Saturday, May 05, 2007

Goff: Burnette Reflects The Contempt of Many Towards Duke

Durham educator and artist, Malcolm Goff, offers a frightening perspective on North Carolina Central University student Solomon Burnette’s widely criticized call for violence in response to the exoneration of the three victims of the Durham Hoax. Not surprisingly, the Snooze Room has published Goff’s letter supporting Burnette's dangerous call to arms. Claiming that Burnette’s violent screed is representative of the feeling of the “community,” Goff, whose illustrations are featured in The Cost of Privilege: Taking On the System of White Supremacy and Racism, incredibly commends Burnette’s for “advancing the dialogue.” Further, Goff hypocritically suggests that the hate piece offered by Burnette, a repeat convicted felon whose most recent court appearance on drug charges was last Friday, somehow speaks to the ills of underage drinking. Blindly ignoring the unveiled racism displayed in Burnette’s published assault, Goff characterizes “Thug U” as an example of “right-wing blogger” racism.
Solomon Burnette's opinion piece in the Campus Echo, the student newspaper at N.C. Central University, may seem strong, but it reflects the contempt of many people toward Duke and a system that perpetuates rape in all its forms.

Much like the lacrosse case, rape is always an issue of power. It silences its victims and makes them feel like rape was their fault.

Because male privilege is written in our laws, actual rape is hard to prove in court. That does not mean a sexual assault did not happen March 13, 2006 at the Duke lacrosse house. Historically, the justice system ignored the rape of women of color by white men, so Burnette is justified in venting the frustrations of the community.

Burnette seems to be the target of a smear campaign by right-wing bloggers and reporter Ray Gronberg of The Herald-Sun. Gronberg quotes a blogger who said Burnette gives NCCU the image of "Thug U." This is a racist comment.

Unexamined is the image of Duke, which allows underage drinking and encourages male students to be violent with the excuse that "boys will be boys."

If there is to be any healing in Durham in regards to racism, double standards, sexual assault and power, then Burnette's underlying message must be understood. There is a culture of rape and racism throughout our country, and Duke is no exception. Burnette should be credited for advancing the dialogue.

Malcolm Goff
Durham
May 3, 2007
Goff’s effort to portray Burnette’s hate speech as a voice against "racism, double standards, sexual assault and power" epitomizes the hypocrisy that has defined the “community’s” year long crusade to advantage itself via the Hoax. Goff’s letter further demonstrates that in Durham the radical viewpoints expressed by Solomon Burnette and fellow NCCU student Chan Hall are shared by other kindred spirits well beyond the public utterances of a few misguided students.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mr. Goff has apparently discounted the complete lack of DNA, because "male privilege is written in our laws."

No it doesn't work that way Mr. Goff. DNA wasn't there because no Lacrosse players didn't go there.

I guess it is easier to believe a mentally ill person than to believe all the evidence to the contrary.

What a Bigot!

Anonymous said...

Where the Hell are the Feds?

There is a tussle in LA and the police there fire rubber bullets to break up a riot...and the FBI already has an investigation going into whether or not the rioters civil rights were violated.
http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173351066329

In Durham, the police lied under oath to get a nontestimonial order, perjured themselves on multiple occasions, conspired with a corrupt political hack DA to withold exculpatory evidence, and seemed more than happy to send three young men to jail for life for A CRIME THAT NEVER OCCURRED.

Where the hell are the feds?

Anonymous said...

Carolyn says:

There is nothing more sickening than a racist accusing others of racism while excusing his own racism because of his - race.

Anonymous said...

11;02
The Feds are not in Durham because the true victims are white and they don't have a bunch of race baiters like Jackson and Sharpton running around making false allegations of racial discrimination. No...these boys and their families acted with class and respect throughout...and they get shafted.

Anonymous said...

Got my Liestoppers kaki Blog Hoologan hat today, Have not wseen it advertised - Did you sell out? I ordered mine the first day.

Mandelbrot's Chaos said...

Mr. Goff wouldn't know a true, reasoned response to racism if it gave him an abbreviated strip show and falsely accused him and a couple of his buddies who weren't even there of rape... Wait, that didn't come out right. I have little doubt that in another age, both Goff and Burnette would've been right there with a bunch of rednecks stringing up an innocent person in a perverted way of seeking "justice." But this isn't a century ago. This is now, and what's happened now is a violent criminal has threatened to commit multiple violent crimes against the same type of people he's previously victimized. I wonder if this could be considered criminal conspiracy. Does North Carolina have Three Strikes?

Anonymous said...

Don't let goons like Goff get away with statements like this, because they are lies:

"male privilege is written in our laws". Where, Mr. Goff? Give some examples. This is a bullshit lie.

"Historically, the justice system ignored the rape of women of color by white men". Give examples, Mr. Goff. This is ANOTHER bullshit lie.

"There is a culture of rape and racism throughout our country". ONLY if you mean black-on-white rape and anti-white-racism.

I'll debate this thug anytime.

Anonymous said...

It is not a bs lie. women of color were raped from the minute they landed in Jamestown in 1619. By 1800, the white man's own census showed the majority of slaves in Virginia were mulatto. That is documented and in the library of congress. For them to be mulatto,they had a white parent and it sure is hell was not from a white female and a black male; it was from the white males and the black females and the sex was outright rape or coerced. Read slave narratives like Frederick Douglas or Incidents in the life of a slave girl or even about Thomas Jefferson and Sallie Hemmmings. Sallie Hemmings was a 15 year old child when she left France pregnant by Thomas Jefferson; Abigail Adams saw her and commented on this in her diary. The maid Strom Thurmond had a biracical daughter with was 15 years old,too. Statutatory rape and plain old rape by predatory white males was the way of the old south and the black man could be killed for defending his daughters or his wife or his mother. That is the derivation of the word mother f----r and why it is the worst curse in black vernacular, ie, it represents someone low down enough to rape a young mother in front of her children and husband with impunity and it originally was a curse reserved for white males. The word was originally "white mother raper" but since changed to the current term without the race specific. Look it up in the slang dictionary and see!

Anonymous said...

The lingering discussion of this case doesn't seem to have any balance. Both sides seem to talk in extremes. One side attempts to show the other the reality and perceived inequality of the American justice system many in this country face everyday, yet it does it way a manner that does not persuades the intended listeners to hear their message. While the other side refuses to recognize any other ongoing inequality except one dismissed case. More listeners and less extremest please.