AS in the Shield!
Well sort of. The following is the relevant article By Dr. John Barton:
On Feb. 15 of this semester, Mr. Terrence McClain visited campus and presented a speech in Assembly entitled “I’m Still Standing, I’m Still Strong!” as a part of Black History Month celebration activities.
His presentation has since sparked somewhat of a buzz around campus in the form of some emails, weblog entries (including several anonymous entries from some “concerned students”), and cafeteria discussions.
Because of my own personal passion for issues of diversity and what I see to be its place in a faith based liberal arts institution, I desire to weigh in on the issues.
Let me begin by offering a few of my reflections on the speech.
While Mr. McClain is obviously an articulate and gifted communicator, some people-both blacks and whites-experienced it as an angry attack on white people in general and as working against diversity initiatives.
Personally, while I respect such perspectives, and those that offer them, I did not experience the speech the same way. The speech did have an in-your-face quality to it, but I did not experience it as an attack on me or anyone in the room.
I experienced it as a powerful example of the resolve that many African-Americans in this country have had to have in order to overcome and succeed and how many have had to defiantly fight for the opportunities that I have always been able to take for granted.
This does not mean, however, that we should not critique Mr. McClain. In fact, I think that respect for him requires a respectful critique. With that in mind, I offer a few observations about one part of his speech. It has been noted by others that the section of the speech which imagines a “world without black people” is taken (verbatim at points) from an internet e-story that is in common circulation.
In and of itself, I do not see that as a problem as long as the appropriate credit is given. There also seems, however, to be some questions concerning the accuracy of some of the details included in that section. Inaccuracies, if indeed present, are unfortunate and I would suggest they need to be investigated before the speech is used again in a public venue.
Nevertheless, I experienced theis section of the speech, despite its flaws as a powerful reminder that many black Americans have made many important contributions to our world and society, which is important to reiterate in a society that has historically dismissed not only the contributions of African Americans, but ofted thien very humanity as well.
Additionally, and somewhat ironically, I experienced the speech as not only commenting on extraordinary African American individuals, but also as commenting on an American system that, for all its shameful and monumental flaws, still provides an atmosphere for people to do extraordinary things, even for those who would have to fight from the under-belly of the systemin ways that I personally have never had to do.
This is not a Eurocentric defense of the greatness of the West. But it is an attempt to apply something I have learned from the African philosopher Kwame Gyekye: all cultures and societies have their vices and virtues, and successful cultural living requires being able to discuver both and discern between the two.
Not every speech can do everything, so in order for us to do what Gyekye calls us to do speeches will need to strongly reveal and criticize our society’s vices, while others will need to explore the virtues. I experienced Mr. McClain’s speech as a powerful example of the former. He highlighted and condemned some of the vices of our racist society, and in turn applauded some of those who achieved individual greatness despite overwhelming odds.
That is not the only message needed, but it is one that is needed and that is often neglected. Personally, therefore, I thank Mr. McClain for doing what he did so well. There is one more piece of this puzzle on which I desire to comment. Some of the anonymous student writers expressed concern that the speech did not match with either the College's academic standards (citing the questions about the accuracy and source of the "world without black people" section), or what they feel should be the criteria for the "spiritual" focus of our Assembly programs (citing what they experienced as a lack of spiritual perspective and a divisive tone).
Let me first respond with a brief comment about academic standards. While more could be said here, a quality liberal arts environment is one where there is an atmosphere where people have the opportunity and freedom to consider, openly discuss, critique, and investigate important ideas. In other words, I see these very discussions as evidence of a quality liberal arts environment. In response to the question of spiritual focus, let me comment briefly on the use of anonymity.
While I do think anonymity has its place (e.g. there have been many authors in history who have used it in order to say something important in what they considered a hotstile environment), anonymity can also create an atmosphere where writers are not as careful with their words and critiques as they would have been if their name had been attached.
In my opinion, such tendenciesd are evident as several of the student writers, for example, make indicting claims about Mr. McClain's motives, his "political agenda," and his lack of spirituality, which I am assuming is based only on reactions to the Assembly speech and not on a relationship or further dialog with Mr. McClain himself.
If my assumptions are correct, I encourage the students to reconsider such perspectives and I invite Mr. McClain to respond graciously to these young thinkers. What makes our liberal arts environment Christian is the opportunity for people to take part in even difficult discussions in an atmosphere where truthfullness is sought, and humility, forgiveness, respect, grace, and trust are offerred in other-worldy measure.
In the end, such an atmosphere cannot be created by a chapel program or speaker selection process; in the end, the responsibility for creating and maintaining such an atmosphere rests on each of us.
On Feb. 15 of this semester, Mr. Terrence McClain visited campus and presented a speech in Assembly entitled “I’m Still Standing, I’m Still Strong!” as a part of Black History Month celebration activities.
His presentation has since sparked somewhat of a buzz around campus in the form of some emails, weblog entries (including several anonymous entries from some “concerned students”), and cafeteria discussions.
Because of my own personal passion for issues of diversity and what I see to be its place in a faith based liberal arts institution, I desire to weigh in on the issues.
Let me begin by offering a few of my reflections on the speech.
While Mr. McClain is obviously an articulate and gifted communicator, some people-both blacks and whites-experienced it as an angry attack on white people in general and as working against diversity initiatives.
Personally, while I respect such perspectives, and those that offer them, I did not experience the speech the same way. The speech did have an in-your-face quality to it, but I did not experience it as an attack on me or anyone in the room.
I experienced it as a powerful example of the resolve that many African-Americans in this country have had to have in order to overcome and succeed and how many have had to defiantly fight for the opportunities that I have always been able to take for granted.
This does not mean, however, that we should not critique Mr. McClain. In fact, I think that respect for him requires a respectful critique. With that in mind, I offer a few observations about one part of his speech. It has been noted by others that the section of the speech which imagines a “world without black people” is taken (verbatim at points) from an internet e-story that is in common circulation.
In and of itself, I do not see that as a problem as long as the appropriate credit is given. There also seems, however, to be some questions concerning the accuracy of some of the details included in that section. Inaccuracies, if indeed present, are unfortunate and I would suggest they need to be investigated before the speech is used again in a public venue.
Nevertheless, I experienced theis section of the speech, despite its flaws as a powerful reminder that many black Americans have made many important contributions to our world and society, which is important to reiterate in a society that has historically dismissed not only the contributions of African Americans, but ofted thien very humanity as well.
Additionally, and somewhat ironically, I experienced the speech as not only commenting on extraordinary African American individuals, but also as commenting on an American system that, for all its shameful and monumental flaws, still provides an atmosphere for people to do extraordinary things, even for those who would have to fight from the under-belly of the systemin ways that I personally have never had to do.
This is not a Eurocentric defense of the greatness of the West. But it is an attempt to apply something I have learned from the African philosopher Kwame Gyekye: all cultures and societies have their vices and virtues, and successful cultural living requires being able to discuver both and discern between the two.
Not every speech can do everything, so in order for us to do what Gyekye calls us to do speeches will need to strongly reveal and criticize our society’s vices, while others will need to explore the virtues. I experienced Mr. McClain’s speech as a powerful example of the former. He highlighted and condemned some of the vices of our racist society, and in turn applauded some of those who achieved individual greatness despite overwhelming odds.
That is not the only message needed, but it is one that is needed and that is often neglected. Personally, therefore, I thank Mr. McClain for doing what he did so well. There is one more piece of this puzzle on which I desire to comment. Some of the anonymous student writers expressed concern that the speech did not match with either the College's academic standards (citing the questions about the accuracy and source of the "world without black people" section), or what they feel should be the criteria for the "spiritual" focus of our Assembly programs (citing what they experienced as a lack of spiritual perspective and a divisive tone).
Let me first respond with a brief comment about academic standards. While more could be said here, a quality liberal arts environment is one where there is an atmosphere where people have the opportunity and freedom to consider, openly discuss, critique, and investigate important ideas. In other words, I see these very discussions as evidence of a quality liberal arts environment. In response to the question of spiritual focus, let me comment briefly on the use of anonymity.
While I do think anonymity has its place (e.g. there have been many authors in history who have used it in order to say something important in what they considered a hotstile environment), anonymity can also create an atmosphere where writers are not as careful with their words and critiques as they would have been if their name had been attached.
In my opinion, such tendenciesd are evident as several of the student writers, for example, make indicting claims about Mr. McClain's motives, his "political agenda," and his lack of spirituality, which I am assuming is based only on reactions to the Assembly speech and not on a relationship or further dialog with Mr. McClain himself.
If my assumptions are correct, I encourage the students to reconsider such perspectives and I invite Mr. McClain to respond graciously to these young thinkers. What makes our liberal arts environment Christian is the opportunity for people to take part in even difficult discussions in an atmosphere where truthfullness is sought, and humility, forgiveness, respect, grace, and trust are offerred in other-worldy measure.
In the end, such an atmosphere cannot be created by a chapel program or speaker selection process; in the end, the responsibility for creating and maintaining such an atmosphere rests on each of us.
posted by an analytical college student | 2:31 PM
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