Black Student Sent Hate Mail at Christian College

Black Student Sent Hate Mail at U.S. School-Police (Reuters)

A black student has confessed to sending racist hate mail to three fellow students at her Christian college, apparently because she was unhappy and wanted to be pulled out of the school, police said Tuesday. “The notes became her way to leave the school (Trinity International University) by implying it was not a safe campus,” said Kevin Tracz, chief of police in Bannockburn, Illinois, in a statement. The unidentified female student was charged with disorderly conduct and a hate crime, Tracz said.

The handwritten notes received last week by two black and one Latino student prompted the school to send about 100 of its 1,000 undergraduate students off campus to hotels or private homes for a night. Students returned to campus the following day.

So, a note that implied it was not a safe campus was enough to spur the school to send ten percent of its undergraduates to spend the night off campus? And, if they thought it was that dangerous, why were they willing to risk the safety of the other 90 percent?!

At least Michelle Malkin will be happy.

Update (1329): Actually, she’s way ahead of me on this one. And there’s even the requisite cameo appearance by Jesse Jackson.

Update (1854): Joe Carter answers my first question in the comments below. It also probably answers my second question: The ten percent, presumably, was the entirely of the black/threatened student population.

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Joe Carter says:

    Hey James,

    So, a note that implied it was not a safe campus was enough to spur the school to send ten percent of its undergraduates to spend the night off campus? And, if they thought it was that dangerous, why were they willing to risk the safety of the other 90 percent?!

    I work on the Trinity campus and was able to see the media circus first hand. The school was merely taking precautions because the notes mentioned shooting black students within the next few days. I don’t think anyone took the threat at face value ( I sure didn’t) but the school felt the need to show that they were erring on the side of caution.

  2. kappiy says:

    I thought that these Conservative Christians were supposed to be above board?

  3. Carissa Landry says:

    Hey kappiy,

    I work at Trinity and have been in the midst of all of this that has been going on. Just curious about what you perceive that Trinity has not been above board about. I’d love to hear what the perception is off campus. It has been my impression that Trinity and its administration have been forthright about everything from their reason to evacuate to having Jesse Jackson on campus to see what was going on himself to having media interviews, etc. So, if you can unpack that for me, I’d be really interested.

    Thanks!
    Carissa

  4. Mike Emory says:

    kappiy,

    I am struck by your statement of “these” conservative Christians. In the midst of a conversation about pre-judging others based on a group rather than the individuals within that group, it is striking to me to be grouped and judged. As if to say that conservative Christians, as a rule, say one thing (in this case, that we are above board) and do another (not be above board). Even that statement is pre-judging the situation. Trinity has been above board from what I’ve seen. However, it is within another facet of this that I am struck. It just seems to me that stereotyping is condemned on all other fronts (as it should be) except for when it comes to conservative Christians. The irony is thick…especially in your statement of “these conservative Christians.” Insert any other group in that statement, and it would be completely unacceptable and hailed as intolerant and wrong. “These Muslims,” “these Jews,” “these African-Americans.” It’s amazing to me, really. Conservative Christians, just like any other group, are made up of individuals. Some you may like, some you may not…but to judge them by placing the stamp of “conservative Christian” on them and, therefore, writing them off as not above board — just seems like double speak to me.

  5. Kappiy says:

    For the record, I was referring to the conservative christan student who committed the contemptible act, not the college. I give props to the school for being concerned with the safety of the students.