BLACK STUDENT UNION

Sept. 30, 2020 Campus Voices | Black Student Union | Breonna Taylor | BLM | RBG | Media | News | Sports 3 BSU responds to professor's accusation of anti-Semitism

Black Student Union Logo.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BLACK STUDENT UNION

BRIDGET REILLY EDITOR IN CHIEF

Midwestern State University Black Student Union released a statement Tuesday, Sept. 29, after a professor left a comment on the Wichita Falls Black Lives Matter Facebook group expressing his concerns of anti-Semitism in the Black community at MSU Texas and saying the BSU “should be ashamed of itself.”

At the MSU Texas Amnesty International rally, held for Breonna Taylor, professor of philosophy Nathan Jun spoke for over 13 minutes. Following this event, Jun took to Facebook and wrote the post shown in the screenshot above.

Jun attached comments from MSU Texas student Twitter accounts about his performance at the event, in order to provide a reason for his post.

BSU’s leaders released a statement to their social media platforms Tuesday afternoon, expressing their disappointment in the post.

“...it has come to the Black Student Union’s attention that our organization has been accused of anti-Semitism by a professor that our organization once looked to for advice as well as support here at our prestigious university,” the statement began with.

The BSU took offense, not only with Jun’s accusations, but with his implication that a person cannot be Jewish and Black at the same time.

“To accuse [the BSU] of such a behavior (being hostile or prejudice against Jewish people) is not the founding of our organization, but to also imply that being Black and Jewish is exclusive from one another is offensive. MSU Texas BSU welcomes all students and faculty/staff to participate in programming that is reflective of our history and culture,” the BSU said in their statement.

Jun said he was taken aback by the response and criticized the timing.

“I am completely shocked by this statement, which is coming at already a bad time,” Jun said.

BSU denounced hate speech and said it would not shun anyone for their beliefs. However, the statement also said that the BSU would not tolerate slander of its name.

“We want it to be clear that we do not condone or promote hate speech and/or hate crimes. We believe that comments and acts such as these create a hostile learning environment - one that we as Black students are all too familiar with,” the statement said. “We recognize and accept those who have different beliefs and would not shun anyone for holding their entitled beliefs, but we will not allow people to slander our organization’s name when we as Black students have spoken the most about inequities and unfair treatment of Black people, People of Color and marginalized groups at our university.”

In response, Jun wrote to the BSU demanding evidence of these allegations and to “modify or retract” the statement “if such evidence is not provided.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF FACEBOOK.COM Professor of philosophy Nathan Jun post on the Wichita Falls Black Lives Matter Facebook page, Sept. 25.

“I was shocked, disappointed [and] dismayed to learn that you [the Black Student Union] issued a statement alleging that I accused your organization of anti-Semitism,” Jun said. “This allegation is categorically false and is only serving to exacerbate the actual anti-Semitic backlash I am already facing in response to unrelated online comments.”

Despite the allegations of anti-Semitism, the BSU is committed to educating and involving the MSU Texas community in all areas of campus life on Black injustice.

“The BSU’s purpose is to provide a safe space for Black students and their allies while helping to build and create long-lasting friendships as well as help to increase the retention and graduation of Black students at MSU Texas,” the statement said. “We also believe that the academic and social reality of Black lives should be acknowledged therefore we are committed to raising heightened consciousness and awareness of Black culture through the social and educational initiatives at MSU Texas.

Under Jun’s request, future incidences involving Jun’s and BSU’s statements will be managed through Vice President of Student Affairs, Keith Lamb.

“While I would very much prefer to resolve this matter privately, please be advised that I will be contacting the Vice President for Student Affairs in the event that no response to this email is forthcoming,” Jun said.

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REAILLY | THE WICHITAN Director of MOSAIC and First 2 Go Cammie Dean approaches professor philosophy Nathan Jun as he nears the end of his speech at the MSU Texas Amnesty International rally for Breonna Taylor, Sept. 24.

JUSTICE FOR BREONNA TAYLOR RALLY

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN Mass communication and political science junior Ryan Kelly speaks at the Breonna Taylor rally hosted by MSU Texas Amnesty International. Sept. 24.

STEPHANIE ROBLEDO NEWS EDITOR

Breonna Taylor, 26-year-old Emergency Medical Technician, was in her home with her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, when officers, Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison and Myles Cosgrove, entered and fired multiple times which resulted in the death of Taylor.

The Louisville police entered the apartment in search of two men who they believed were selling drugs. During this time Taylor and Walker had been in bed but got up when they heard the banging on the door. When the officers entered Walker fired thinking it was an intruder which resulted in one of the officers, Mattingly, being shot in the thigh. The officers responded by firing several times with Taylor being struck multiple times leading to her death.

On May 23, the FBI announced that they had opened an inquiry into Taylor’s death. It was June 23 when Hankinson, who fired multiple shots, was terminated from the Louisville Metro Police Department and June 11 when the city banned no-knock warrants, however none of the officers had been charged or arrested. It was not until September 23, over six months after Taylor’s death, that a grand jury announced three wanton endangerment charges against Hankinson who pleaded not guilty. The other officers involved, Mattingly and Cosgrove, will not face any charges.

Since the death of Taylor, there has been a cry for justice nationwide. Taylor is only one of the many lives taken at the hands of police brutality, which caused protests in cities across the nation as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. The verdict of Taylor’s case only fueled for the protests to continue, and MSU was no exception. On Sept. 24, 2020, Amnesty International held a rally to commemorate Taylor’s life and the countless lives lost to injustice.

JUSTICE FOR BREONNA TAYLOR RALLY

“It [is important to hold the rally] to commemorate Breonna Taylor, to honor her and her family and just come together in solidarity with Breonna Taylor, with Black Lives Matter to all those lost to injustice,” Amelia Wright, Amnesty International president and sociology senior, said.

Not only was this rally to commemorate the life of Breonna Taylor but it was also a call to action. Wright states that Amnesty is demanding new laws to be put in place to prevent other unlawful deaths.

“The Kentucky attorney general, Daniel Cameron, chose not to seek justice for Breonna Taylor. This is why it matters immensely that these laws are changed,” Wright said, “This is why Amnesty is demanding that the Peace Act and the Justice and Policing Act, which are acts that both seek to create accountability for the unlawful killing of black people, be advanced by Congress, and why we are demanding that our representatives support passing these acts. We want to ensure that states have to choose justice so that law reflecting justice becomes a reality. The world is watching is kind of Amnesty’s motto, so here even at MSU Texas in Wichita Falls, the world is watching.”

With the world watching, Wright opened the floor for others to say a few words. Ryan Kelly, political science and mass communication junior, stepped up to the mic and shared the story of his mother.

“Obviously I’m not a black woman; I can’t speak in the shoes of a black woman, but I also was born by a black mother,” Kelly said. “When she was having me and they thought I wasn’t going to make it, the doctor said, ‘You probably can’t take care of him anyway.’ I can only imagine when her professors said, ‘Oh you’ll never make it through school with that kid.’ I can only imagine what [black women] go through on a daily basis, and I’m speaking to all these beautiful queens out there that have to walk the streets and feel like they’re not protected by anyone,” Kelly said.

Zion Jones, coordinator of the Men of Color Alliance, acknowledged the difficulties that black women have to go through daily. As students talked at the rally they shared their story pertaining to the Black Lives Matter movement.

“The Black woman is the most unprotected person in the world, and it’s more than frustrating to continue to see the execution of unarmed Black people. For it to then be justified by our justice system is only more of a slap in the face. The lives of Black people are not political, it’s not a political issue, it’s a human issue, a person issue, a people issue. I was just going to say go vote, educate yourselves,” Jones said.

Jones ends his speech with a call to action, motivating others to vote and learn more about the issue. The lack of information on the issue has left students frustrated.

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN A protestor holds up a drawining of Breonna Taylor. Sept. 24.

“For the ignorant people, teach yourselves, educate yourselves. There’s enough information, just type it up on Google, you will see. If you’re ignorant you are choosing to be ignorant, it’s a choice,” Gloria Olagoke, nursing junior, said.

There is an emphasis for the public to educate themselves on the Black Lives Matter movement and understand the true meaning behind it.

“They act as if this is a hate group...They’re acting as if we’re trying to take over but really [we are] asking to be equal [to] have equality,” Kailin Martin psychology junior said. “My mom, she was born in the ’60s during [the] Jim Crow [laws], my grandma clearly was around during segregation [and] for me to be the third direct generation to still go through that, it’s just really mind-blowing and [I’m] at a loss of words of what I should actually say because it’s like why? I’m angry but it’s just kind of like how? Why is this still going on?”

The racial discrimination in the United States has angered students both from and out of the U.S.

“I grew up not knowing there’s racism. When I came to America, that’s how I knew there was racism...Africa does not have racism, racism is what’s killing people in America right now,” Aline Masengesho, political science and global studies junior, said. “Africa might be going through some economic issues but let me tell you there’s love in Africa. There’s so much love, we have love for each other...why can’t we love each other here in America.”

Masengesho wants love to be spread throughout the U.S. as a way to put an end to racism. She also stated the need for protesting and taking a stand against the injustices that Black people face.

“We all have a part to play and I think the best thing we can do right now is acknowledge the original sin of America and that is racism, something that...built our nation up, and I felt like now is the time that we can really make a change and do things we never thought we could have done generations before,” Kelly said.

Kelly calls on others to come together and create a change. As the rally came to an end Wright also encourages those attending to not be silent and make their voices heard.

“Stand up have your voice be heard, may that be activism on social media, activism like [this rally] you know physically coming out maybe protesting, which is your right to do, just do all you can educate yourself there’s no point in just staying ignorant just staying silent on things when you know that your voice can make a difference.”