Duke takes another reputation hit after Professor posts racially-charged comments
A Duke University professor is in a lot of trouble with both his employer and his students, after leaving a racially-charged comment on a New York Times editorial.
The comment included use of “the blacks” and “the asians” which has caused another black eye for a university which only recently had to handle the outrage of a noose left hanging on campus.
While Professor Jerry Hough likely thought he had a right to share his personal comments on a news story, he didn’t take into consideration what just about everyone else with an internet device and an opinion has learned over the past few years:
“He represents the whole school in that one comment and that’s not a good image for the school,” said Duke student Virginue Marchand. “It’s really inappropriate.”
“You kind of want to be cautious, to make sure you don’t offend anyone,” said Duke student Xavi Ramos.
Both sound pieces of advice. Whenever you leave a comment online–whether on a post, in a tweet, or even an Instagram photo–you need to be careful no to offend anyone lest your actions soil the name of your employer.
We certainly live in a time where you have to be very careful with your words but he scariest part of the article to me was this:
“You kind of want to be cautious, to make sure you don’t offend anyone,” said Duke student Xavi Ramos.
“Don’t offend anyone”? Basically that means “silence”. Silence is far more dangerous than speech.
That is very true Dean. Perhaps it’s better to set out to try not to deliberately offend anyone, but as we both know, there will always be people that will find a way to be offended.
Comments such as “the blacks,” and “the Asians,” show a limited way of thinking that is not conducive to academics. There so many different varieties within each ethnic group, it is difficult to characterize any of them as members of a group.
Even if the remarks were no perceived as racist, they would not go over well.