Skit featured student playing Obama in blackface

[BrendaQG]

Paper: Skit featured student playing Obama in blackface (http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/28/campus.obamaskit.ap/index.html)
updated 4:12 p.m. EDT, Fri March 28, 2008

FARGO, North Dakota (AP) -- North Dakota State University is investigating complaints about a campus skit in which a white student in blackface portrayed Barack Obama receiving a lap dance.

The same skit, part of a charity fundraiser held at a campus theater, also featured a depiction of cowboys having sex with each other, witnesses told The Forum newspaper, which first reported the backlash Friday.

"We're trying to find out the right approaches for accountability, but at the same time try to heal wounds that have occurred and allow the campus to move ahead," Janna Stoskopf, NDSU's dean of students, told The Associated Press on Friday.

The March 18 skit involving the NDSU Saddle and Sirloin Club was performed at the Mr. NDSU Pageant, which raises money for diabetes research. People who attended it said a pageant contestant from Saddle and Sirloin dressed as a woman from the Internet video "I Got a Crush on Obama" and performed a strip tease for another student who was wearing dark makeup and an afro wig.

In the background, two male students dressed as cowboys simulated anal sex while holding an Obama sign that one student ripped at the conclusion of the 30-second performance, the Forum reported.

"That seems to be consistent with what's been described to me," Stoskopf said.

The Obama campaign had no comment Friday. Obama is to speak at North Dakota Democrats' state convention in Grand Forks next week.

NDSU President Joseph Chapman was not immediately available for comment, and messages left by the AP for Russell Danielson, adviser of the Saddle and Sirloin Club, and Malika Carter, an NDSU assistant director of multicultural student services, were not immediately returned.

Stoskopf said she expected the investigation could take until May 9, the end of the school year.

"One of the issues here is how do we balance what our policies and expectations about behavior are with the issue of freedom of speech," Stoskopf said. "Where does all of that get us?"

NDSU has 10,403 undergraduates. The student body is 92 percent white, while 1.5 percent identify themselves as black or African-American.

:shock: WTH!

How many different phobias were on display there? I see Transphobia, homophobia, and racism. All to raise funds for diabetes research. Wouldn't Wilford Brimley be proud?

[muhmuh]

How many different phobias were on display there? I see Transphobia, homophobia, and racism. All to raise funds for diabetes research. Wouldn't Wilford Brimley be proud?

or maybe just maybe there was no phobia or racism at all and they were just making fun of things... and where the hell do you find the transphobia anyway?
i think im starting to develop accute overly-pc-phobia here

[BrendaQG]

The skit featured.

A man dressed as a woman (probably looking a total fool) gving a white man in black face a lapdance. Then cowboys having sex. Racism, homo and transphobias are still what they are. Just because it's being used humorously does not make it different.

[hippifried]

So... Was the guy in blackface wearing Mickey Mouse ears too?

C'mon! There's always going to be caracitures, guerilla theater, & whatnot. It's all part of what makes America great. I'm pretty sure that Barry O'Bama has a thick enough hide to weather something like this, & maybe even get a laugh out of it. Don't forget that he carried the ND primary with more votes than the entire republican turnout, & that was when there was still a 4 way republican race.

[chefmike]

I don't know if the skit was funny, it certainly sounds pretty lame...but I'll side with humor(or attempted humor) over political correctness every time...especially after what happened with Imus.

[muhmuh]

A man dressed as a woman (probably looking a total fool) gving a white man in black face a lapdance. Then cowboys having sex. Racism, homo and transphobias are still what they are. Just because it's being used humorously does not make it different.

1) theres nothing necessarily whateverphobic about these and none of us even saw it
2) i highly doubt a truely homophobic would be seen on stage in front of the entire uni acting like hes bumming a cowboy

[q1a2z3]

The word "homophobia" was invented by the gay mafia and there operatives in the APA. The word "homosexual" is an invention as well. Homo meaning self and sexual meaning sexual reproduction. It is impossible to have sex with ones self. Sex requires a man and a woman. "Homophobia" at best refers to self-phobia. Perhaps some people are afraid of their reflection in the mirror.

As far as making fun of people who are different than you are it's perfectly OK to do so. Everyone is free (so far as the left is not running the country) to have and express an opinion. Performing in black face is fun.

If the left had their way I couldn't watch Blazing Saddles make fun of Kansas City fagots, or Cleavon Little say, "Where the white woman at?" A good part for O'bama to play. Campus and other speech codes need to burn. I hear lots of anti-Christian speech here but I just ignore it.

[muhmuh]

The word "homosexual" is an invention as well. Homo meaning self and sexual meaning sexual reproduction.

do you actually believe the rubbish you post here or do you just make it up as you go along?

From Greek homo, same + sexuality, from Late Latin sexualitas, sexuality, state of being male or female
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/homosexuality

[BrendaQG]

muhmuh says two things.


1) theres nothing necessarily whateverphobic about these and none of us even saw it
2) i highly doubt a truely homophobic would be seen on stage in front of the entire uni acting like hes bumming a cowboy


1.) Could be a good point but I would say that if the descriptions given in the article I linked and all the media that has talked about it are faithful then yes it is homophobic.

2.) You really have no idea, no clue how backwards some of the thinking that goes on in universities can be. People in universities are free to think and encouraged to think unconventional things. That does not mean that it will always be in a liberal direction. Even in supposedly democratic states their are plenty of places where people can be very conservative. I am sure the "Saddle and Sirloin club" is just such a conservative group.

Lastly you cannot make excuses ( which I suspect are just to be contrary to me) for what happend on that campus..... then say that q1a2z3 said is un acceptable. Afterall it all in good fun.

[muhmuh]

1.) Could be a good point but I would say that if the descriptions given in the article I linked and all the media that has talked about it are faithful then yes it is homophobic.

and we all know how much the american media and people loves chewing up anybody who is even the slightest bit unpc


2.) You really have no idea, no clue how backwards some of the thinking that goes on in universities can be. People in universities are free to think and encouraged to think unconventional things. That does not mean that it will always be in a liberal direction. Even in supposedly democratic states their are plenty of places where people can be very conservative. I am sure the "Saddle and Sirloin club" is just such a conservative group.

1) this has nothing to do with what i said
2) ive been hanging out in universities long enough to have an idea what going on in there
3) youre sure its conservative based on what?
4) i still highly doubt an ultra conservative homophobe would be seen on stage in public acting like hes bumming/being bummed by another guy


Lastly you cannot make excuses

im not


( which I suspect are just to be contrary to me)

are we a little paranoid today?


for what happend on that campus..... then say that q1a2z3 said is un acceptable. Afterall it all in good fun.

except that q1jkl234kl234bj324lkj actually seems to believe in the rubbish he posts unlike those guys who just chose to ridicule eg the cowboy culture that likes to portrait itself in an ultra heterosexual way by doing the polar opposite

[BrendaQG]

1) this has nothing to do with what i said.

Yes it did . Your response assumed as many here are wont to assume that people at a university cannot be biggots. They can and are. (see Oral Roberts university, The Al-Azhar in Cairo). It's not always places you would expect it to be.


2) ive been hanging out in universities long enough to have an idea what going on in there

Again. You have to be assuming that all universities are alike.

How many? In how varied the locations? Campuses are like people. Each school has it's own personality. I can no more meet 100 people and say I know all people in the world in all their variety. This university is the first one I have heard of that even has something called a "saddel and sirloin club".


3) youre sure its conservative based on what?

It is mentioned in the story that the cowboys screwing each other rip up a Barrack Obama Campaign sign. The implication is clear that these are conservative people who are homophobic, transphobic, and racist. Who in their skit were playing on the fears that they share with their audience.




4) i still highly doubt an ultra conservative homophobe would be seen on stage in public acting like hes bumming/being bummed by another guy

Their is more than one way to look at things. We all bring our personal history to things like this. Your personal history is an experience of universities where truly racist or biggoted displays and acts don't take place. My experience is colored by an experience of a university where racism, ethnic ignorance, and generalized bigotry was too common.

I just can't help but think that such a school has to be closer to my experience.

[muhmuh]

Yes it did . Your response assumed as many here are wont to assume that people at a university cannot be biggots. They can and are. (see Oral Roberts university, The Al-Azhar in Cairo). It's not always places you would expect it to be.

nonsense i never said that


Again. You have to be assuming that all universities are alike.

stop putting words in my mouth if you dont want me to get tired of your way to discuss things very quickly


It is mentioned in the story that the cowboys screwing each other rip up a Barrack Obama Campaign sign. The implication is clear that these are conservative people who are homophobic, transphobic, and racist.

uhhh... no


Their is more than one way to look at things. We all bring our personal history to things like this. Your personal history is an experience of universities where truly racist or biggoted displays and acts don't take place. My experience is colored by an experience of a university where racism, ethnic ignorance, and generalized bigotry was too common.

no my expierience is that i look at things without trying to get offended at everything just for the hell of it
you clearly have no idea what taking the piss out of something/body means which also might be the reason why you dont understand how a truely homophobic person would never be seen on stange doing something such as this because his mates will take the piss out of him for that for the rest of his life which is something hed never risk if he wasnt feeling secure in his sexuality

[BrendaQG]

You do not have to write it to say it. You say "I cannot imagine homophobes doing acting like that in public on a stage at a university." That only makes
sense if you dont believe that bigots go to college.

Look pal. You have your beliefs I have mine. I look at whites in black face and see the old "Amos and Andy" show. I dont care how much time passes.

BLACK FACE SHOULD BE AGAINST THE LAW HERE AS THE SWASTIKA IS IN GERMANY.

It is a sign and symbol of oppression of black people.

There is more lifelike makeup to use for a white person to portray a black than ridiculous "black face"!

[muhmuh]

You do not have to write it to say it. You say "I cannot imagine homophobes doing acting like that in public on a stage at a university." That only makes sense if you dont believe that bigots go to college.

consider this a last chance to stop putting words in my mouth


BLACK FACE SHOULD BE AGAINST THE LAW HERE AS THE SWASTIKA IS IN GERMANY.

it isnt against the law in germany if you use it a whole bunch of contexts including art which this skit arguably might be considered as... and for the record its used in skits on german tv all the time

[guyone]

pc=newspeak

Embrace your future which will be a left wing jackboot stomping on a human face...forever!