[97fan]

I think the focus here on a few specific incidents involving cotton balls and poop swastikas may be misplaced.

I will defer to Kathy on this, because she actually lives in the community. But as someone who grew up in the St. Louis area, I can say that Columbia definitely had a reputation during the '80s and early '90s as a place that was not welcoming to black people. (And St. Louis is not exactly known for its progressive attitudes on race!) The history of Boone County, where Columbia is located, is more similar that of the South than it is to that of the Midwest. Indeed, Columbia is part of a region of Missouri that was long known as "Little Dixie."

All of that said, I'm sure that the university community is far more progressive on race than other parts of Columbia and Boone County are. And it's entirely possible that my perception of Columbia is outdated and unfair. Again, I will defer to Kathy on this.

* None of this should be taken as an endorsement of the protests. I definitely think the protesters have engaged in hyperbole. I don't think that sacking the university chancellor is going to lead to the changes the protesters are seeking. I am troubled by their efforts to stifle others' First Amendment rights. I just think that the underlying conditions they're protesting are being caricatured; what they're protesting goes beyond a few high-profile events, I'm pretty sure.

[97fan]

I think the focus here on a few specific incidents involving cotton balls and poop swastikas may be misplaced.

I will defer to Kathy on this, because she actually lives in the community. But as someone who grew up in the St. Louis area, I can say that Columbia definitely had a reputation during the '80s and early '90s as a place that was not welcoming to black people. (And St. Louis is not exactly known for its progressive attitudes on race!) The history of Boone County, where Columbia is located, is more similar that of the South than it is to that of the Midwest. Indeed, Columbia is part of a region of Missouri that was long known as "Little Dixie."

All of that said, I'm sure that the university community is far more progressive on race than other parts of Columbia and Boone County are. And it's entirely possible that my perception of Columbia is outdated and unfair. Again, I will defer to Kathy on this.

* None of this should be taken as an endorsement of the protests. I definitely think the protesters have engaged in hyperbole. I don't think that sacking the university chancellor is going to lead to the changes the protesters are seeking. I am troubled by their efforts to stifle others' First Amendment rights. I just think that the underlying conditions they're protesting are being caricatured; what they're protesting goes beyond a few high-profile events, I'm pretty sure.