"It's Just a Joke." All too often student groups, individuals, and
policies
are directed towards making jokes at the expense of marginalized groups of
color. Most recently, this brand of "humor," has
materialized in
advertisements for "Orgo Night." Every semester, the night before the
Organic Chemistry exam the Columbia University band plays in Butler Library
and the Barnard Quad as well.
Fine; however, this year's ad campaign includes a flyers that asks:
"Who Needs Ethnic Studies?"
On the left is a picture of Michael Jackson as a child
On the right a painted picture of Michael with pasty skin, exaggerated
features, (the semantics regarding how one would describe the rest of the
picture are sure to be varied)
Another that declares: "Mess with the Jews Will You?"
A picture of (recently deceased) professor Edward Said with an X through it
Yaweh: 1, Said: 0
Another asks "Remember Mogadishu?"
Another proclaims: "By and large, Barnard girls are bi and large with a
picture of the Barnard student featured on the MTV show "Rich Girls."