In the White Bubble, racism can be kitsch and fun!
JC
We have been noticing a recent rash of “thug” and “ghetto” parties. This past week, one at Highland Park High School and one at the University of Chicago. At Highland Park High, students came dressed up in afro wigs, sporting gold teeth, and wearing baggy jeans. These special kids don’t limit their mimicry to blacks, though. They have been known to get geared up for “Fiesta Day,” too, which is meant to “honor” Hispanic heritage. How this activity can be thought of as “honoring” is beyond me. One kid showed up with a LEAF BLOWER. Yea, real respectful. The Dallas Morning News reports:
Students at Highland Park High School dressed as gang members, rap stars, maids and yard workers this month during homecoming week – a tradition one Dallas civil-rights leader says is racially insensitive.
“The scary part of something like this is you have to wonder how long these kids will continue to think this way,” said Bob Lydia, president of the Dallas chapter of the NAACP. “These kids will be leaders of this country one day.”
I love that the school’s administrators show no concern for the racism that is behind this event. For them, it is more a matter of keeping the school disruption-free. Race is of course never mentioned here.
“The bottom line is that we need to maintain a healthy learning environment with no disruptions,” Mr. Cates said. “When a few students take the opportunity to dress up and use it to make an inappropriate statement, we have a problem, and we will address that problem.”
“Inappropriate statement” to say the least! Perhaps because the adults show no sign of trying to deal with this in a responsible way and fail to realize the problematic nature of these “theme” days, the students are following in line. Hey, it’s no big deal. They’re just having fun.
Students interviewed outside the school Thursday generally thought the reaction to the theme days Oct. 3 to 7 was overblown and that the activities were not offensive to minorities. “Thug Day’s been around as long as I can remember,” said senior Ben Paschal. “This is the first time people have gotten upset about it.”
Lauren Perella said she wore a “wife-beater” tanktop and tennis shoes with only one sock. “We’re just having fun,” she said.
And everyone’s favorite, “but we make fun of whites too” argument. And it’s great — how do they do that? By having a *Country Club Day*. Hardly the same thing. AND piled on to that, the excuse of tradition. So, we should all continue racist practices without question in the name of tradition??? If we kept everything due to tradition, I don’t have to tell you how much uglier our country would be. We all know what this country’s so-called traditions have looked like.
Elizabeth Carlock, the senior class president, said there’s nothing racist about Thug Day. “We had a ‘Country Club Day’ last year, and I don’t see any difference between dressing up in country-club style and dressing up thug,” she said. “We weren’t being racist. It’s Highland Park tradition.”
What is to blame for these ridiculously insensitive displays? Perhaps the fact that they are living in their own “White Bubble.” Without exposure to people of other races, they buy into the stereotypes — so much so, that they even celebrate them. God, imagine what it was like to be one of the SIX black students at this school on thug day?! 
:(
“The reality is that they’re ignorant of the lives of nonwhites – it’s like a parallel universe,” said Charles Gallagher, a sociology professor at Georgia State University who studies white perceptions of race. He has tracked the recent rise of racially themed events, such as so-called “ghetto parties,” on university campuses.
“You have a community of adolescents who live in a complete white bubble,” Dr. Gallagher said. Many Park Cities residents refer to their community as “The Bubble.” “If they have interactions with blacks or Hispanics, it’s typically someone serving them a soft drink or the Mexican who cuts their lawn.”
Highland Park High’s student body is about 94 percent white. The school has six black, 65 Hispanic and 32 Asian students.
And the final word from Highland Park’s brilliant senior class prez:
Elizabeth said both controversial theme days should continue, but that administrators should be more vigilant about sending home students who dress inappropriately. “I apologize for the few students who were dressed inappropriately,” she said. “But we were not being racist.”
OK, you keep believing that. But I may send you a letter saying otherwise. 
The scary thing is that these kids will graduate in May and bring these parties to their college and university campuses. Hey, it’s already happening in places like the University of Chicago. But I think I already wore myself out on Highland Park High….so…..Check out UChicago’s “Straight-Thuggin Ghetto Party” on your own here. Basically, the same crap, different party — at least on the college campus there is a little more being done to address the racist party.
Also, check out this article that addresses the whole idea of racism as kitsch, by analyzing the whole Abercrombie and Fitch t-shirt debacle.
Susan Ayoob wrote:
I’m intrigued to read that this is not in fact an isolated phenomenon and that the party that my younger brother told me about attending a few weeks ago is only a symptom of the wider problem of ISOLATED WHITE SUBURBAN KIDS NOT KNOWING HOW TO HANDLE RACE. My brother, who like me is half Mexican, is an undergrad and though he has a very diverse group of friends, some of his white friends invited him a while back to a “Dirty Mexican” party, and to my dismay my brother told me that he attended and was “the only one who really dressed up”. I suppose this illustrates the fact that there are two ways to respond to a situation like this- mine, which is to reject the notion of such a party as ignorant and racist, and then there’s my brother’s response, which is to have a sense of humor about it and figure that if these people are really his friends, they’ll get a little educated at some point. One would hope.
Posted 30 Oct 2005 at 4:00 pm ¶
Kaonashi wrote:
I’m familiar with both schools, and unfortunately the student body at Highland Park HS are really just that ignorant and clueless to think that *it’s like…so totally harmless..WOOT!” I’m seriously disappointed with the University of Chicago though; they have a reputation for not tolerating that sort of crap.
What’s really sad is that a lot of these kids have small minds to match their small suburban towns, and after graduation they are flocking to Chicago (mainly Lincoln Park and the Gold Coast) in droves. Needless to say, the ignorance factor in those areas are apalling; more than one person has told me that the prevailing attitude is very nasty, pretentious and bigoted, and one of them was white and from the Deep South; she was very insulted that people assumed that she was bigoted as well. Chicago already has a not so nice rep for segregation and these asshats are making it worse.
Posted 30 Oct 2005 at 10:49 pm ¶
the joy princess wrote:
I am black and I have very little sympathy for black students who get mad at such things. Those white kids are playing with a thug image as introduced and perpetuated by other blacks, mainly in some aspects of hip hop and the popular culture at large!!! They can’t get mad at the white kids if they are not going to be disgusted with the images put out by the people who share their skin color. It’s the same with use of the N word and it’s a two way street. Yes, those white kids need to get a freaking clue about the diversity of people of color and learn about historical and contemporary realities of our lives but so do the black kids who want to whine about it and not protest the singers and actors who make money off these thug images.
Posted 31 Oct 2005 at 2:25 pm ¶
Luke wrote:
Woah woah woah, hold the phone. “Those white kids are playing with a thug image as introduced and perpetuated by other blacks […].” I don’t think that’s even the main issue here, whether or not black student introduced this “thug” image. But to say that you aren’t really sympathetic to black studnets “who get mad at such things” is to say for example that Mexicans shouldnt be offended when the World Wrestling Entertainment show has a group called “Mexicool” that come out riding commercial lawn mowers and waving rakes, because by your own logic, Mexicans should stop working in the landscaping business and furthering that imagery. You don’t feel sympathetic to the black students yet I see that you protest the white students’ general ignorance. At the base level, these “costumes” that they’re donning is just the modern form of putting burned cork all over your face: it’s only “funny” and a “costume” because what was once a minstrel show meant to malign the intelligence of black is now a new minstrel show meant to characterize them as “thugs” by exact phrase of the event itself. The usage of “thug” says it all: these white kids can throw around irrelevant “gang” signs, strike various nonsensical “poses,” and talk with various forms of stereotypical slang all negatively and falsely associated with black culture in the name of satire. How much of a coincidence is it that being a “thug,” someone, who by definition is a “hoodlum,” somehow falls into every white pop culture stereotype/misconception of what black people dress, talk, and act like?
But you are right about one thing, though. It is a two way street–for who it is that buys into stereotypes. Because its not only white people that buy into stereotypes about blacks…
Posted 01 Nov 2005 at 2:15 am ¶
Kathryn wrote:
“God, imagine what it was like to be one of the SIX black students at this school on thug day?!”
Speaking as a student from Highland Park High School, one who joined in the “festivities” of Homecoming week, I feel obligated to point at that a black student was wearing the most considerably offensive outfit on “thug day”. I also feel obligated to point out that we, as a “bubble”, are already ridiculed enough everyday just because we are fortunate. I have lived here most of my life. I drive a car older than me that on any given day might not start. I go on mission trips out of the country AT LEAST 5 times a year to help the people you accuse me of mocking. I am not naive. I know what’s out there; I have seen what’s out there. I thank God everyday for how lucky I am and how fortunate I am to be as well-educated as I am. I see education in Highland Park as a luxury. While you are busy judging me for being judgemental, I suggest realizing your own fault. You are generalizing my family and friends. There are a select few that do not understand, but they are young. They are lucky, too. They don’t know how terrible and cruel the real world can be. They will though. Are you only racist if you are “mocking” the minority? I guess it is a double standard. It is only stereotyping when it is to a group of people “weaker” than you, or is stereotyping also something that an article can do to a fortunate group of people because of some out-of-context words. Choose your words wisely because I am not a racist.
Posted 01 Nov 2005 at 4:57 pm ¶
Luke wrote:
Hold The Phone: Chapter 2
Ah, the old “double standard” gambit. First, let’s define what a “minority” is. By definition, a minority is not purely by the numbers or as most Americans tend to think “colored people.” Rather, a minority is any group that is underrepresented in any facet of life. Women are a minority in US Politics yet they make up over half of the world population. Asian Americans represent a minority presence on most college campuses even though pop culture seems to think that a “crowd” of Koreans in front of a library means that “there’s SO many Asians here.” I see that at my own school, the University of Washington. If you looked at the numbers, Asians dont represent the number of total students that most people think. When people estimate, they say Asians number over 40% which is hardly the case. But anyways, nobody is saying that every white kid that goes to a “good” school with a majority of white people is Paris Hilton: overly-materialistic, self-centered, and completely racist. And I really think you bringing up your own people-helping pursuits (you drive an older car, you help out on missions, etc) is indicative in that you try to immediately say “well I cant be racist because I do this and that.” I’m not judging your character and what you’ve done in your life. Nobody questions that you’re thankful for what you have and what you’re doing. I’m judging this act of dressing up “thug” as kids in your school did.
What is offensive, to be clear, is the usage of pop-culture conceptions of black stereotypes in the name of fun, goofing off, and what not. Let’s make a clear, clear distinction here because I sense a lot of you are just seeing the “R” word and running into a wall. The “comedy” of dressing up as a “thug” comes because for the most part, white kids are doing it and when a white kid dresses up like that, it’s funnier because it “doesn’t look right.” Seth Green’s character in Can’t Hardly Wait was “funny” because he was white, wore FUBU and talked “like dis yo.” This “dressing up” is offensive because it relies on racial stereotypes that to its least common denominator are that blacks dress like this, don’t talk in “the king’s English” and are somehow gang-affiliated with a preference for “iced out” jewelry.
So what if the black student wore, supposedly, the most offensive outfit? Women can’t be sexist to other women? Blacks can’t be racist to other blacks? One or a few people of color do not speak for their entire race(s) and do not make it ok for others to follow suit. I’ve got Jewish friends and what if they find it funny when I say “that guy Jew’ed me out of a tip!” Does that make its ok for me to say that on the bus? In public at the mall? I’ve got Jewish friends. I go on regular missions to Israel every summer. I’m signed up to serve in the Israeli army. I know Hebrew. My cousin is half-Jewish. I love Jewish food. I wear a Star of David just to show my support. I really like Natalie Portman movies. I could go on and on and I hope you get the point. There is nothing, absolutely nothing I can do to give me allowance to make offensive comments about Jewish people. It doesn’t even matter if I’m Jewish myself! Again, women can be sexist to women, Asians can be racist to other Asians, blacks to blacks, etc.
Posted 01 Nov 2005 at 8:36 pm ¶
Sally Soccermom wrote:
Dearest Kathryn,
Uh, I like totally agree with your post, Mmmkay? It must be so utterly intolerable to face life every day being ridiculed for your privilege. Additionally, how wretched one must feel to have to drive an ancient automobile through the McMansionized streets of Highland Park on your way to Starbucks or whichever B-grade apparel store you prefer at the local mall, when all your friends are driving Hummers. And all because Daddums won’t lend you the keys to the Beemer.
Your interest in rendering assistance to the down-trodden foreigners is more than admirable, and I can relate. I once sent money to Feed the Wales or was it Save the Children (?) in 1985. We are like so aware of what is going on the world beyond our manicured lawns that it’s like amazing!
Posted 01 Nov 2005 at 9:39 pm ¶
the joy princess wrote:
Luke, thanks for your thoughts. I stand by my comment but, you’re right, I should extend some sympathy to the kids of color at that school! I’ve been through something like that and had to learn how to handle it beyond the reactionary whining against the white kids as a first and only response.
Posted 01 Nov 2005 at 9:43 pm ¶
Realist wrote:
Kathryn=pretentious, arrogant, defensive, shrill whiner who chooses to dwell in a fantasy world of make-believe persecution. I suppose it is excusable since she is all of what, 16?
She is typical of (as the previous poster said) McMansion-dwelling latte swillers whose knowledge of the world at large comes from Dr. Phil and other assorted snake oil salesmen.
Her blusterings betray a complete detachment from anything approaching reality. Her insecurity is apparent as she attempts to justify her actions by introducing absolutely irrelvant information into the discussion.
Posted 02 Nov 2005 at 12:06 am ¶
Kathryn wrote:
“Sally Soccermom” (way cute name by the way!), I regret to inform you that you have no knowledge of most of Highland Park. Yes, we do have our incredible affluent parts of town, as do most neighborhoods, but we also have the more modest areas, you know… the same duplexes, apartments, townhouses, name it, that are in every other city in America. While the vast majority of my beloved town is overwhelmingly well-off, not one person at my school drives a Hummer, unless it does belong to their parents. My daddy drive a 1992 Ford Focus, not a beemer. And just in case you mention my mommy, she drives a 1986 Town&Country minivan. I do have rich friends. They do drive BMWs, Jettas, Cadillacs, but that is their fortune. I never said I wasn’t happy where I lived and I never said it was “intolerable to face life every day being ridiculed for” my priveledge. I don’t care how you misinterpret what I am saying, that is your perrogative. However, I feel that you are seriously misinformed by where I live. My mother runs a multi-billion dollar company. You think we need to drive the “ancient automobiles” that we do? No. It is by choice. I work, I pay for my own clothes, I pay for my phone bill, my car payments, my insurance. I do whatever I can to pitch in around the house. I take double shifts at work. I do well in school. I go to Church (and not because Mommy and Daddy make me or because they are religious therefore I’m religious). I shop where I can afford, not where my family can afford. I recognize how truly lucky I am. And never once did I make and offensive, racist remark about anyone of any race. Over half of my family is Jewish. My best friend is of biracial ethnicity, black father and white mother. I have no problems whatsoever with anyone. While I understand where you are coming from and don’t doubt your opinions on this so-called “bubble”, I do feel I deserve more respect than a quasi-mocking response that not only offends everything I am and everything my family is, but is almost entirely untrue. I’m sorry for you’re ignorance, Sally Soccermom. Truly.
And for Realist, also like way cute name man! This fantasy world you speak of, of make-believe persecution, why would one subject themselves to being persecuted. My friends and school were deliberately attacked, my apologies for caring. However, I do feel that perhaps this is a personal attack on your behalf. Honestly, did I offend you by stating my opinion? Can you honestly judge me not knowing my at all? And your psycho-babble crock, have you no disregard of reality yourself, my friend? Ridiculing my “irrelevant information” and then causing a stir of your own insignifant opinions. Hm, why was your opinion about my necessary? Why is THAT relevant? I would hope my insecurity is apparent what with the fact that I am like, 16. Or 18, you know, same difference I suppose. Let me ask you this? Where were you when you were 18? I’m sure you were one of those holier-than-thou, before your time teens, right? Yeah, I know those types. Putting a label on my doesn’t take the label off of you. You are still judged regardless of your age. So taking the time out of your busy day to poke fun at a menial teenager probably isn’t the most productive thing for you to be doing. But I’m sure you feel a lot better about yourself! Way to go!
And finally, my argument about the lack of racism in what we did. Dictionary.com defines “thug” as a “hoodlum”. The media and the rest of the population were the ones who tied “hoodlum” in with the black race. No one, not in any statements made by students, teachers, or anyone else, ever said it was “black thugs day” or “mexican thugs day”. I hate to allude to pop culture, but I regret that I must. Eminem is a huge icon in the entertainment world today. He is a rapper, a white rapper. Is rap tainted with racism, too? Now, when kids want to wear a jersey, are they racists? Is “sagging” racist? Are certain kinds of jewelry racist? Are certain slang terms like “‘bro” and “dog” racist? The only reason this is a big deal is because we are a bunch of white rich kids that don’t dress like that everyday out of the week. But, if we did where “thug” like apparel on a daily basis, would that be construed as racism, or would it just be a style?
Posted 02 Nov 2005 at 4:51 pm ¶
Katherine wrote:
I also go to Highland Park, and saw the events first hand. I can defiantly see how we have offended people by “thug day” and ” fiesta day” but it was not on purpose. As ignorant as this may sound to many of you, i personally didnt think of thug day as being racist and i still don’t. But i think many of the costumes for fiesta day and thug day were extremely offensive and i am embarrased to say they were worn. Yes, many students at hp are ignorant, and we do live in a bubble. We drive nice cars, live in nice houses, nothing bad ever happens and blah blah blah, but we are all ignorant in one way or another. I am not a racisit in any sense of the word, it’s the one thing i truly do not understand, and i try to stay open minded. YeHP is not a bad school, full of racist kids, and frankly this is all blown out of proportion. s i do see how we offended people, and i apologize if we did.
Posted 02 Nov 2005 at 5:55 pm ¶
chase wrote:
I think this is really funny. First off I want to let you all know that I go to Highland Park and I did dress up as a “thug”. That particular day was actually known as western day for the school but for the past several years has been known as senior thug day. The school adminstration should not be faulted for something they had no control over. For the most part everyone dressed within the school dress code. But thats not why I am here typing, I am here typing because I think how funny it is that it really is not racists. The only thing that crossed the line was the student that brought the leaf blower on Hispanic heritage day. Like said in the article we have 6 black students. 2 of them are in the Senior class and both of them dressed up. One wore an orange prison jumpsuit with an ankle cuff. Now your telling me that people with different race are offended when they dressed up as well. Also last time I checked I believe that a “thug” is any color; white, hispanic, black, asian, anything it does not matter. Ever heard of eminem?? I think he’s white. Also what does a high school student watch on TV besides sports (if sports) probably MTV. Now lets use our brains what do we see on MTV oh yea musicans/artists looking like thugs. And if your going to use the line “but yall live in a bubble with alot of money you should dress classy.” Well these musicians and rappers on MTV have alot of money too. I am not saying that every artists dresses thug but where do you think we get the idea. Also i do not know the percentages but I do know that whites listen to rap and R&B just like black and other race’s do. Its like saying this while the rest of Highland Park was wearing Western clothes, were they offending the Cowboys and country folks in this world? hmm I dont think so. It was one day out of probably our entire life that the seniors at HP dressed up as someone that we are not. Who cares its over move on with life. Noone was offended except the hispanic people who were upset on how some students dressed on hispanic heritage day. And i agree with them on that part. Definately over the line!
Posted 02 Nov 2005 at 7:34 pm ¶
kyle henderson wrote:
HAHAHAHA OK WOW ..i go to highland park, could yall over react any more?? other schools have ”highland park day”..what do u have to say about that??? and no we are not being racist. we are having fun for a week dressing up like other people. and about the whole ”we dont know what is out side HP bull crap” r u kidding me?? we know everything that goes on and how ppl are really out side are ”bubble”. so stop saying that crap. that is the only part that really makes me mad. i think that it is kind of funny that so many ppl are freakign out about this . get the hell over it , and plus were not the only school doing it . so what yal need to do is stop trying bring our school down b/c it is a alot better that yours!!!
Posted 02 Nov 2005 at 11:48 pm ¶
Renu wrote:
>>I go on mission trips out of the country AT LEAST 5 times a year to help the people you accuse me of mocking.<<
[translation: to convert the godless people of varying shades of brown]
thanks but no thanks, honey. Handing out a few bibles and some vitamin C in exchange for vows of undying loyalty to Jay-sus doesn’t exactly equal any level of sensitivity toward other cultures.
Posted 03 Nov 2005 at 10:59 am ¶
bob wrote:
shut the fuck up none of yall know anything, i go to hp, and half that shit was made up. its all bull shit and really pisses the fuck outta me, look at what this shit did, fucked up our dances, made us look good, and elizabeth carlock swears to god she didnt say that, they take individual words from your interview and bullshit that response
Posted 03 Nov 2005 at 7:33 pm ¶
bob wrote:
oh and one of the black kids wore handcuffs and a orange jumpsuit on thug day
Posted 03 Nov 2005 at 7:35 pm ¶
Mark(a concerned reader) wrote:
Dear Readers,
I am a student of Highland Park High School. After reading this article I suddenly realized that people who think that having a little fun is racist. I only have one responce to that, get a life!! How could you peope think that just because were dressing up as gangsters for a celebration means that we hate people of another race-ethnicity than white. The whole idea of “spirit week” was to dress up and have a little fun, to get pumped up for homecoming. With no intention of being hatefull or reacist. Come I mean really were just kids!! Also stated was that our actions represent our parents. This statement is true and false. The concept of getting “pumped up” involves fun and game (including dressing up). Finally I am friends with a few of the black kids at our school and the just laughed when thug day came around.
Thanks for reading.
Posted 04 Nov 2005 at 12:16 pm ¶
HP wrote:
I attend Highland Park and I am senior. The media had blown this story way out of proportion. Only a few number of people came to school inappropraiately dressed. THey do not represent our whole school. There is no reason for us to be given a bad name. Even before this situation, Highland Park has been misrepresented. We are a good group of students with some of the brightest students in the nation. I have hopes that people would stop being so harsh and critical towards the school, especially the students.
Posted 04 Nov 2005 at 4:19 pm ¶
Peyton S. wrote:
I, go to highland park as well,
i play on the football team with one of the “black” students
(the papers say he is black, his name is onwar husain, he is a muslim from kuwait)
he thinks that the best part of the year is thug-day.
the thing is… 3 students dressed up offensively on fiesta day, one as a maid, one as a painter and one with a miniature leafblower.
and our school has 6 blacks, yes i know very few, 1 from new orleans,
i managed to have a conversation with them because i work on the newspaper staff,
not a single one of them cared in the slighest bit.
one teacher felt the need to tell he papers such an overshot story that now has us on the national news
yes i know that this looks racist to people who may not go here,
but you have to realize………senior thug day is a senior rebel thing
something they can do to live out their senior year, schools in dallas have a highland park day where they dress up like us, its not the same but we are just poking fun at each other……and we are not insulting the african-american race by dressing like thugs, we are poking fun at the thug culture which is so widely adopted in our society……..
however it would be racist if it was called south dallas day…………(an area with a large black population)
Posted 04 Nov 2005 at 6:08 pm ¶
Parkie wrote:
While I am a senior at Highland Park that did participate, it should be noted that it was only seniors, not the majority of the student body that participated. Additionaly I would like to point out that the title of this theme day is “thug day.” The assumption that only African Americans dress in this manner and are thugs is an implication made by the Dallas Morning News writters.
Secondly, by dressing up in such attire, students mimick the fashions sported proudly by celebrities in the media every day. Why is it that if a white person decides to wear a basketball jersey he suddenly is making fun of black people? Your assertion that thug day was a living hell for the six African American students at my school is also completely unfounded. One such senior came dressed in one of the most elaborate thug day costumes I have ever seen.
The line of what attire is racialy insensitive is an arbitrary standard, and students who are just goofing off by coming to school dressed for unofficial thug day shouldnt be labled as racist and judged by such a standard. It has been pointed out that other schools have “country club day” or even “Highland Park day,” but for some reason these occurences are considered benign in nature and not attacked. If someone at my school was overly sensitive enough to be offended by this, they would be labled as racist. Does no one else see the double standard?
Finaly, the recent media attention created by this ridiculous controversy has caused the administration to create a dress code for the school theme costume dance originaly entitled “Pump up the Volume.” Originaly the object of the dance was to come dressed as one’s favoraite music artist. Unfortunatly, the students who enjoy rap or hip-hop are going to be disappointed, because the dresscode prohibits students essentialy from dressing as any African American artist.
So congratulations: efforts to prevent racism has only created a divide that otherwise would not exist. These students, and myself, are really not stupid enough to assume that African American culture entirely consits of gang violence. The object of the day was to mimick steriotypes that African American artists perpetuate themselves every day. Anyone that cannot see this for what it really is needs to dunk their head in a very large bucket of ice water.
Posted 05 Nov 2005 at 8:12 pm ¶
person wrote:
peyton s.(sandozer) is queer. but its hp tradition to have a little fun by dressing up like a thug.white people and black and hispanic can all be thugs
Posted 11 Nov 2005 at 1:43 pm ¶
collin wrote:
dallas moring news shut up and everyone else shut up that is not going to highland park or living there
Posted 11 Nov 2005 at 1:46 pm ¶
ho wrote:
your ass is huge
Posted 11 Nov 2005 at 1:49 pm ¶
Realist wrote:
Once again, the paranoid, defensive little girl Kathryn displays her lack of knowledge and her inability to dwell in reality by issuing that bizarre rant.
Obviously, Kathryn I do not intend to read your protracted verbal masturbation, but your frsutration is quite obvious. You are truly pathetic.
Posted 14 Nov 2005 at 4:47 pm ¶
Realist wrote:
Kathryn, darling, you’re becoming shrill. Go on and respond to this to demonstrate how easy you are to control.
Posted 14 Nov 2005 at 4:49 pm ¶
Kathryn=moron wrote:
““Sally Soccermom” (way cute name by the way!), I regret to inform you that you have no knowledge of most of Highland Park…”
Translation: “I have been made to feel inadequate and have responded by hurling hackneyed insults at my fellow posters and other assorted pseudo-intellectual drivel under the mistaken belief that I can convince someone on this message board that I am not the callow, uninformed waste of skin my comments make me out to be.
I am also feeling a bit defensive regarding my participation in this event, hence the need to trot out the Jewish family members and the biracial best friend, not to mention my CEO mommy as a means of validation. I am so desperately seeking your validation.”
Posted 14 Nov 2005 at 6:19 pm ¶
Orca Winfrey wrote:
“Additionaly I would like to point out that the title of this theme day is “thug day.” The assumption that only African Americans dress in this manner and are thugs is an implication made by the Dallas Morning News writters.”
Yes, the subconscious assumption (by students and/or media) that thug = Black may be the real underlying racism here. Technically “thug” day would NOT be racist if it was not solely identified with Black “thugs” only. Similar to how “country club” day would not be racist if it were not solely identified with “White” preps. If so though, then these semantic loopholes are void and they would indeed be racist.
“Hispanic” day is DEFINITELY racist, though.
Posted 15 Nov 2005 at 10:26 am ¶
a friend wrote:
“so what yal need to do is stop trying bring our school down b/c it is a alot better that yours!!!”
And you wonder why people resent you? You must be an idiot, honey.
Posted 15 Nov 2005 at 11:23 am ¶
Nomen Nescio wrote:
“And finally, my argument about the lack of racism in what we did. Dictionary.com defines “thug” as a “hoodlum”…”
BWUAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA! Wow, I think I’ve finally found it. This is the dumbest thing ever posted anywhere on the internet. Congratulations, Kathryn, you’re an idiot. And she actually went to a dictionary to look this up as a comeback in a flamewar. What a pretentious douchebag.
LMAO!!!!!!!
Kathryn: Dictionary.com defines “douchebag” as “a teenage girl who spends her evenings skulking the internet in self-righteous indignation. Or one who writes hilariously pretentious posts when she is offended by someone else’s opinion.”
I regret to inform you that you are a confirmed douchebag.
Posted 15 Nov 2005 at 11:31 am ¶
Kathryn wrote:
Wow. This is officially ridiculous. I love how I’m the 18 year old and you all are the adults, my guess middle aged and approaching some sort of life crisis, making fun of me. Feel good knowing that in order to state your opinion, you’re making fun of a little teenage girl? That’s truly mature. I can’t wait to grow up and be as mature as all of you. Why is everyone taking anything I said so personally? And personally attacking me in return? All I am doing is stating my opinions on the matter, as are all of you. I have the right to free speech, I have the right to declare my thoughts. I never said anything about anyone specifically other than myself and my family. And you are all telling me to get a life? This is all so middle school… make fun of me because I disagree. I guess my maid taught me better life lessons than yours’ did.
Posted 28 Nov 2005 at 12:31 pm ¶
Nomen Nescio wrote:
Priceless LOL! The pretentious douchebag entered yet another moronic flame, confirming how much my post affected her. You just couldn’t resist, could you, douchebag?
Kathryn appears to believe that sarcasm can mask her insecurity. Please die, now. Thanks.
Posted 29 Nov 2005 at 3:16 pm ¶
Kathryn=dumb wrote:
“Wow. This is officially ridiculous. I love how I’m the 18 year old and you all are the adults, my guess middle aged and approaching some sort of life crisis, making fun of me. Feel good knowing that in order to state your opinion, you’re making fun of a little teenage girl? That’s truly mature. I can’t wait to grow up and be as mature as all of you. Why is everyone taking anything I said so personally? And personally attacking me in return? All I am doing is stating my opinions on the matter, as are all of you. I have the right to free speech, I have the right to declare my thoughts. I never said anything about anyone specifically other than myself and my family. And you are all telling me to get a life? This is all so middle school… make fun of me because I disagree. I guess my maid taught me better life lessons than yours’ did.”
Truly pathetic. Kathryn thought she’d come here and dazzle everyone with the thesaurus she swallowed and is now angered that she got her ass handed to her, hence the juvenile attempt at insults..
Posted 29 Nov 2005 at 3:20 pm ¶
Kathryn wrote:
I apologize for my conduct on this website. I am a pretentious degenerate and promise to have myself steralized before I have a chance to breed. Once again, I am a truly useless person. Thanks!
Posted 29 Nov 2005 at 3:22 pm ¶
Anonymous wrote:
“make fun of me because I disagree.”
Here again we have your persecution complex. Nobody “made fun of you” because you disagreed, but took issue with the haughty tone of your posts. It is possible to disagree without being disagreeable (as you were). You can’t write people a bunch of insulting garbage, then site back and play the victim without being called on it. You are the very definition of a hypocrite. And I don’t care how much you keep whining about this.
Posted 29 Nov 2005 at 3:29 pm ¶
Flame Warrior wrote:
DANCE, KATHRYN, DANCE!
Posted 29 Nov 2005 at 3:33 pm ¶
Nomen Nescio wrote:
Oh, and BTW-I thought your post above was the dumbest thing ever posted on the internet. I was wrong and for that I apologize. You actually took the time to come back to this post and respond to me with more whining. “Feel good knowing that in order to state your opinion, you’re making fun of a little teenage girl?” BWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Yeah, as a matter of fact it does make me feel pretty good. Not only are you a douchebag, you are a finalist in the Douchebag of the Year Contest (TM).
“Why is everyone taking anything I said so personally? And personally attacking me in return?” Ummm, like why is everyone being, like not nice to me? BWUAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAH!
Congratulations, Kathryn. Have you prepared an acceptance speech?
Posted 29 Nov 2005 at 3:40 pm ¶
college student wrote:
the point has been lost here… forget Kathryn, forget who is and is not a douchbag. the bottom line is that some of these students have been misguided…it does not matter if thug is not dictionary defined as solely black, that is the way it’s interpreted therefore taken in by the public. it does not matter if the minority students participated or not. the point is: whether it was meant to be racist or NOT (which in many cases it wasnt, i know) there is a problem with taking a serious matter and turning it into a joke. just because the civil rights movement is over does mean that we dont have a long way to go towards making a better society for each other. to make light of and celebrate stereotypes is to take backwards steps in an extremely important situation. kathryn and every other student who has posted, im sure you never meant to be racist, and i know it hurts to be called racist because it judges the contents of your character. but you MUST be aware of the inequality that comes from these kinds of celebrations. and just because you celebrate a “country club day” where you celebrate the wealthy supremicy of the white race, that really doesnt negate the problem at all. the problem here is not with the teenagers of hp, it is with the teachers, administrators and parents who have not discussed the sensatiivity of the subject with their children and therefore perpetuated and allowed an innapropriate tradition continue.
Posted 07 Mar 2006 at 12:21 am ¶