Students discuss taboos about racism and oppression

Students challenged each other to make their voices heard at an open discussion about racism and the oppression of black people in the U.S. in the Stone Center on Monday night.

Spurred by the August shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and the subsequent grand jury decision not to indict Darren Wilson, the officer who killed him, UNC students organized the event to hear opinions on the decision and its implications.

The event began with four-and-a-half minutes of silence to commemorate the four-and-a-half hours that Brown’s body lay in the street after he was shot.

Junior Renisha Harris then called on the group to answer the question, “How do you feel about the system?”

After trading answers with a partner, students shared each other’s opinions, which prompted discussion.

Some students questioned why a taboo seems to exist on the topic of race, especially among white people.

“We love talking about race in the ’60s, when people were racist, and now we’re not anymore. That’s how we like to think about it. And if we start talking about race now, then we have to actually confront the idea that these things are still going on, that (people) are still racist, and we’re scared to think about that,” said sophomore Jacob Geller, who is white.

Senior Tomiko Hackett said white Americans can avoid thinking about the topic in their daily lives.

“(White) people are so oblivious — they’re so oblivious. They have no idea. They’re not forced to think about this. They don’t have to look at it, and when you bring it up with them, they are uncomfortable,” she said.

Students proposed improving education, especially within public school curricula.

Students suggested that schools teach issues of race not solely as related to the history of black communities, but also as a fight that continues today.

Participants called for including the discussion of other racial and ethnic minority groups as well.

“I know a lot of people in the Asian-American community avoid talking about this and that probably a lot of them would get offended if you talk to them about it,” said freshman Michelle Xia.

“Asian-Americans kind of occupy a gray space — they are a minority. We are people of color, yet in white society, they made up this notion they call the ‘model minority,’ and I think a lot of them have swallowed that shit.”

Participants discussed future demonstrations to further the conversation, including planning for students to raise their hands at noon Tuesday in class — a demonstration protesting police brutality.

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