Snowflakes Triggered by “Racist” Banana

 

A threadline that only makes sense in the Idiocratic America of 2017.

A Greek Life leader accidentally sparked mass hysteria after he placed a banana peel on a tree in the woods — because he could not find a trash can.

The Daily Mississippian reports that three black students found the banana peel — and were apparently triggered by what they saw.

“To be clear, many members of our community were hurt, frightened, and upset,” the interim director of fraternity and sorority life wrote in a letter obtained by the newspaper.

The president of one sorority told the newspaper that “bananas have historically been used to demean black people.”

“The massive discussion session wrapped up as more and more students stood and left the room – some in tears, some in frustration. NPHC members began texting friends to come and pick them up from the camp since no one had been allowed to drive his or her car up to the retreat. The remainder of the retreat was canceled later that night,” the newspaper reported.

Do these people breakdown in tears when they walk into the produce section of a supermarket and see watermelons?

And the university asylum is treating their hysteria as though it is legitimate.

“We are aware of the situation and are working to address it through appropriate channels,” the spokesman told me. “Since we became aware of what occurred at the fraternity and sorority community’s retreat, UM staff acted quickly in an effort to engage in discussion with students.”

What a stupid, stupid, stupid time to be alive.

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  1. JustmeinAZ Member
    JustmeinAZ
    @JustmeinAZ

    You really couldn’t make this “C of C violation” up. Seriously???? I give up. These people are beyond help.

    • #1
  2. skipsul Inactive
    skipsul
    @skipsul

    You didn’t include the money quote:

    “I want to sincerely apologize for the events that took place this past weekend,” the student wrote in a letter to the newspaper. “Although unintentional, there is no excuse for the pain that was caused to members of our community.”

    “No excuse”?  Dear lord but these people are mental!

    • #2
  3. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    It’s a tough call, but I’m thinking that this is the most “out there” triggering incident yet.  And, of course, I’m white.   Still, it’s hard not to think that, somewhere along the line, we have gone very wrong

    • #3
  4. Matt Bartle Member
    Matt Bartle
    @MattBartle

    The Onion may as well close up shop.

    • #4
  5. She Member
    She
    @She

    I’ve always wondered why they call it “going bananas.”

    Now, I know.

    • #5
  6. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    These people might actually respond to the gag e-mail I received today. Copy inserted below.

    Public Service Announcement

    ATTENTION:

    Please DO NOT – I repeat – DO NOT use the $1 – $2 – $50 or the $100 bills. They have pictures of former slave owners on them! Send them all to me and I will dispose of them properly! 

    DO NOT just throw them away. They need to be disposed of properly and I am certified to do so.  Send a Private Message to me if you need my mailing address. 

    We must get these out of circulation immediately. Thank you for your cooperation.

    • #6
  7. Cow Girl Thatcher
    Cow Girl
    @CowGirl

    Django (View Comment):

    Public Service Announcement

    ATTENTION:

    Please DO NOT – I repeat – DO NOT use the $1 – $2 – $50 or the $100 bills. They have pictures of former slave owners on them! Send them all to me and I will dispose of them properly! 

    DO NOT just throw them away. They need to be disposed of properly and I am certified to do so. Send a Private Message to me if you need my mailing address. 

    We must get these out of circulation immediately. Thank you for your cooperation.

    How can I become part of this disposal of the tainted US currency? I am completely willing to assist with this important community service.

    • #7
  8. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    These people are out of their [redacted] minds.

     

    • #8
  9. Weeping Inactive
    Weeping
    @Weeping

    Even if someone had purposely put the banana peel in the tree in order to antagonize the African-American students that were there, wouldn’t a better, more empowering response have been to either ignore it or maybe even laughed at it? (You think something like that’s going to bother me? Hahahahahahahaha!!!)

     

    • #9
  10. Pony Convertible Inactive
    Pony Convertible
    @PonyConvertible

    Just proves, some people go out of their way to find something they can choose to be offended by.

    • #10
  11. Annefy Member
    Annefy
    @Annefy

    Looking back over the past 25 years, this was inevitable.

    I had umpteen conversations with parents/teachers/relatives when my kids were growing up that involved how my kids “felt” about something. Whenever queried, I would answer I had no idea as I hadn’t asked. And I wasn’t going to ask, as asking the question implied I cared about the response.

     

    • #11
  12. Annefy Member
    Annefy
    @Annefy

    Pony Convertible (View Comment):
    Just proves, some people go out of their way to find something they can choose to be offended by.

    Offense is the new coin of the realm. Everyone is trying to grab their piece of victim pie while there’s some left.

    • #12
  13. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Every time I see a piece like this, I say “this has to be a joke.” This can’t really be happening. I’m amazed at the huge commitment people have to finding excuses to call themselves victims. It must be awful living that way.

    • #13
  14. Weeping Inactive
    Weeping
    @Weeping

    Since my previous post on the subject, I’ve done a bit more investigating. Not surprisingly, the situation makes a bit more sense than reported. I still my suggestion would have been a better response, but I don’t think the students were quite as crazy as they were made to sound. For those interested, here I found some more details about the situation from the Daily Mississippian.

    Makala McNeil, president of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, one of the nine historically African-American sororities and fraternities, said she saw the banana peel after leaving a group discussion that addressed race relations. ….

    As they were leaving the large discussion and heading towards a group session across campus:

    McNeil … was walking with friends …. when one of her sorority sisters pointed at a tree 15 feet away. She said that about six feet up the tree’s trunk sat a lone, fresh-looking banana peel.

    “It was so strange and surreal to see it there,” McNeil said. “We were all just sort of paranoid for a second.”

    Why were they paranoid?  McNeil explains why.

    She said the image was especially disturbing in light of an incident on American University’s campus in May of this year. The morning Taylor Dumpson was to take over as the school’s first female black student government president, students found bananas hanging from nooses across campus. Some of the bananas were inscribed with references to Dumpson’s sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.

    “That, to me, was a slap in the face to see that banana hanging in a tree after talking about the personal truths of our campus,” McNeil said.

    Word of the banana-peel-in-the-tree incident spread throughout the camp and “dominated chatter”, so the afternoon session became a discussion about it.

    At the start of this session, McNeil said one black student stood up and asked that everyone there google the American University incident to understand the banana peel’s significance. She said he explained how bananas have historically been used to demean black people.

    One of McNeil’s sorority sisters asked who had put the banana in the tree. A young man admitted to have done it and apologized. From there:

    The conversation carried on, and tensions continued to rise. White and black members of the Ole Miss Greek community shared their views on the day’s events and race relations in general. McNeil said people had a lot to say, but the conversation began to move in an unhealthy direction. …

    The massive discussion session wrapped up as more and more students stood and left the room – some in tears, some in frustration. …. The remainder of the retreat was canceled later that night.

    “At that point, we didn’t feel welcome; we didn’t feel safe,” McNeil said. “If we didn’t feel wanted or safe at the camp, our best option was to leave.”

    • #14
  15. skipsul Inactive
    skipsul
    @skipsul

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):
    Every time I see a piece like this, I say “this has to be a joke.” This can’t really be happening. I’m amazed at the huge commitment people have to finding excuses to call themselves victims. It must be awful living that way.

    Actually it’s easy to be a victim.  Nothing need ever be your fault.  You are always sainted and blameless.

    • #15
  16. Daniel Brass Inactive
    Daniel Brass
    @DanielBrass

    Another school that I can cross of the list of possibilities for my daughter…….

    • #16
  17. PHenry Inactive
    PHenry
    @PHenry

    I am old enough to remember when the banana was the funniest fruit.

    Now its the most offensive fruit.

    And I fear I have lived too long…

    Someone tell poor Harry Belafonte he is a racist now

    • #17
  18. Paul Erickson Inactive
    Paul Erickson
    @PaulErickson

    Cow Girl (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    Public Service Announcement

    ATTENTION:

    Please DO NOT – I repeat – DO NOT use the $1 – $2 – $50 or the $100 bills. They have pictures of former slave owners on them! Send them all to me and I will dispose of them properly!

    DO NOT just throw them away. They need to be disposed of properly and I am certified to do so. Send a Private Message to me if you need my mailing address.

    We must get these out of circulation immediately. Thank you for your cooperation.

    How can I become part of this disposal of the tainted US currency? I am completely willing to assist with this important community service.

    We are touched by your kind and generous spirit, CG.

    • #18
  19. Bob W Member
    Bob W
    @WBob

    skipsul (View Comment):
    You didn’t include the money quote:

    “I want to sincerely apologize for the events that took place this past weekend,” the student wrote in a letter to the newspaper. “Although unintentional, there is no excuse for the pain that was caused to members of our community.”

    “No excuse”? Dear lord but these people are mental!

    The banana discarder deserves whatever he gets for writing such an obsequious apology.

    • #19
  20. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    Weeping (View Comment):
    Since my previous post on the subject, I’ve done a bit more investigating. Not surprisingly, the situation makes a bit more sense than reported. I still my suggestion would have been a better response, but I don’t think the students were quite as crazy as they were made to sound. For those interested, here I found some more details about the situation from the Daily Mississippian.

    [snip]

    I see how the circumstances give a little more sense to the situation, well the first part, anyway. But it still sounds like once the afternoon session started, people fixated on trying to turn themselves into victims and wouldn’t just let what by then was clearly an innocent act go unpunished.

    I also note that the reason the situation makes more sense is that everyone was there had been a discussion of race relations. Does not this suggest that an effect of such “discussions” might be to put people into a mindset of “find the grievance” that may make matters worse?

     

    • #20
  21. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    Weeping (View Comment):
    Since my previous post on the subject, I’ve done a bit more investigating. Not surprisingly, the situation makes a bit more sense than reported. I still my suggestion would have been a better response, but I don’t think the students were quite as crazy as they were made to sound. For those interested, here I found some more details about the situation from the Daily Mississippian.

    Makala McNeil, president of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, one of the nine historically African-American sororities and fraternities, said she saw the banana peel after leaving a group discussion that addressed race relations. ….

    As they were leaving the large discussion and heading towards a group session across campus:

    McNeil … was walking with friends …. when one of her sorority sisters pointed at a tree 15 feet away. She said that about six feet up the tree’s trunk sat a lone, fresh-looking banana peel.

    “It was so strange and surreal to see it there,” McNeil said. “We were all just sort of paranoid for a second.”

    Why were they paranoid? McNeil explains why.

    She said the image was especially disturbing in light of an incident on American University’s campus in May of this year. The morning Taylor Dumpson was to take over as the school’s first female black student government president, students found bananas hanging from nooses across campus. Some of the bananas were inscribed with references to Dumpson’s sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.

    “That, to me, was a slap in the face to see that banana hanging in a tree after talking about the personal truths of our campus,” McNeil said.

    I appreciate the follow-up, but reading that last anecdote doesn’t change my opinion a whole lot.  The AU incident three months ago is sad and noteworthy for such a liberal school.  It bears next to no comparison to this one.

    • #21
  22. Annefy Member
    Annefy
    @Annefy

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    Weeping (View Comment):
    Since my previous post on the subject, I’ve done a bit more investigating. Not surprisingly, the situation makes a bit more sense than reported. I still my suggestion would have been a better response, but I don’t think the students were quite as crazy as they were made to sound. For those interested, here I found some more details about the situation from the Daily Mississippian.

    [snip]

    I see how the circumstances give a little more sense to the situation, well the first part, anyway. But it still sounds like once the afternoon session started, people fixated on trying to turn themselves into victims and wouldn’t just let what by then was clearly an innocent act go unpunished.

    I also note that the reason the situation makes more sense is that everyone was there had been a discussion of race relations. Does not this suggest that an effect of such “discussions” might be to put people into a mindset of “find the grievance” that may make matters worse?

    I’ve long thought the constant “conversation about race” is having a harmful effect. I have a good friend and occasional business partner who is a very successful businessman. I’ve known him for 25 years and race was never an issue. He was more conservative than me in the 80s. But thanks to the “conversation” and constant drumbeat of racism talk during the Obama years, he’s now convinced his Cornell-attending son is taking his life in his hands every time he leaves campus.

    Which to me is HIlarious – I’ve got four white kids and I’ve got a lot more stories about negative interactions with the police than he does. Seems driving a beater and having a mohawk guarantees more scrutiny from Law Enforcement than having an afro.

     

    • #22
  23. Basil Fawlty Member
    Basil Fawlty
    @BasilFawlty

    If a banana peel’s in the forest, does it make us clowns?

    • #23
  24. Doctor Robert Member
    Doctor Robert
    @DoctorRobert

    Weeping (View Comment):
    Since my previous post on the subject, I’ve done a bit more investigating. Not surprisingly, the situation makes a bit more sense than reported. I still my suggestion would have been a better response, but I don’t think the students were quite as crazy as they were made to sound. For those interested, here I found some more details about the situation from the Daily Mississippian.

    Makala McNeil, president of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, one of the nine historically African-American sororities and fraternities, said she saw the banana peel after leaving a group discussion that addressed race relations. ….

    As they were leaving the large discussion and heading towards a group session across campus:

    McNeil … was walking with friends …. when one of her sorority sisters pointed at a tree 15 feet away. She said that about six feet up the tree’s trunk sat a lone, fresh-looking banana peel.

    “It was so strange and surreal to see it there,” McNeil said. “We were all just sort of paranoid for a second.”

    Why were they paranoid? McNeil explains why.

    She said the image was especially disturbing in light of an incident on American University’s campus in May of this year. The morning Taylor Dumpson was to take over as the school’s first female black student government president, students found bananas hanging from nooses across campus. Some of the bananas were inscribed with references to Dumpson’s sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.

    “That, to me, was a slap in the face to see that banana hanging in a tree after talking about the personal truths of our campus,” McNeil said.

    Word of the banana-peel-in-the-tree incident spread throughout the camp and “dominated chatter”, so the afternoon session became a discussion about it.

    At the start of this session, McNeil said one black student stood up and asked that everyone there google the American University incident to understand the banana peel’s significance. She said he explained how bananas have historically been used to demean black people.

    One of McNeil’s sorority sisters asked who had put the banana in the tree. A young man admitted to have done it and apologized.

    The conversation carried on, and tensions continued to rise. White and black members of the Ole Miss Greek community shared their views on the day’s events and race relations in general. McNeil said people had a lot to say, but the conversation began to move in an unhealthy direction. …

    The massive discussion session wrapped up as more and more students stood and left the room – some in tears, some in frustration. …. The remainder of the retreat was canceled later that night.

    “At that point, we didn’t feel welcome; we didn’t feel safe,” McNeil said. “If we didn’t feel wanted or safe at the camp, our best option was to leave.”

    How does this make more sense? It’s still a puerile, fatuous response to a non-insult.

    • #24
  25. Weeping Inactive
    Weeping
    @Weeping

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):
    I also note that the reason the situation makes more sense is that everyone was there had been a discussion of race relations. Does not this suggest that an effect of such “discussions” might be to put people into a mindset of “find the grievance” that may make matters worse?

    Annefy (View Comment):
    I’ve long thought the constant “conversation about race” is having a harmful effect.

    I totally agree.Someone mentioned in another thread (my apologies to whoever mentioned it; I can’t remember your name at the moment) that the actor Morgan Freeman is on record as saying that the way to deal with racial strife is to stop talking about it. I think that makes a lot of sense, and I wish people would start taking it. Because until that happens, there will be no healing and moving on.

    • #25
  26. Weeping Inactive
    Weeping
    @Weeping

    Doctor Robert (View Comment):

    Weeping (View Comment):
    Since my previous post on the subject, I’ve done a bit more investigating. Not surprisingly, the situation makes a bit more sense than reported. I still my suggestion would have been a better response, but I don’t think the students were quite as crazy as they were made to sound. For those interested, here I found some more details about the situation from the Daily Mississippian.

    [snip]

     

    How does this make more sense? It’s still a puerile, fatuous response to a non-insult.

    To me, it makes more sense because race and racial tensions and racial situations were apparently the focus of the day. In other words, the pump had been primed to view everything through a racial lens.

    Now that doesn’t mean I agree with their perception or reaction. I still think my earlier suggestion would have been a better way to handle the situation. But it does mean that knowing where their heads were at at the time helped me realize that they didn’t look at the banana and freak out over it out of the blue. Their earlier conversations had helped put them in a freaking out frame of mind.

    • #26
  27. Weeping Inactive
    Weeping
    @Weeping

    Hoyacon (View Comment):
    I appreciate the follow-up, but reading that last anecdote doesn’t change my opinion a whole lot. The AU incident three months ago is sad and noteworthy for such a liberal school. It bears next to no comparison to this one.

    I agree. I don’t think there’s any comparison between a lone banana peel in a tree and several strung up in nooses. But if your entire day has primed you to see everything in racial terms, you’re going to tend to react first and analyze things later. As I’ve said elsewhere, I still think they overreacted, but I see now that their reaction wasn’t completely out of the blue.

    • #27
  28. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    She (View Comment):
    I’ve always wondered why they call it “going bananas.”

    Now, I know.

    It’s moments like this that reaffirm my belief in Providence. Clearly, the whole ruckus was just setting the stage for this comment.

    • #28
  29. skipsul Inactive
    skipsul
    @skipsul

    Aaron Miller (View Comment):

    She (View Comment):
    I’ve always wondered why they call it “going bananas.”

    Now, I know.

    It’s moments like this that reaffirm my belief in Providence. Clearly, the whole ruckus was just setting the stage for this comment.

    Throw in some raisins, currants, and dried cherries and you have a racist liberal fruitcake.

    • #29
  30. Israel P. Inactive
    Israel P.
    @IsraelP

    It was just a peel. Imagine if it had been an actual banana.

    • #30
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