Too MUCH of an Issue with the MAJORITY of How They Apologized

“The simple wording of this extremely inappropriate racial slur has shocked the majority of the Riverview student population along with much of our administration. It is absolutely disheartening that opinions such as these are still present in current generations. It shows that racism is still alive and thriving and that there needs to be a continuation of fighting for equality to rid of this hate once and for all.”[1]

I am positive that by now, anyone in this class, has heard about the “incident” in Sarasota,  Florida. Of course, the issue here, was that a young white boy, wrote a racist “promposal”. Disgusted, some shocked, and outraged we were, there was an even greater issue that he was not a part of. The greater issue can be found in the written apology (by two students), on behalf of the Riverview school body. In the first sentence of the statement, the students write, “the majority of the Riverview student population along with much of our administration,”[2] was shocked about the issue. What is notable here, that most likely went unnoticed by the public, was that the two words, “majority” and “much” were used in reference to both the student body, and administration. Most of the student body was shocked…much of the administration was, too. There is a crucial issue in the fact that these two words are utilized. It places emphasis on the disgusting fact that a percentage of the school body, found no issue with the promposal. In fact, they probably wondered why people were “making a big deal out of it.” While I am not surprised about this aspect of the apology, I remain unamused.

The second issue is found in the latter part of the apology. The two students write, “It shows that racism is still alive…”[3] I could not help but think to myself, that this was the most unintelligent and clearly uneducated phrase that I could have possibly read. Of course racism is still alive. Donald Trump would not be in office if it wasn’t. Trayvon Martin would not have been gunned down in their fair state, if racism was not still alive. This statement is not a recognition or an epiphany to the terrors of America. It is an ignorant statement made by white students, who do not want to admit that America is not as perfect as they’d like to think. THIS is the issue that prevails in the long term. His racist “promposal” will be forgotten. But, the mindset of the student body along with faculty, will most likely never change.

That is America.

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[1] (Elizabeth DjinisGatehouse, Florida Student, family apologize for racist promposal, April 25, 2018)

[2] (Elizabeth DjinisGatehouse, Florida Student, family apologize for racist promposal, April 25, 2018)

[3] (Elizabeth DjinisGatehouse, Florida Student, family apologize for racist promposal, April 25, 2018)