Georgetown Students Satirize Cross Burnings, KKK in Heckler Magazine
Remember the controversy over this year's April Fools' "humor" issue of the Hoya, Georgetown University's student newspaper? The one that prompted protests by students who deemed some of its content (Headline: "We Need More Interracial Loving at Georgetown"; Excerpt: "We don't have enough good old vanilla-chocolate interracial fucking") racially insensitive?
Well, those charges are being leveled again, this time against the Georgetown Heckler, a satirical magazine run by Georgetown students, which on Saturday published an article called "The Hoya Holds Annual Holiday Cross-Lighting Ceremony in Dahlgren Quad." In it, the cross lighting was a KKK-style cross burning, the participants donned white hoods, and lynched bodies, in the form of pinatas, hung from trees (in the piece, Georgetown President John J. DeGioia allows his son to take a whack).
The accompanying photograph of a KKK cross burning (below) had a caption that read: "Jubilant Hoya staffers taking part in the annual tradition."
The Heckler story begins:
DAHLGREN QUAD—After a challenging year during which Georgetown’s main newspaper saw a last-minute revocation of its independence from the University and extended fallout over its annual April Fool’s issue, The Hoya came together this Friday for its annual cross lighting.
Since the 1930s, the Christmas cross has stood next to Georgetown’s official Christmas tree and is meant to be a reminder of the religious importance of the holiday that the newspaper felt was already slipping from the cultural consciousness during the Roosevelt administration. The Hoya still uses the original green and red light-bulb-studded metal frame of the cross from the first cross lighting, but its wood body has had to be replaced every year since 1941 because faulty electrical wiring causes the wood to catch fire.
And later goes on:
The event began Friday with the staff’s traditional procession under the dark of night from the Leavey Center, with everyone wearing the traditional costume of a flowing white robe, white hood, and white mask, portraying the “ghosts of Christmas past.”
“It’s a time to remember our great tradition, but it’s also a time to remember some of the darkness that hangs over our past,” Hoya Features Editor Emma Richards (COL ’12) said. “It feels cathartic to put on this white hood. It’s about us coming together as one and exterminating these dark figures of the past that seem to loom over us.”
"I was just appalled," said John Lewis, a junior studying government and English, who is African-American. Invoking cross burnings, the KKK, and lynchings, he said, is "by no means appropriate for any type of satirical work—especially at a university like Georgetown where a lot of racial issues have been swept under the rug."
Lewis and Elizabeth Gunderson, a senior who is white and has served as president of the university's chapter of the NAACP, sent out a news release that quoted other outraged students and faculty.
Sociology professor Joseph Palacios: "Putting a burning KKK cross as a Christmas symbol is not only racist but an insult to Christians and the values of Georgetown. If this is supposed to be a humorous reaction to political correctness then one has to wonder how low one needs to go to create political humor. The editors and the writers need to do a self-examination of their deeply rooted racism, anger, and anti-Christian attitudes."
Student and NAACP chapter president Jheanelle Brown: "At the end of the day, The Heckler's article made me sick to my stomach. I...felt that my Black body became a site for White (and non-Black) students to negotiate their twisted notions under the guise of satire. The nonsense has got to stop."
History department chair Aviel Roshwald: "I am convinced that The Heckler has in fact flagrantly crossed beyond all limits of tolerance by publishing a piece that can readily be understood to glorify violence against minorities, and thereby encourage it. The First Amendment protects The Heckler's [right] to publish brainless filth. The First Amendment also protects Georgetown University's right to dissociate itself from a mouthpiece for hate-mongering."
"Student activists are demanding a proper retraction and apology from The Heckler, as well as removal of the Georgetown name and insignia from the publication and its website," the release says. "In addition, concerned students are demanding a revision of the Media Board’s procedures and guidelines concerning student publications, in order to ensure that publications are checked thoroughly to avoid unabashed bigotry. Students, unwilling to allow this issue to get swept under the rug, are raising awareness and standing up for a campus environment that celebrates diversity and welcomes all people.
In response to the Heckler article, Brian Kesten, a senior theoloy major who is white and serves as head of Georgetown's Student Commission for Unity, has organized an on-campus event tonight on "Racism and Satire."
"Why is the only context for discussing race found in humor or satire at Georgetown?" its Facebook page asks. "Why does so much satire at Georgetown target victims of hate crimes, discrimination, sexual assault or injustice?"
In response to an email request for comment, the Heckler editor, Jack Stuef, asked if he could call City Desk tonight (he's cramming for a final).
1:24 pm
I'm confused. The way I read that piece is that it is making fun of the Hoya for being so insensitive, if not openly racist. Yes, you are rolling some loaded dice when you try to incorporate hateful images into satire, but none of those outraged quotations seem to even begin to understand the point that the Heckler was making.
1:32 pm
See, what I was wondering was: was the Heckler satirizing the Hoya, or was it satirizing how students have responded to the Hoya?
To me, the comparison of the Hoya to the KKK seemed to satirize the student paper less so than it satirized the student response to the April Fool's issue as being disproportionate and unwarranted. How I read this satirical piece was: "you all need to chill out, the Hoya's no KKK."
2:06 pm
But seriously, you couldn't have gotten a single quote from anyone on the other side of this issue? No, really, you needed six quotes from just the organizers of the protest?
Irony is dead.
2:06 pm
Reader:
You make some excellent points, but you're ignoring the fact that "irony" is wasted on stupid people.
These are the same folks who want "Huckaberry Finn" banned because of a word.
2:10 pm
This is a disgrace to journalism. Not only is it intensely one sided, but that pathetic attempt to humiliate the editor of the heckler for studying for his final is ridiculous. The Heckler article is ironic. It's making fun of The Hoya for its unironic, inexcusably racist issue last year. The fact that you can take things out of context to feign indignity and self-righteousness is more offensive to me than anything published in some campus humor magazine.
2:29 pm
As a GW graduate, I can say that over the years, I have found many Georgetown students to be unimpressive human beings.
2:29 pm
After Jack Stuef calls me, I will update this post (it was he who said he was studying for a final; if he couldn't comment now, it seemed a good idea to note his reason why). People who've commented here (and anyone with a feeling on the Heckler article) are encouraged to email me at eniedowski@washcp.com.
3:41 pm
Rather than speculate about Jack Steuf's intentions, I advise that you read his actual response to The Hoya's April Fool's edition:
http://georgetownheckler.blogspot.com/2009/04/hoya-gets-theirs.html
4:50 pm
This blog post is half-assed in several detrimental ways. First, to echo a few of the above posters - the author couldn't have included at least one view point from the other side of this issue's argument? The Georgetown Voice's blog, Vox Populi (http://blog.georgetownvoice.com/), has several commenters who express dissenting opinion. Not to mention the facebook page, which the author also cites and has no qualms with quoting from, also contains several different opinions and interesting insights.
There is also the issue of this "release." Maybe I missed it, but I can't find where in the article it says this release is from, and the release itself is inaccurate. The Heckler is NOT funded by Georgetown University, therefore it does not fall under the purview of the Media Board. Furthermore, the suggestion in the release that all Georgetown publications are checked thoroughly before print is disturbing to say the least.
Also, if you read Jack Stuef's response to the Hoya's April Fool's issue, he specifically says that the Heckler is not under the University's umbrella because it would be forced to soften its "satire."
I am surprised that so little research was done into the actual issues before this author posted a regurgitation of one side's complaints. This is irresponsible at best. This is not exactly breaking news - it wouldn't have killed the author to have waited to post until Jack Stuef was done with his exam and she could have talked to him instead of only publishing incendiary comments about his publication? I wonder if a City Paper reporter will be at the forum tonight? Or perhaps it would be more contented to simply call up the organizers afterwards and print their impressions.
5:12 pm
Why is it that the First Amendment is invoked when someone says, writes, or displays something that is outside of social norms. On first read folks will catch a bit of racism, a bit of sarcasm, and a bit of satire. The more you read it however, it shows more insult on the count of the writers than anything else. It shows that even in their attempts to satirize and derail The Hoya, the essence of their "humor" is insensitive.
7:37 pm
So much for higher education!
8:48 pm
This is an irresponsible post. As a journalist you need to provide a broad view of the situation.
shame on everyone, particularly Georgetown professors, for not being able to correctly interpret satire.
9:43 am
Student and NAACP chapter president Jheanelle Brown: "At the end of the day, The Heckler's article made me sick to my stomach. I...felt that my Black body became a site for White (and non-Black) students to negotiate their twisted notions under the guise of satire. The nonsense has got to stop."
Really Ms. Brown? The article did all of that? Good luck in school. I hope your major is drama.
9:23 am
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12:53 pm
I am the mother of Jheanelle Brown, Georgetown NAACP President, who has very passionately and bravely stood up for her convictions (in finals week nonetheless). I am seen where subtle and not so subtle racist jibes have been disguised as humor not only in the Hoya and Heckler pieces from Georgetown, but in mainstream media, schools, the workplace etc. When minorities rightly take offense the response is, "Oh,you can't take a joke"; or 'you don't recognize satire, or understand what it is". In 2009, any student who is smart enough to be accepted into an institution the academic caliber of Georgetown, knows that certain symbols, words etc are blatantly offensive and yes...racist! Yes, I said it...racist!!Hangings, people with hoods and kkk symbols, and certain language and dialect are known to be offensive. This is such a cop out; it's no joke.And my child, like every other, deserves to attend an institution where this situation does not keep coming up. She took English classes; she knows satire...Her sister attends an Ivy League institution. She says they have their own satirical papers there; but this is beyond the pale. I call upon Georgetown to make it clear that this type of racist filth is unacceptable from their students; and to whom much (a Georgetown Education) is given, much is expected.
Monica Foderingham,
Proud mother of Jheanelle Brown
1:17 pm
Ms. Foderingham- I respect your opinion in this matter but I think you miscalculate the level of intelligence these kids have as well. However atrocious it was and is, the KKK and all of the stupid things they did, are a part of American History, just as much as Hitler or Segregation or the Civil War, is a part of all our history. We can't ignore this stuff and regardless of the format or message, it has a right to be there. It is our duty as educated individual who have learnt from the past, what this stuff symbolizes, concur that it is horrible and remember to not have it happen again. We should not cringe everything something we do not like appears in mass. The only cop out here has been the responses by people angered by this.
No one is advocating for the Klan nor condoning its practices. It might be poor satire, but regardless, the image at least, is part of our history.
1:22 pm
The African American experience is synonomous with countless thousands of kidnappings, rapes, tortures and murders, and millions of lives ruined. Is there anything humorous about that at all? Not if it was your family.
I'm sorry, if any of you think humor is appropriate here you exist in a white cocoon which is shrinking year by year. As Rush Limbaugh found out when he attempted to become an NFL team owner, your level of insensitivity is no longer welcome in more and more of our nation.
The Heckler, if they are truly as nonracist as they claim, is in a position to make things better if they act quickly: Accept the truth about their actions and use their reach to educate others who are similarly blind.
1:45 pm
truth- this is the narrative of not only African Americans, but countless others. I am not condoning the article and myself find no humor in it. But we, as a collective people today, should recognize the mistakes of our past. We can't hide from it and we certianly shouldn't ignore it.
I'm multi-racial and this is just as part of my history as it is to anyone else. I don't great angry when I see this stuff. I'm saddened and hope deep down that it will not happen again.
1:52 pm
"The African American experience is synonomous with countless thousands of kidnappings, rapes, tortures and murders, and millions of lives ruined. Is there anything humorous about that at all? Not if it was your family"
Really, this has happened to you? To your parents? To your grandparents? The KKK, as much as they would like everyone to think, wasn't as far-reaching as we assume. At one point, its membership peeked in the 10s of millions, but that was before it became associated with the lynchings/murders that we now think of. And even those weren't as many as you would think. Don't get me wrong, one such action (kidnapping, torture, rape) is far too many, but we have people here making unfounded statements about what the Klan actually did.
Fear was the tactic they used the most and as much as they would like to have done wide-scale atrocities, they simply did not. They lost a lot of stem in the 1940s and 50s when a white journalist infiltrated their ranks and publicized the ludicrous nature of the organization.
We're giving more credit to these idiots than they deserve.
5:11 pm
GetReal,
I really urge you to get a better lesson in history and not rely on Google.
And to those who think there's nothing wrong with this situation...it's so easy to judge and say 'what's the big deal' when you are literally born into entitlement. There are things you will NEVER understand. There are situations you will never be put in, circumstances you will never have to go through. But the fact that you pass it off as everyone else being overly sensitive or dramatic - is what makes it worse.
When you live in a bubble and don't experience other aspects of life, it's easy to make uneducated perceptions. Life and the world are so much bigger than that. Sometimes the smartest people - are the dumbest people...........
10:17 am
Tricky- Ok, go ahead and share with me the history. I didn't google this shit, it's in your damn history books. I didn't claim people were oversensitive. I stated that the KKK and everything that they were thought to represent is exaggerated and a lack of knowledge about this results in the widespread promotion of fear. You don't support any of your statements. How can you assume I will never understand and how am I living in a bubble? I beg to differ, it is you who seem to be enveloped in this "bubble". I just don't put a lot of credence in things that have an iffy support system (the war in Iraq, anything Bush said, Al Sharpton, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck).
FYI, I'm black. I'm not offended by the stupidity and idiocracy of our past. I've witnessed prejudice/racism before and am myself a prejudiced individual. However, I don't react with widescale panic whenever I see and recognize something as offensive. You shouldn't do the same.
Take you own words into deep consideration- "Sometimes the smartest people - are the dumbest people..."
7:04 pm
"You shouldn't do the same." Try not to lecture us.
The Heckler's article and its supposed target are crass. Not funny. Slavery is not satire. The Holocaust is not satire. Genocide is not satire. Murdering Sikh and Muslim Americans after 11 September is not satire. True, the KKK invovled and "affected" a small number of Americans but that is irrelevant. What is relevant is that these things are not in our past. They are our present.
There are some items in our history that are off limits. I'm NOT saying we can't talk about them. In fact, I don't think we talk about them enough. But running an article like that almost brings that sort of behavior (cross burning) into the mainstream public discourse. These acts should never even be hinted at in the public discourse unless it is to condemn and outlaw them.
This article did not condemn nor did it outlaw.
That something like this was written is bad enough, that a whole staff saw it and thought it was a good idea pretty much demonstrates the sort of fucked up bubble that is 3/4 of Northwest.
8:15 pm
What I want to know is, how can you satirize what has never been addressed properly, respectfully or THOROUGHLY? This exemplifies a deeper UNCONSCIOUSNESS on the part of whites to a very CONSCIOUS issue for blacks! Until the addressing of RACIAL DIVIDES, hate groups and REAL DIALOGUE take place ALL SATIRE SHOULD BE OFF LIMITS to irresponsible, childish and delusional journalists.
11:37 am
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