Ah, the old reverse racism ploy as the go to response. Works ever time it’s tried… or not. 
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Well, if we are going to be use percentages such as these to determine hiring practices It would seem to me the one we ought to be looking at is the demographics of the area served by WWU students, aka the North Pacific Union Conference. Washington State or Eastern Washington would not reflect accurately.
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Yes, agree, would be useful to know and probably the most relevant.
Getting to the heart of the matter though, it’s drawing a long bow to indirectly assert that the racial makeup of the faculty has any bearing on the act in question vs say the diversity of the student body which is ignored.
To suggest that the university has a diversity “problem” is illogical without real facts. Is there any real evidence to suggest that non-white students from the student catchment choose to attend another school for a whole range of reasons unrelated to race, as with all prospective students.
Secondly, I am not sure of the quality of the journalism to then assert that this wouldn’t come as a surprise to non-white students and then quote from 2 students as decisive.
Agreed. It would be ideal if social justice, whatever the particular cause, happened organically. History shows us however that needed social change never takes place in that way. I believe these issues need addressing, especially in the Christian setting, when they are encountered. I’m not sure such things as quotas are the correct answer, but if not, then what?
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Of course social justice happens and has happened organically if you mean other than by edict. Laws are needed when they are needed but they nearly always follow organic change.
I would include aspirational targets and assistance in fostering the right culture within organisations as organic change. Quotas on the other hand cause resentment and undermine the culture.
If the leadership is broadly reflective of the racial background of the church in that part of the world there is nothing to be fixed. That probably won’t satisfy social justice warriors but if we had a college in Alaska they’d be agitating for more African Americans and women in the faculty.
Probably not. They’d be advocating for local minority population professors which in the case of AK would be Native inhabitants.
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Alaska college? Native women would probably be running it and there would be agitation for more men.
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Makes sense but the reality is that African American and gender issues dominate all such headlines. I think Native Americans are practically out of sight and mind. I’ll be waiting for the Academy awards when everyone pushes for leading roles for them or directors.
Well that’s what happens when everyone is put in a box defined almost entirely by their race or gender when we all know that we are much more complicated than that ie age, personality, ambition, looks, perseverance, height, weight, family, experience.
There are innumerable attributes other than race and gender that cut across those narrow bands that are used to discriminate against us and in our favour every day.
And there it is. Why are we putting everyone in boxes? There will be no end.
Yes, several. Now armed with that information, does it further the discussion any?
It’s amazing that somehow the one Seventh Day Adventist HBCU’s name would make it’s way into the comment section about ANOTHER SDA school’s racial social media issue. The exact same thing happened when spectrum reported on Southern. Deflection much? I have yet to ever see a report of racist activity at Oakwood University from students to others.
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“I have yet to ever see a report of racist activity at Oakwood University from students to others.”
Why do you think that this is?
I am curious if you view this photo from WW as racist?
There will never be an end in sight…the Adventist church has not been able to fix it either. A human issue.
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“I think Native Americans are practically out of sight and mind. I’ll be waiting for the Academy awards when everyone pushes for leading roles for them or directors.”
As you may know…there are/have been movies based upon the Native American perspective in movies but the issue is what sells tickets. There are Native American actors and an Indian Actors Association: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Native_American_actors
However, no one is going to be pushing for them anymore than they push for women directors though there are a few of them as well.
I think it’s a combination of things. Excellence is preached and pursued at Oakwood, and part of that mission statement and expectations are that we treat each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. Race based behavior between people of color (colorism, classicm, etc) is a slightly different phenomenon than what is seen in America between people of different races. While I am sure it is there in some way shape or form, in my 30+ years of growing up and now being employed at Oakwood I have not come across racism on campus between students internally or externally. Part of Oakwood’s strength is that it is a stronghold and haven against much of the behavior we see reported in the news against people of color, including racist behavior within the Seventh Day Adventist Church. It’s no secret that the University was called into existence and purpose as a place for former slaves to be educated through the ministry of Ellen G. White herself, and is still a necessary and powerful force within the educational arm of the church.
Now as to the authenticity of the image, one of the explanations I saw that made sense is that it has been changed from the original posting (the meme label, the change in font and the caption.) However, no one affiliated with the picture has made any such claim, which is what I would expect would immediately have been shouted from the rooftops if they were being erroneously accused of being racist. Basically, if the image is doctored it’s malicious libel, and if it is authentic it is more racist behavior we have seen before from so called Christians within the church.
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Thank-you for a very good reply.
I would expect (or at least hope) that there might be less racism at a historically black college, particularly a religiously based one. If a “strength” (i.e. value) of Oakwood’s is that they are mindful of why they were instituted in the first place- this is fantastic.
Agree with your analyst of the image. My best guest is that it was a horribly immature and racist thing (even if this was not intended) to stage and I am sure that the whole campus by now knows who the culprits are. Hopefully those young students mature and realize how offensive this can be to others.
I wonder if there are instances/claims of racism on overseas Adventist colleges/universities or if this is just an American phenomenon?
Would be interesting to know as culture and history is so different everywhere.
according to ‘thewrap.com’, the source of the power is a portion of a meteorite that allows (among other things) communication with the dead…real great for us as Christians, eh?