Students, Faculty React to Signs
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conservatives talk tony award winner guest directs ‘fiddler on the climate change roof’ page 3 page 4 THE CONCORDIAN VOL. 94, NO. 8 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2017– MOORHEAD, MINN. THECONCORDIAN.ORG ‘it’s the message behind them’: students, faculty react to signs BY KATELYN KASELLA behind them, and it’s especially how they [email protected] made students feel on campus.” Van Valkenburg explained that while the On Halloween night, posters saying “It’s posters’ words were not inherently incorrect, okay to be white,” appeared around Concor- the statement that they were making was dia’s campus. Although they have since been problematic. removed, students and the community are “From conversations with students, it’s still trying to make sense of the incident. similar to the ‘All Lives Matter.’ So yes, The signs, cited as racist and bigoted by that’s true, but put into the political context multiple students, were spotted on lamp of the nation, it wasn’t saying all lives mat- posts, residence halls, and multiple build- ter, it was shutting down a movement,” Van ings around campus. While it is unclear how Valkenburg said. many posters were hung up or who was be- Clements agreed. hind the incident, Student Government As- “It’s never been wrong to be white in sociation President Ahna Van Valkenburg America … but it’s just something that mi- confirmed that the incident is currently un- norities struggle with. It’s a power dynamic,” der investigation. Clements said. “The majority of the people According to the Washington Post, the haven’t lived those experiences of power dif- idea for the signs originated on the online ferences. We have to think with empathy and chat space 4chan last month as an attempt listen to those who have.” to feed social unrest and sway white Ameri- SGA released a formal statement shortly cans to far-right ideologies. Along with Con- before 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening, stating cordia, the signs have been spotted in Rocky that the organization “strives to provide Con- River, Ohio; at Montgomery Blair High cordia’s students with an inclusive and safe School in Silver Spring, Maryland; at the environment for all identities. We encourage Harvard Yard in Massachusetts and at the any student who has a political statement to University of Alberta in Canada. As for other make, to do so in a respectful manner. The colleges in the area, students at Minnesota means of which this individual or these indi- State University Moorhead and North Dako- viduals publicized their viewpoint does not ta State University say there were no posters promote inclusivity and civil discourse”. hung around those campuses. President Craft sent a statement to stu- While the posters at Concordia were dents and faculty around the same time, in quickly removed by students who found which he affirmed principles held by Concor- them, pictures of the incident quickly sur- dia, including the safety and dignity of every- faced on social media and different groups one and the importance of civil discourse. He on-campus took action. also stated that the signs did not follow the Junior Anita Ukpokolo, co-president of college’s display policy for hanging posters. the Black Student Union, said that the orga- “But following our policy is not enough,” nization provided a safe space on Wednes- Craft said in the email. “We must reject si- day morning, Nov. 1, for people to come in, lences that demean and exclude, and we talk and evaluate the situation. must engage open conversation about the “Some people came and just generally did experience of race on this campus and be- not know why people were upset about the yond.” signs and wanted to know,” Ukpokolo said. Dr. David Creech, professor of religion, “The background of the statement is all you said that while he appreciated the way Craft need. You don’t even need to ask people why framed many of the issues, he was not satis- they’re offended. If you do just a little bit of fied with the email as a whole. digging, you will understand why people are “I think the overall tone of the email was ANITA UKPOKOLO, FACEBOOK offended.” one of caution and not wanting to offend The posters appeared on campuses across the country Halloween night. At 1 p.m. on Wednesday, the SGA execu- someone who put up the signs,” Creech said, tive team met with Mikayla Clements, lead adding that he felt the importance of conver- commissioner of the Diversity, Equity and sation and uniqueness of this situation were to talk about.” around campus that countered the original Inclusion Commission, to discuss the situa- minimized. Clements, on the other hand, was very statement, bearing the words, “It’s not okay tion. Ukpokolo believes that both emails from satisfied with the way that students and ad- to be that kind of white.” They were removed “We started drafting an email, and we SGA and Craft failed to reach out to the mi- ministration reacted. within an hour. knew an email would just be a first step,” said nority groups that were most affected. “It’s a tough situation to respond to,” Cle- Creech summed up the meaning of his Van Valkenburg. “We had a lot of conversa- “It kind of just felt like it was othering the ments said. “I think they responded very signs, saying: “You can’t be a white who is tions with students who were upset. It’s hard students who felt attacked,” Ukpokolo said. quickly and were very thoughtful about their ignorant about the power and privilege that because it’s not the posters, it’s the message “I’m disappointed, but I’m still grateful they response.” comes with your whiteness, and you can’t be acknowledged this as something important On Thursday, Creech hung up posters a white supremacist.” remembering life of long-time political science professor dr. max richardson BY KATIE BEEDY South Dakota. develop the school’s Academic Integrity and I certainly loved it,” Gilmore said. “For [email protected] Richardson retired in 2015 and returned Statement and write a Credo course titled me, the measure of how good a teacher is is to Texas with his wife, Dr. Lisa Lee Sawyer, “The Reasons of Law: Contemporary Issues if I learn things myself, and I always learned Dr. Max Wayne Richardson, long-time who served for many years as a member of and Law and Psychology.” They also became things from Max.” professor of political science at Concordia Concordia’s music faculty. close friends. Richardson’s charm and intellect, ac- College, passed away Oct. 31, 2017, in his At Concordia, Richardson quickly gained “You know, there are some people who cording to Gilmore, is exemplified by his hometown of Lubbock, Texas. Those who a reputation as a master in his field. Semes- are just fun to be around because they know friendship with Alan Ryan, a former war- worked with and learned from Richardson ter after semester, his constitutional law a whole lot,” Covey said. “That was Max.” den at New College, Oxford and professor will miss his Southern drawl, quick wit, and and political philosophy classes filled with Dr. Richard Gilmore, professor and chair of politics at the University of Oxford. The incomparable intellect. students eager to learn from his experience. of the philosophy department, had several two met at a summer conference for college Richardson joined Concordia’s political “He was good at taking seriously the opportunities to experience Richardson’s professors in Washington, D.C. science department in 1990, serving as its things that needed to be taken seriously but teaching first-hand. The two co-taught mul- “This is the level of Max’s intelligence, I chair from 1993-2005. He held a bachelor’s also keeping things light. He was also in- tiple courses together, including a Credo think, that this really world-renowned in- degree in political science and a master’s credibly informative,” said Dr. Mark Covey, course titled “American Exceptionalism,” tellectual found Max’s company the best in history from Texas Tech University, as professor of psychology. “He taught me, and in 1997 led a May seminar to England, company that he could find in this group of well as a doctorate in political science from and many students, how to read a Supreme France, Italy and Greece. university professors,” Gilmore said. the University of Georgia, Athens. Prior to Court briefing.” “He was a raconteur. He loved to tell Concordia, Richardson served as an English Covey and Richardson came to Concor- stories. He would inform his teaching with instructor with the Peace Corps in Libya, dia in the same year and gravitated toward stories that were always amusing, interest- richardson: continued taught in the Glen Rose school system in each other during faculty orientation. They ing, relevant and appropriate. He was a Texas, and spent 20 years on the faculty at maintained a close professional relationship very lively teacher, very animated. Students on back page Black Hills State University in Spearfish, in the following years, working together to seemed to really respond to his teaching, INSIDE Contact Us Next issue: News Pages 1-3 E-mail: [email protected] Variety Page 4 Campus Mailbox: FPO 214 mental health awareness week Sports Pages 5-6 Online: theconcordian.org Opinion Pages 7-8 2 THE CONCORDIAN theconcordian.org • November 9, 2017 NEWS Trump not invited to Paris ` climate summit next month PARIS (AP) — French authori- being held at a global climate con- also when Macron is going to an- to come to France to work on cli- ties said President Donald Trump ference in Bonn, Germany.