Throw in Ward Churchill, the rapes of women by the football players and students from the ranches on the plains. The University of Colorado has an eclectic mix of activity. Boulder is diverse enough to overcome, I hope.
Posted by bbtb at November 21, 2005 05:58 AM
My dad's a CU alum.
Went courtesy of the GI Bill after having served in the Korean Conflict. Lived in a house off campus with a bunch of other engineering geeks. A pretty mixed crowd as he describes it.
What a beautiful place.
Sad that this kind of shit happens anywhere. Let alone someplace where the overwelming beauty of the environment instills such reverence in people.
Posted by muckcat at November 21, 2005 06:42 AMMaybe this is the consequence of the growing influence of the religious right (and its convergence with the white separatist movement) in Colorado.
Posted by Linda at November 21, 2005 07:48 AMUnfortunately, I think this is a long-term problem that has been ignored. I (white male) attend CU from 1978-1982, and felt at the time, that despite the liberal politics of the community and many in the University, racist attitudes were pervasive. It is an overwhelmingly white environment, and the desire seems to be to keep it that way. Black men and women seem to be regarded as second-class citizens. Until the University and Boulder both are willing to see this problem as a long-term problem, it will continue to fester and occasionally result in this kind of repugnant event.
Posted by Lukeness at November 21, 2005 10:46 AMWhen I was living in Co. Springs, CO, from 90-04, it was not uncommon to hear of racist activity up and down the front range. Including what happened to Matthew Shepard in Wyoming. It's usually a group of people who go and target select areas. Then they lay low, then their back at it again.
Linda, your right, there is a lot of Christian Reich stuff happening. Dr. Dobson and his Focus of the Family minions have their headquarters in Co. Springs.
Due to the heavy Military influence, this kind of crap is frowned upon in the Springs area. These boneheads are forced to start shit elswhere. It's the "not in my backyard" attitude".
Lukeness, I see your point. It's the same in almost every college town, the locals disposition is that they are above the rest. The sickening, we are not students, do your 4 years, please leave, highbrow attitude.
While I seriously doubt the greater mainstream fundies have anything to do with this (just not their style, since they prefer referenda, creationism, prayer in schools political movements and wailing about activists judges) it could be someone on the exreme of the fundies.
Also though I believe there is still a wacko neo-nazi, christian idenity type church in Colorado I chalk this up to the shift in our society to the Right.
I AM a CU alum. Both my degrees from there.
This kind of shit is not new at CU, no matter how much the admin. tries to whitewash it. You have a strong Young Republican presence at CU, coupled with the usual gang of Christian bigots running the state, and mix in with that the careless attitude toward any wrongs the football team players commit, and I think you see a campus out of control because Right and White trumps Diversity.
It's no surprise to me that there are ugly, bigoted assholes running around threatening other students. They don't perceive that anything will happen to them for spreading hate.
Posted by dejah thoris at November 22, 2005 02:15 PM