Yeah, I loved the guy who said "He's great and all, but I wish he did it at another university."

That student, Vinson Muhammad, says he was curious about the reasons why someone like Packwood would choose to attend an all-black college.

"I don't necessarily support him being here, but because he's here and we can't discriminate against other races, I support him and his mission to be successful in life," says Muhammad, a junior. "I just kind of wish he had done it at a different institution."

Oh Vinson... your fail is so epic

There's actually a lot to be impressed by in this story, the one stupid quote notwithstanding. And the valedictorian kid sounds like a pretty good guy.

I don't say this often as it is ghey, but my headline was oh so much better than this.

Good article.

I don't understand where the outrage would come from. Even the "worst" person in the article wishes him great success and got along with the guy. I can understand where he was coming from in a way, but the attitudes of others in the college are great:

"I think that it should be a wake-up call to an all black campus," says Muhammad. "At Morehouse we're supposed to be at the top as black men. We only have a few white students and to see a white student will rise to this - is something unsettling to me because it shows that we need to work harder."

Inspiration and motivation instead of hate. Amazing, isn't it?

I was actually pretty impressed. There doesn't seem to be much reverse racism at all. Even the guy who wasn't ok with him at first think that his success should be a model.

You can't say that minorities at other college campuses are treated as well.

I'll take "Maybe there's no media outrage because Vinson Muhammed is just some nobody college kid?" for $800 please, Alex.

Even worse is this:

"They approached me and said, 'Yeah, I have a problem with you being valedictorian. I know you've earned it and even though I know you on a personal level - I like you a lot - but it disturbs me that out of roughly 3,000 black men - there's not one that's done as well as or better than you academically,' " says Packwood.

They all had an equal opportunity. They're upset that a white guy outperformed every kid at the school? Something is very wrong with that picture. It sounds like they see him as having taken an opportunity away from a black student, when he didn't at all.

Epsilon: Even worse is this:

"They approached me and said, 'Yeah, I have a problem with you being valedictorian. I know you've earned it and even though I know you on a personal level - I like you a lot - but it disturbs me that out of roughly 3,000 black men - there's not one that's done as well as or better than you academically,' " says Packwood.

They all had an equal opportunity. They're upset that a white guy outperformed every kid at the school? Something is very wrong with that picture. It sounds like they see him as having taken an opportunity away from a black student, when he didn't at all.

It seems to me that they're upset at themselves for letting this happen. See what I quoted above. If they're supposed to be the best, and they let "an outsider" do better than them, then they need to work harder. They don't blame him, they know he earned it, they blame themselves.

Once again, inspiration and motivation, not hate.

what_now: I was actually pretty impressed. There doesn't seem to be much reverse racism at all. Even the guy who wasn't ok with him at first think that his success should be a model.

You can't say that minorities at other college campuses are treated as well.

The most impressive thing about that article I believe is the school itself. Integrity isn't just a word there, that's cool.

well if nothing else that just decided my first born's name...

Packwood FTW!

"[attending a black college] came naturally to Packwood, who attended a predominantly black high school."

OK, so, I respect his decision and all, but sounds to me like the equivalent of "just going to state."

He opted for his comfort zone instead of really breaking free of his childhood bonds and hitting NYC. And then he excelled grade-wise. Big surprise there.

He'll get assassinated at the podium...

One white guy out of 3,000 black guys and HE'S the one named "Packwood". Ironic?

Car_Ramrod: Epsilon: Even worse is this:

"They approached me and said, 'Yeah, I have a problem with you being valedictorian. I know you've earned it and even though I know you on a personal level - I like you a lot - but it disturbs me that out of roughly 3,000 black men - there's not one that's done as well as or better than you academically,' " says Packwood.

They all had an equal opportunity. They're upset that a white guy outperformed every kid at the school? Something is very wrong with that picture. It sounds like they see him as having taken an opportunity away from a black student, when he didn't at all.

It seems to me that they're upset at themselves for letting this happen. See what I quoted above. If they're supposed to be the best, and they let "an outsider" do better than them, then they need to work harder. They don't blame him, they know he earned it, they blame themselves.

Once again, inspiration and motivation, not hate.

This¹⁰.

/This is why I enjoy reading Fark, there is always someone who can put my thoughts in words in a much simpler, more eloquent way than I ever could.
//Plus there are boobies.

Meh, the guy sounds like a typical Packerwood

Think of it this way, The school has been made better academically because of him, but there basketball team might have suffered.

overall....break even.

"I don't think ethnicity makes the difference; it's what's in his heart."

So...why are we talking about this?

Tolerance is allowance, not acceptance.

FTFA: Morehouse, in Atlanta, Georgia, is one the nation's most prestigious universities of its kind.

I love when they thrown in those qualifiers.

"Oh, it's great! ... for a black school."

Car_Ramrod: Epsilon: Even worse is this:

"They approached me and said, 'Yeah, I have a problem with you being valedictorian. I know you've earned it and even though I know you on a personal level - I like you a lot - but it disturbs me that out of roughly 3,000 black men - there's not one that's done as well as or better than you academically,' " says Packwood.

They all had an equal opportunity. They're upset that a white guy outperformed every kid at the school? Something is very wrong with that picture. It sounds like they see him as having taken an opportunity away from a black student, when he didn't at all.

It seems to me that they're upset at themselves for letting this happen. See what I quoted above. If they're supposed to be the best, and they let "an outsider" do better than them, then they need to work harder. They don't blame him, they know he earned it, they blame themselves.

Once again, inspiration and motivation, not hate.

Dude, you're missing the point. The point is that "he" isn't one of "them."

For the record, I don't care what some loser who went to a race-based institution says, or that some kid was obviously whoring for attention by going to a nearly all-black college

Except for a few obviously bitter underachievers, the school's outlook seem very impartial and impressive.

I'm curious why this is under the "politics" tab.

flashfry: "[attending a black college] came naturally to Packwood, who attended a predominantly black high school."

OK, so, I respect his decision and all, but sounds to me like the equivalent of "just going to state."

He opted for his comfort zone instead of really breaking free of his childhood bonds and hitting NYC. And then he excelled grade-wise. Big surprise there.

Not really. I think there is a big step between going to a predominately black high school and a HBC. That would be like a woman going to a predominately male high school and then going to the Citadel. BIG difference.

For more than a century, the school has prided itself on personifying the dream of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., one of the school's most notable alums, by producing "Morehouse Men" - intelligent and successful black leaders.


King wasn't even around a century ago.

When is the rioting and protests set to begin?

what_now: I was actually pretty impressed. There doesn't seem to be much reverse racism at all. Even the guy who wasn't ok with him at first think that his success should be a model.

You can't say that minorities anyone at other college campuses are treated as well.

ftfy.

nobody gets much customer service or built-in camaraderie in college these days unless they attend a specialty school like this one or come pre-involved somehow. Slippin' through the social and academic cracks is hardly a minority thing anymore.

Hot Lunch: Car_Ramrod: Epsilon: Even worse is this:

"They approached me and said, 'Yeah, I have a problem with you being valedictorian. I know you've earned it and even though I know you on a personal level - I like you a lot - but it disturbs me that out of roughly 3,000 black men - there's not one that's done as well as or better than you academically,' " says Packwood.

They all had an equal opportunity. They're upset that a white guy outperformed every kid at the school? Something is very wrong with that picture. It sounds like they see him as having taken an opportunity away from a black student, when he didn't at all.

It seems to me that they're upset at themselves for letting this happen. See what I quoted above. If they're supposed to be the best, and they let "an outsider" do better than them, then they need to work harder. They don't blame him, they know he earned it, they blame themselves.

Once again, inspiration and motivation, not hate.

Dude, you're missing the point. The point is that "he" isn't one of "them."

For the record, I don't care what some loser who went to a race-based institution says, or that some kid was obviously whoring for attention by going to a nearly all-black college

Fail.

/Too lazy to point out the reasons why.
//Yes, I know, you're probably going to point out that this is probably a fallacy in my "fail" argument.
///It isn't, it's just indicative of my laziness.

septic_mouth: King wasn't even around a century ago.

But his dream was.

I'm a little worried that the future African-American leaders of America are a bunch of racists.

what_now: I was actually pretty impressed. There doesn't seem to be much reverse racism at all. Even the guy who wasn't ok with him at first think that his success should be a model.

You can't say that minorities at other college campuses are treated as well.

RichieLaw: flashfry: "[attending a black college] came naturally to Packwood, who attended a predominantly black high school."

OK, so, I respect his decision and all, but sounds to me like the equivalent of "just going to state."

He opted for his comfort zone instead of really breaking free of his childhood bonds and hitting NYC. And then he excelled grade-wise. Big surprise there.

Not really. I think there is a big step between going to a predominately black high school and a HBC. That would be like a woman going to a predominately male high school and then going to the Citadel. BIG difference.

It's like the differnce between surprise butsecks and shock and awe butsecks?

Before you get your panties in a twist over subby Mctroll's headline, think about this: would you prefer that people lied about their racist tendencies, suppressing them until they become something nastier, or would you rather people were harmlessly open and honest about their feelings of resentment?

These comments are racism in words, not deeds. Real racists do things that hurt people. These comments are not a form of discrimination. It's just refreshing honesty, imho.

septic_mouth:
King wasn't even around a century ago.

Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true.

Edsel

Fooolks!

There's just something so very...backwards about this story...I can't...put...my...finger...on...it.

I think you guys are missing the point of the headline here, whether or not what the guys said were right or wrong isn't important, it's that if it was a white guy who said it about the one black guy at an otherwise all-white university he'd be branded as a HORRIBLE RACIST OMG HATE CRIME and Al Sharpton would immediately do the rounds with the various news organizations condemning him, etc etc etc.

If it was a black guy at an all white university the focus would be almost entirely on the shiat the guy was catching for it and how heroic he was for putting up with it all, rather than them taking a few potentially offensive comments but writing them off as the opinion of an insignificant minority.

so is it easier to become valdictorian at an all black school?

/ducks and runs

I was listening to the Tavis Smiley show this morning and this subject came up. He and his panel agreed - the guy deserved the honor and the haters should step back. It was the first time I had ever heard such agreement on his show.

Guess people are finally growing up, despite the media's need to highlight the one or two outraged azzholes in any crowd.

I'm not big on race-baiting type stuff, but seriously, if you simply switched the word "white" for "black" and vice versa in that article it would be considered at least borderline racist by many people.

pretend that this is a black guy who is the valedictorian and its white students who say

"One guy came up to me and told me -- he didn't like the fact that I was here," recalls Packwood. "He absolutely didn't like the fact that I dated white women."

or

"Yeah, I have a problem with you being valedictorian. I know you've earned it and even though I know you on a personal level - I like you a lot - but it disturbs me that out of roughly 3,000 white men - there's not one that's done as well as or better than you academically,"

or

"I think that it should be a wake-up call to an all white campus," says Muhammad. "At Prescott (random generic private school) we're supposed to be at the top as white men. We only have a few black students and to see a white student will rise to this - is something unsettling to me because it shows that we need to work harder."



straight out of the 1940s and 50s ladies and gentlemen

/oh, but its not "hate" its "inspiration"

"The interesting thing about Josh's experience is that he had a full Morehouse experience," says Hudson. "When he marches across the stage on May 18 and receives his diploma, he's going to be a Morehouse Man in every way -- except ethnicity."

they are still tools...

RichieLaw: Fail.

/Too lazy to point out the reasons why.
//Yes, I know, you're probably going to point out that this is probably a fallacy in my "fail" argument.
///It isn't, it's just indicative of my laziness.

Oh man I am so not taking the bait

The longer the media continues to report on the divide between blacks and whites, the longer it will continue. Like it or not, we need to stop sensationalizing events where whites and blacks intermix. How the hell is it relevant anyway?

FTFA: Life hasn't always been easy for Packwood. He grew up in a poor area of Kansas City, Missouri, where he says he found himself gravitating to the black community at a young age.

Adolescence was rough. His mother's second marriage to a black man ended in divorce and family tension forced him to seek refuge with his best friend's family - who were black and middle-class.

So the poor guy had it so rough that he had to hang out with black people. The horror!

Does no one see the inherent racism in this statement?

CNN Sucks!

linoleum knife: RichieLaw: flashfry: "[attending a black college] came naturally to Packwood, who attended a predominantly black high school."

OK, so, I respect his decision and all, but sounds to me like the equivalent of "just going to state."

He opted for his comfort zone instead of really breaking free of his childhood bonds and hitting NYC. And then he excelled grade-wise. Big surprise there.

Not really. I think there is a big step between going to a predominately black high school and a HBC. That would be like a woman going to a predominately male high school and then going to the Citadel. BIG difference.

It's like the differnce between surprise butsecks and shock and awe butsecks?

Yes!

/You sir, are full of win.

boobsrgood: Before you get your panties in a twist over subby Mctroll's headline, think about this: would you prefer that people lied about their racist tendencies, suppressing them until they become something nastier, or would you rather people were harmlessly open and honest about their feelings of resentment?

These comments are racism in words, not deeds. Real racists do things that hurt people. These comments are not a form of discrimination. It's just refreshing honesty, imho.

...........Unless a White Guy says it of course


/went to a predominately black school, couldn't wait to get the hell out of there.
//All you white apologists, they don't want you there, believe it

I read his last name as "Peckerwood"

Is that bad? Should I not have done that?

3 G's: I'm not big on race-baiting type stuff, but seriously, if you simply switched the word "white" for "black" and vice versa in that article it would be considered at least borderline racist by many people.

Meh. It's not like the guy beat the crap out of him for being a whitey at the black school. All he said is "I don't like it, but I'll support it anyway", which is the right thing to do, white or black.