Saida Grundy has been hired as an assistant professor of sociology and African American studies at Boston University. But a website called SoCawlege, which monitors social media accounts of college students and faculty, published a series of statements made on Twitter by Dr. Grundy.
Among the statements were the following:
- “Why is White America so reluctant to identify White college males as a problem population?”
- “Deal with your White [expletive], White people. Slavery is a Y’all thing.”
- “Every MLK week I commit myself to not spending a dime in White-owned businesses. And every year, I find it nearly impossible.”
Most of the criticism of Dr. Grundy’s tweets related to her comments on White males. Her critics wondered how she would treat White male students in her classes, considering she stated that they are “a problem population.”
In a statement, Dr. Grundy said the “I regret that my personal passion about issues surrounding these events led me to speak about them indelicately.”
Boston University President Robert Brown said that “we are disappointed and concerned by statements that reduce individuals to stereotypes. I believe Dr. Grundy’s remarks fit this characterization.”
Dr. Grundy is a graduate of Spelman College in Atlanta. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in sociology and women’s studies from the University of Michigan.
What many Whites (and others) particularly in academe fail to admit that whenever a native born Black/African American scholar intellectually challenges the long held European ethnic-centrism concepts, paradigms and constructs, that’s when it becomes a problem (i.e., misinterpreted as being racists. Nothing could be further from the truth).
For most Blacks (regardless of how many degrees you hold) in the United States, so long as you embrace a neoliberal or conservative ideology, appear as a “non-people” (i.e., ‘I don’t see color’) and apolitical/ahistorical, your non-Black colleagues will not feel threaten by your presence. However, if you’re a critical thinker and not afraid to intellectually challenge the Eurocentric monocultural paradigm, that’s when it become problematic for the established order. In my view, this is akin to imposing the intellectual Gestapo on native born Black academics.
It is disheartening that the President of the institution could descend to the level of commenting on a personal tweet by a faculty member. His response supports the Eurocentric misguided belief that whites should never be called to carpet about their role in the subjugation of Native Americans, Slavery and Jim Crow Policies that continue to be an American Cultural Phenomenon.
So, Ephraim, how many Caucasian Studies professors are there? And, if the Pres. refused comment on a white male professor exhibiting bias against any person of color, or any female, how many people would be incensed? Sounds like a double standard.
If a white male made similar tweets, he would be fired in 2 seconds.
“if you’re a critical thinker and not afraid to intellectually challenge the Eurocentric monocultural paradigm, that’s when it become problematic for the established order.”
Could you give us an example of Ms Grundy thinking critically and intellectually challenging this paradigm? All I see is her calling white males a “problem population”. Nothing intellectual about that in my book. But, then again, my book is about “eurocentric monoculturism”, isn’t it?
But more importantly, how does this so-called intellectual criticism work out in the real world for real blacks? By my eurocentric monoculcurism yardstick, not so well. Good luck with that.
Ms. grundy was asking us to think about race in a highly polemical way. Instead of actually analyzing and thinking critically about Professor Grundy’s comment, people got offended because she violated the white politicall correct establishment Gustapo (imo probably unintentionally.)
When people talk about illegal immigration or prostitution they have no problem calling them Mexican problems, or Asian problems. But no matter how much bad conduct white males engage in, it is never deemed a “white problem” it is often called a “broader societal problems” ie white male mass shootings. Or “Race is a problem in America”.
No one ever says race is a WHITE problem. We speak in politically correct ways just to not offend white folks. But have no problem calling everyone else a problem. The entire fact that white males as a problem population is above criticism is destroying african american communities. But you expect african americans to shut up sit down and suffer in silence.
I expect to be held responsible for my actions, and then be treated with respect as an individual; as do the adults that I associate with.
Dr. Grundy, and other academics who subscribe to the notion that whiteness is evil, wish to assign group blame for the actions of individuals who are mostly dead.
This would be the equivalent to a person watching the riots in Baltimore, and stating that all black people are criminals, because most of the rioters seen on television were black. And they repeated the videos over and over. But, none of the people that I know would have been there, and none subscribe to the BLM message. People breaking the law, doing violence, stealing, lying, or disrespecting others do not have a color to me. Although, I can see some value to a big orange A being painted on the head…
dr grundy told the truth — white males are the majority of rapists on college campuses. to go further, when are white parents going to be taken to task and lectured about how poorly they are raising their children? black mothers are constantly under fire for rearing so-called thugs … black fathers are regularly maligned. so when will the focus turn to white parents who are apparently doing a terrible job rearing white children, as is evidenced by the cases of rape on college campuses, domestic terrorist acts, et cetera…?