring, and good people. I 100% support their efforts, and I can guarantee you that none of them or any of the current movements have ever asked for white people to feel shame. They've asked them to engage in a conversation about systemic racism which is evident throughout our society - see the resegregation of apartheid schools, the disproportionate punishments against people of color for the same crimes, discriminatory loan rates, and the everyday discrimination which I've never had to deal with. Anyway, if you don't want to engage in a conversation about race, don't. But quit making up concepts like white shame. No one is promoting that concept except white people who somehow don't think racism is real.

[Spartan]

What dankrutka said. It sounds like there's a situation at Mizzou. I'm not predisposed one way or another, although as a community developer I am generally sympathetic to disenfranchised communities... I think there should be an investigation and we should all just wait to rush to judgment.

Gary Pinkel seems to be part of the strike? He has one of the more stellar records of fighting for his players and embracing their diversity, rather than just bull****ting for wins and/or optics.

[Urbanized]

The Mizzou offense has arguably been on strike all year.

Well played. Unlike a Missouri first down.

[SoonerDave]

The Mizzou offense has arguably been on strike all year.

Mizzery has an offense?

[PhiAlpha]

I know I DON'T. This kind of thing is ridiculous. This is a typical politically correct cause about perceived racism that would just empower others to find a reason to do the same at their schools for the same purpose - to further the White Shame cause...which is the real goal here and it's getting really old. The fact that nobody has come out and called this for what is shows the fear among whites of being called 'racist' for standing up to this mob making demands for 'justice." Nobody is protesting the free-fire criminal zones in most black neighborhoods in American cities. THAT's where their attention needs to be, but that would mean blacks accepting responsibility for what they want to blame on White Privilege.

If Mizzou had any guts at all, they would tell the football players that they play Saturday or lose their scholarships. Period. The administration cannot be held hostage by anyone.

I actually agree with you on something!!

[PhiAlpha]

Well played. Unlike a Missouri first down.

Or any down?

[kelroy55]

Don't know if you caught the final moments of the Nebraska game or not, but talk about a wacky ending. Its hard to think they were 3-5 coming into that game, Major decline in that program......

They have a new coach, a new offense, new defense and lost 4 of the games by a total of 8 points on last play of the game scores.

[kelroy55]

I know I DON'T. This kind of thing is ridiculous. This is a typical politically correct cause about perceived racism that would just empower others to find a reason to do the same at their schools for the same purpose - to further the White Shame cause...which is the real goal here and it's getting really old. The fact that nobody has come out and called this for what is shows the fear among whites of being called 'racist' for standing up to this mob making demands for 'justice." Nobody is protesting the free-fire criminal zones in most black neighborhoods in American cities. THAT's where their attention needs to be, but that would mean blacks accepting responsibility for what they want to blame on White Privilege.

If Mizzou had any guts at all, they would tell the football players that they play Saturday or lose their scholarships. Period. The administration cannot be held hostage by anyone.

I think it's more to the Black community than 'perceived racism' and the White Shame comment was asinine, IMHO.

[bradh]

Didn't one of the trigger events for this happen off campus and was started by a couple of punk kids? Hardly within the president's control.

I'm not against having the conversations, but don't piss on zookeeper for bringing up the white shame deal. I've seen that whole "white guilt" thing thrown around on Facebook by white people fighting against racism.

I acknowledge that white privilege exists but there are better ways to go about it than by spewing out a hilarious list of demands.

[adaniel]

Didn't one of the trigger events for this happen off campus and was started by a couple of punk kids? Hardly within the president's control.

I'm not against having the conversations, but don't piss on zookeeper for bringing up the white shame deal. I've seen that whole "white guilt" thing thrown around on Facebook by white people fighting against racism.

I acknowledge that white privilege exists but there are better ways to go about it than by spewing out a hilarious list of demands.

Lets not confuse the acknowledgement of what is clearly some pretty serious issues with some sort of "guilt." I can't say I have seen too much of that anyway, I have seen a ton of insults thrown their way, however.

Some incidents did involve some townies driving by black students screaming insults, spitting, and waving confederate flags. However there have been some on campus incidents as well, with someone smearing swastikas with their own feces all over the dorms recently that kinda served as the breaking point.

Even when Mizzou was in the Big 12, I heard terrible things regarding this very issue, so to be fair its not entirely this president's fault. I am also not so sure that having him quit or agree to some list will be the best recourse. But its clear his own admitted inaction and shoulder shrugging has allowed current tensions to fester, and he's "lost" the school. This does make me extremely grateful for David Boren's leadership last spring.

EDIT: President just resigned.

[bradh]

Lets not confuse the acknowledgement of what is clearly some pretty serious issues with some sort of "guilt." I can't say I have seen too much of that anyway, I have seen a ton of insults thrown their way, however.

I have read some of the things that have happened, some did involve some townies driving by black students screaming insults, spitting, and waving confederate flags. However there have been some on campus incidents as well, with someone smearing swastikas with their own feces all over the dorms recently that kinda served as the breaking point.

Even when Mizzou was in the Big 12, I heard terrible things regarding this very issue, so to be fair its not entirely this president's fault. I am also not so sure that having him quit will be the best recourse. But its clear his own admitted inaction and shoulder shrugging has allowed current tensions to fester, and he's "lost" the school.

Yeah I didn't mean to confuse that the "white guilt" thing had to do with this instance. Sorry for the confusion.

I did not know the details of the on campus incidents. That's pretty terrible. I've read some other posts elsewhere that are having the same extreme reaction to this kids protests in the other direction. It's sad that there never seems to be a discussion being had on normal ground, it's always on the extreme end from both sides.

And finally, WTF is up with the state of Missouri in general?

[Bullbear]

Tim Wolfe, president of the University of Missouri system, announced in a news conference that he was resigning from his post amid a controversy regarding race relations.

[dankrutka]

These discussions are always difficult, but what frustrates me is when instead of listening to why a student is risking his life, students are sharing the demeaning experiences in their lives, and black professors are sharing the problems they've had for years, don't disregard it. At least listen. To make it about you - that somehow these students and others aren't really sharing their own experiences, but are instead part of a white guilt conspiracy aimed against you - is just frustrating. As part of my job I talk about race with students from all backgrounds and experiences all the time. Never once has their been an intention to make me feel guilt for my whiteness. These claims usually come from people who never have serious discussions about race. Anyway, I'm not sure a message board is the best place to have these discussions anyway as I find looking in someone's eyes is a meaningful part of any discussions about identity.

I hope the Mizzou community uses these events as an opportunity for growth, reconciliation, and unity.