Oberlin Black Students Union list of demands

False, none are valid is the correct response.

To hit on a few: Buildings are named after donors. Without donors, you don't have said buildings.

Safe Spaces ? They are your dorm rooms/apts. The growing culture of not having to face unpopular opinions or something that is different than your own is what will makes situations worse. If you only talk to people who believe the same exact things as you do, you do not grow and do not understand other viewpoints (very ironic). College is supposed to be melting pot and introduce you to worlds different than your own. Oddly enough, designating "safe spaces" implies all other areas are not. Tell me how a group of Black students segregating themselves helps? The objective should be to INFORM and generate IDEAS with other people. Talk shit out and find solutions instead of running to hide in a room that gives you the sense of fake security. College is to prepare you for your adult world. You will HAVE TO work with people who don't believe in the same things you do. There are no "Trigger Warnings" for real life, you will have to be responsible for your own emotions and actions.

"Seeing as how we know that the Prison Industrial Complex sends disproportionate numbers of Black men to prison, this Bridge program will reflect this college’s commitment to social justice initiatives for Africana peoples." Hey parents, send your kids here and they'll be going to college with felons! How about black students study why black men commit a disproportionate amount of violent crimes (not institutional discrimination) in the United States? Why can Latinos, Asian, and all other non whites abide with common law? Why do Asians have the lowest incarceration rate? Why is the black on black crime never addressed in the black community? Everything on this list seems to have an undertone of "We don't want to fix us, fix us for us."

The food thing kills me as well. Not on the "list" but definitely should be addressed. School cafeterias having bad food????? NO WAY!!!! I'm sure the staff in the cafeteria is probably undermanned and under paid (like most schools are). They tried to give students something different and try to accommodate but it sounds like it missed its mark. At least they tried. What if they only served Italian cuisine? Would there be people calling racism since they only served one country's dishes? More than likely, so what better? Trying new things or staying with watery spaghetti all day every day?

This should be about Racial Equality, which I am 110% for. This demand list is "Black students should have this", not "all students should have". This demand list is trying to hold the college hostage and its not concealed. The demands are irresponsible (all of these demands will cost extra staffing and extra money, where is the extra money coming from?) and, ironically, unethical. Colleges should not cater to one group, they need to cater to EVERYONE. Instead of acting like a petulant child, stomping your feet yelling "I WANT, I WANT, I WANT!", you should act and demonstrate the change.

The biggest point here is GO TO COLLEGE SOMEWHERE THAT MORE CLOSELY ALIGNS WITH YOUR BELIEFS. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE. There are different religiously affiliated colleges you can go to if that is a large part of your life. If you want to party, go to the University of Colorado.

/r/oberlin Thread Parent Link - docs.google.com