Okay... how's the racism? (Louisville, Bowling Green: equity, showing, job)

[Off Topic]

Not to beat a dead horse, but as a biased and proud UL grad, I wanted to follow up. Under the Drama Department, which they call the Theatre Arts Department, they say this about the African American Theatre Program:

"Founded in 1993, the African American Theatre Program is integral to the Theatre Arts Department. It develops theatre artists trained in the traditions of African American theatre and contributes to the multi-cultural arts movement. The AATP includes two Mainstage productions, community service and touring, and eight courses for graduate and undergraduate students. Subjects include theatre history, literature and performance, and theatre practicum. Undergraduates can earn a minor in African American Theatre or Cultural Performance. The minor in African-American theatre is unique among American universities." (emphasis added by me.)
Department of Theatre Arts > University of Louisville

Seriously, it's clearly a sub-section of the drama department and I'm sure no race is excluded from getting a minor in that subject, white or black. This is not segregation any more than a history department offering a minor in African American history.

[Weston270]

Originally Posted by rgrowley

I've not yet lived in Kentucky so I hope there is less racism than what I've experienced in San Jose, California. Being of Irish decent, I'm constantly put on the defensive in San Jose from African Americans and from Asian Americans, and from newly arrived immigrants.

My wife is Japanese making my kids a part of both our great cultures. I am planning a move to Kentucky and I don't want to be in the major cities because of the racial imbalance that is aside from the whole of the USA. I don't want my kids exposed to the racism I've experience in San Jose, so we are moving to one of the smaller towns.

Well considering that you have a family of as you say "two great cultures" you should take more pride in those two great cultures. I would say that that's where my mom went wrong with us as kids. She figured that moving into the country would be a better hide-out for an interacial couple. But actaully we've learned that in the country it's even worse. Because you have your hill-billies your country-hicks mainly white poeple. And they arnt too kind to new colored faces. I've had to get called outta my name a whole lot as a kid. And when i moved back into the town of Henderson it was more open to interacial couples. Be strong for your family's heritage and never believe that because of how you came out you have to hide your face. Help add on to different ethnicities of the city. It's truely beautiful......

[Weston270]

Well i would say that tha smallest country area for races is Providence Ky. But at the same time you do have your country bammers or hill-billies who wanna run colored faces out of there town. So it would be best to live in a small city in Ky. Because that exactly where my mom went wrong me and my brothers. We had to fight our whole life until we were moved back into civilization where there were more interacial couples and ethnic groups...

[Weston270]

Originally Posted by Weston270

Well considering that you have a family of as you say "two great cultures" you should take more pride in those two great cultures. I would say that that's where my mom went wrong with us as kids. She figured that moving into the country would be a better hide-out for an interacial couple. But actaully we've learned that in the country it's even worse. Because you have your hill-billies your country-hicks mainly white poeple. And they arnt too kind to new colored faces. I've had to get called outta my name a whole lot as a kid. And when i moved back into the town of Henderson it was more open to interacial couples. Be strong for your family's heritage and never believe that because of how you came out you have to hide your face. Help add on to different ethnicities of the city. It's truely beautiful......

Me and other's opinion

Weston

[KYcoyote]

Originally Posted by Off Topic

Seriously, it's clearly a sub-section of the drama department and I'm sure no race is excluded from getting a minor in that subject, white or black. This is not segregation any more than a history department offering a minor in African American history.

Y'all are misreading me, otherwise I stand corrected: reconnoitre actual attendance of the drama school / black arts combined program and it will be 100% black of course. Obviously it's segregated in practice if not through regulation (my assumption). And the program has been under tremendous attack from external influences.

What's important is there exists neither enmity nor envy on the part of white or black drama school students. Yet as the situation was described to me, it seemed blacks had lesser problem with segregation than did whites - there's the irony.

Undergraduates can earn a minor in African American Theatre or Cultural Performance. The minor in African-American theatre is unique among American universities.

Yes, yes and yes again!!! This distinguishing feature must never be lost, says me. And would be interesting to track the career paths of graduates to this program since 1993.

[Off Topic]

Originally Posted by KYcoyote

Y'all are misreading me, otherwise I stand corrected: reconnoitre actual attendance of the drama school / black arts combined program and it will be 100% black of course.

I don't think we can make that assumption at all. I was a history major at UL and took several classes in African American history. It was not 100% black students. I took an English course on women in literature and it was not 100% female.

And the program has been under tremendous attack from external influences.

I haven't seen any of that in the Courier-Journal, with my University friends, or anywhere on the internet.

Obviously it's segregated in practice if not through regulation (my assumption). And the program has been under tremendous attack from external influences.

I agree that the majority of students who participate will be black, just like the majority of students in a women's literature course will be women. But that in no way makes it a University of Louisville policy of segregation. If whites were precluded from that program or minor, then yes. But that's not the case. And it's certainly not an example of racism, which is what this thread is about. That's nothing more than students having a legitimate interest in their own culture and history.

What's important is there exists neither enmity nor envy on the part of white or black drama school students. Yet as the situation was described to me, it seemed blacks had lesser problem with segregation than did whites - there's the irony.

Perhaps because black students realize this is not an attempt by the University to segregate them - it's an attempt to celebrate and recognize their culture and history.

Really, I'm trying not to pick a fight, but you are way off base here if you are insinuating in any way that this is a policy of segregation or an example of racism.

[Storm_06]

Are there any black owned businesses in Owensboro? We've lived here for over a year and everytime you walk into a business..especially one that is not retail or a restaurant, you don't see many black people working there...and you sure don't see a black manager. I just wondered if any worked in offices and similar places like that? The black population just doesn't seem to be high here at all. Also, how many black churches are there?

[KYcoyote]

""And the program has been under tremendous attack from external influences.""

<<<<I haven't seen any of that in the Courier-Journal, with my University friends, or anywhere on the internet.


Huh?? Then you missed Klan leaflets circulated on campus lobbying and threatening to organize rally against funding of black theatre arts program circa 2005.

As I've said, course of instruction at drama school holds courses divided through attendance and intent along racial lines, thats all.

[Off Topic]

Originally Posted by KYcoyote

Huh?? Then you missed Klan leaflets circulated on campus lobbying and threatening to organize rally against funding of black theatre arts program circa 2005.

Let's put it this way - if the Klan is about the only one protesting about alleged reverse discrimination, then I think that puts this all into perspective. Anytime I find myself claiming one thing and the Klan claiming the other, I am very comfortable that I am in the right. I'm certainky not ready to agree that the KKK is the arbiter of what constitutes racism or reverse discrimination. And one protest by a fringe racist group hardly constitutes "tremendous attack from external influences." (Now, if you had said that the program is under occasional attack from a bunch of racist idiots, I would have agreed with you!)

Frankly - and I'm trying very hard not to get personal here - I am stunned you would cite a KKK protest to support your contention. Giving you the benefit of the doubt, I am assuming that you simply presented this as an argument that some dissent over this program exists. But let's face it, if the best you can come up with is that only the KKK thinks there is a problem, it shows how weak this argument is, imo.

As I've said, course of instruction at drama school holds courses divided through attendance and intent along racial lines, thats all.

Well, no, to be fair, that's not all your posts said. It was that UL had two separate drama programs - not true - that UL segregated those programs - also not true - that those programs were 100% black - also not true - and that the program was under tremendous attack from external influences - also not true unless you count a small group of racists handing out their pathetic leaflets.

I don't know how it was at your college, but it's not unusual at all for some classes to draw more heavily from one segment of society - mostly blacks in black history courses, mostly females in women's literature classes, and mostly Christians in a course about western religion, for example. That is not segregation, nor is segregation the intent of those classes. And more to the point, nor is that a policy of segregation by the university. That's just human nature.

The fact that people are interested in their own culture and history and are more likely to attend those classes is not segregation, is not a policy of segregation by the University, and most decidedly is not a sign of racism, which is what this thread is about. In fact, that this program exists with such success is an example of just the opposite.

I truly apologize if I seem harsh, but I sincerely believe your friend is completely off base on his portrayal of UL and this program.

[Off Topic]

I wanted to come back and make sure no one thinks I am implying that Kycoyote is sympathetic to or in agreement with the KKK. If my post implies that in any way, I apologize directly to him.

However, I stand by my opinion that the KKK is, in no way, shape or form, a legitimate source of opinion. Nor are they of any influence whatsoever to the overwhelming majority of people in Kentucky. To cite them as a source of "external influence" is - in my opinion - highly erroneous, since absolutely no one of importance or intelligence is influenced by their bigoted rantings.