Wake Forest University claims to not allow verbal abuse that is “obscene, profane, or derogatory” and the commission of any offense that is “motivated by the race or any other defining characteristic of an individual.” But when one writer for the Wake Forest Review faced persistent harassment at the intersection of race and politics, the Dean of Students Adam Goldstein and the Bias Response team chose not to enforce these rules against leftist students.
After two Wake Forest students handed senior Ryan Wolfe a box of saltine crackers and photoshopped his face onto a cracker, Wolfe requested to open a judicial case under the verbal abuse and racial harassment policies.
“I support the free speech rights of students,” Wolfe said. “But in this case, I wanted to see if the school would enforce their rules surrounding verbal and abuse equally regardless of who was involved in the case. I knew that similar rhetoric about the identity of other groups would not be tolerated.”
A few weeks after these requests, Goldstein told Wolfe that the committee would not take action and that he should not want them to do so because it would only “make things worse” for him.
According to Wolfe, Goldstein went on to justify the students’ actions by saying that they did this because “Trump won” the election. However, the Future of the GOP event happened over a week before election day.
Instead of a judicial case, or no contact order, or mediation, Goldstein told Wolfe that the students involved would take part in a meeting at the LGBTQ Center where they would be asked: “Is this the community you want to live in?”
Dean of Students Adam Goldstein did not reply to requests to comment on this article. The article will be updated if a response is received.
“I saw tweets from the students involved mocking the meeting and the administration,” Wolfe said. “It’s clear that this course of action did nothing to deal with the issue at hand and the incident was not taken seriously by the Bias Report Committee or the Dean of Students Office. Wake Forest clearly did not enforce their rules equally.”
The incident at hand occurred on October 26th, 2016, when Wolfe and three other students were panelists in a discussion hosted by The Wake Forest Review and the Wake Forest College Republicans about the future of the Republican Party at the Wake the Vote hub.
Before, during, and after the event, students involved in a variety of leftist organizations on campus began posting hateful and abusive comments and images about Wolfe on social media and in GroupMe messages.
“I was the most outspoken conservative they knew,” Wolfe said. “It appeared that they were trying to intimidate me into silence through social media posts or protesting the student panel in person.”
In the GroupMe messages obtained by the Review, a picture of Wolfe’s head was photoshopped on a saltine cracker by junior Julius Goble. The group chat contained students from the 2016 BRANCHES social justice retreat.
On Facebook, junior Char Van Schenck commented on a picture of the student panel picture with four white saltine crackers, saying “loving the lineup.”
On Twitter, junior Brianna Reddick called Wolfe a “mayonnaise monster lookin a***.”
Reddick went as far to hand Wolfe with a physical box of saltines after the panel and brag about it on Twitter, saying “Today I handed the saltiest Republican a box of saltine crackers.”
With the encouragement of the Executive Director of the Pro Humanitate Institute Marianne Magjuka and Anna Julia Cooper Center Director Dr. Melissa Harris-Perry, Wolfe went through the University Bias Report System to alert the school of the actions of these students at the school-sponsored event.
Once he met with Dean of Students Adam Goldstein, and Wolfe made it clear to Goldstein that he wanted to move forward with the case, Goldstein assembled the Bias Report Committee to look at the files.
While some students see the creation of the bias reporting system as a step in the right direction, many believe it has turned into a tool for the University to insert their bias into their justice system that was meant to eliminate it.
The committee was made up of Dean of Students Adam Goldstein, Director of the LGBTQ Center Dr. Angela Mazaris, the interim Chief Diversity Officer Jose Villalba, Vice President of Campus Life and Dean of Residence Life and Housing Donna McGalliard, and Title IX Coordinator Tanya Jachimiak.
The students named in the bias report had previous relationships with at least one member of the committee. Two of the students, Richard Caban Cubero and Julius Goble, were employed by Residence Life and Housing and the LGBTQ Center, respectively.
“If Wake Forest truly wants to create a vibrant intellectual environment free from verbal abuse and harassment, individuals must be held to the same standard, regardless of their identity or national political events.” – Ryan Wolfe
Goldstein and Wolfe initially met about the bias report on November 10. At this meeting, Goldstein presented Wolfe with three potential options for the students who conducted these actions.
The first was a “no contact order,” similar to a restraining order, where students are not allowed to have contact with another.
The second was “mediation,” where the students and a University faculty member sit down and attempt to bring some sort of conciliation between the two parties.
The final, and the most serious was to “press charges” and open a judicial case with the school.
Wolfe requested to open a judicial case with the students who were directly involved with the giving him saltine crackers and photoshopping his face onto a cracker, while also referring the files to the Wake Forest University Human Resources Department for the students who were University employees.
Goldstein and Wolfe met again on November 30 to review the committee’s findings. It was at this meeting where Goldstein told Wolfe that he should not pursue a judicial case and that he and Mazaris would meet with the students instead.
“I hope in the future, the University enforces its rules equally and justly,” Wolfe said. “If Wake Forest truly wants to create a vibrant intellectual environment free from verbal abuse and harassment, individuals must be held to the same standard, regardless of their identity or national political events.”
I’ve read this article three times, and I still find it very confusing. Please rewrite it. If you handed this in to an English 101 class you would not have done very well.
Cognitive dissonance is a crazy thing! It causes you to only write three sentences in your comment instead of your usual 80 paragraphs. I think that means they did a good job with writing this article.
Is it WFRs stamce on moderation of comments that using a fake name for submission that is clearly deigned to insult is OK? Especially about an article is complaining about “verbal abuse”.
“Is it WFRs stamce on moderation of comments that using a fake name for submission that is clearly deigned to insult is OK? ”
I’ve read your comment three times, and I still find you misspelled “stance”. Please rewrite it. If you handed this in to an English 101 class, you would not have done very well.
If you care more about SPELLING rather then TELLING, you fail my class “Takes 101”. Plz go back to ur safe space, reevalueate ur life, and rerite ur stateament.
Your first sentence is not even a sentence. Rewrite this nonsense now! If you handed this in to an English 101 class, you would not have done very well. Stupid wannabe college kids have no grammar skills these days.
I read this article and it was incredibly clear and hard-hitting. It is as solid of a case as they come. Cathy Newman anyone?
IMO- I think a Ritz would have been a more appropriate cracker.
CRyan Wolfe should realize that handing someone a box of crackers is not a crime and not worth opening a judicial case should have shot for a no contact order dumb dumb
It’s obvious he realized it’s not a crime, but if he were to post a black dudes face on a monkey or hand some black chick a bucket of fried chicken, there’d be hell today which would not end with his expulsion. The point of this was to see how the rules would apply with the races swapped. Poof, nothing.
Exactly right. Point made – spectacularly. But liberals will never get it, nor accept it. Next week he should post some watermelon meme and watch the sh*t hit the fan.
Apalled Alumni – Exactly, that is why the WF alum need to speak out. Shut out any giving and tell them why.
No that was not the point of the article at all…this should not be viewed as a “race” thing. It is not wrong because if you did to to a black person you’d be in trouble, it is wrong because it is simply wrong so stop with the “oh if a white guy did this blah blah blah”. This is a failure of the administration that negatively impacts (if there was negligence) all races equally because no one should be fine with this type of overt racism.
Umm okay, no. Were white people enslaved? Discriminated against? Are they the subjects of police brutality? Of mass incarceration? Honestly, this is not that hard. If marginalized identities poke fun at white people, DEAL WITH IT. I am white, and I am saying this. Think in context. Color of skin brings privilege or suffering. So racial slurs said by white people cannot be compared to a white person being called a cracker. No. Don’t even try.
Alec Jessar… were any of the black people today enslaved? Nope. And plenty of white people have been mistreated and beaten by cops. But anyways, enjoy being a pathetic loser. You sound truly pathetic. Try not to have too much fun murdering your offspring at the local PP.
KA has done just that multiple times. Since we’re bringing old issues up.
Reading comprehension is hard, isn’t it.
actually, handing a white person a box of crackers, in a political setting, accompanied by words describing it as racially motivated (as admitted to by the assailant herself), then it is a violation of the school’s bias codes. That it wasn’t charged as such reveals the institutional racist against whites in favor of non-whites, i.e., separate but unequal, and second class citizenship.
Hand a black person a slice of watermelon or fried chick as a university student and see how quickly you get booted. Neither this or saltines are acceptable behavior. The problem is one’s accepted.
You’re a moron.
First Anthony, why have you written this article on an incident that occurred nearly a year and a half ago. There has been many opportunities for the review to speak on this matter so it is quite interesting it would be made an important topic more than a year later. As Ryan has already reflected on this as a reason to write a previous article on Prohumanitiate funding. Is it because Ryan is in his last semester and the review is taking an opposing view on their previous stance on the Bias Report system (a system that is meant to remedy things like the “RAP party” a party where white students dressed like “Black Rappers” or the Subway incident where employees were called, “N****rs,” or possibly the incident that occured closest to the one you are referring to on election night when minority students were harassed and called “n****rs” on campus on election night)? The outcome of these events are unknown, however bias on the left and right is a constant occurrence at Wake Forest and due to confidentiality it is rarely known what the outcome is; so accusing the University of handling this situation differently is quite alarming considering your limited level of proof. During the window controversy at Wake Forest both sides were asked to remove political themed messages; not just right-winged students. This article is also difficult to comment on as you have chosen not to include proper dates to assess when Ryan met with Goldstien but they either met in 2016 or 2017, although I assume 2016 is more likely because Ryan in a thesis class last semester spoke on this very incident and some parties mentioned in the article are no longer university students. Given that this is such old news to report on it can be assumed that there are 3 possible motivations for this article: (1) the review hiding behind computers when speaking on political events that they seem to have more “moderate” or even “opposite” views on it person, (2) it is close to Ryan’s graduation, so coming out with the story offers less opposition to statements on his behalf, or (3)–which I hope is certainly not the case– the review is making a disturbing comparison to an unfortunate incident where a video of a white student at Wake Forest called an RA an “n****r” (only a week after a young woman at the University of Alabama proudly embraced the word) and given the terribly disturbing origin of the term in slavery and Jim Crow, its connection with terrorist organizations such as the KKK, and continually being associated with hate crimes and lynchings, I hope and anticipate, if asked both Ryan and you, Anthony, are hesitant to support. I now challenge you and the Review to reevaluate the purpose of this article and the assumptions you are making about the bias report system as you have a limited availability of knowledge related to the sanctioning of individuals faced with these allegations. Further, I offer that the Review, Ryan, and you follow Ryan’s quote, “I hope in the future, the University enforces its rules equally and justly. If Wake Forest truly wants to create a vibrant intellectual environment free from verbal abuse and harassment, individuals must be held to the same standard, regardless of their identity or national political events.” And not haphazardly use language that is coded, derogatory, and that stereotypes people of color. As there are many articles that can be interpreted as racial bias and there are incidents of racial bias that go with minimal punishment for right leaning individuals.
I’d try not to make too many unfounded accusations…is it not unreasonable to take on face value that the student did not feel properly helped by those running the bias reporting system? And if he truly wasn’t helped as there honestly seems to be evidence of (because “Trump won” isn’t a good justification to not have a judicial meeting) is that not a problem that undermines the legitimacy and purpose of the – to be perfectly clear – undoubtedly necessary bias reporting system? And why should the length of time matter? Perhaps you answered it yourself, he’s closer to graduation so he feels safer doing coming forward publicly.
Point is to stop ascribing nefarious motives to those you disagree with. You prescribe three motivations for which there is no evidence but ignore the given and perfectly rational explanation.
Peace.
Maya knows the student has a perfectly rational explanation, but doesnt want to admit it. This whole triggered by Trump thing is a hilarious statement on modern liberals as mis-educated in the Ford assembly line of thinking known as ACADEMIA. They have been trained to be so insecure ,hateful and intolerant that they think being unhappy justifies racism. I am not making it up, that was Adam Goldstein’s justification: Trump won the election, so the anti-white racism was acceptable. What it has to do with white civil rights Mr Goldstein doesn’t explain.
I think if asked she’ll admit it because I think Maya is a good person
Really? Then why did she make the racist, hateful, taunting message to begin with? Further, why no reply from her?
Ryan is doing this now, a year later, hoping to get a job offer from a conservative new outlet. He already has appeared on Foxnews and is covered by dailycaller.com. The fact that he demanded a judicial case and would not consider instead a no contact order, or mediation was nor mentioned by Fox or dailycaller.
What will WFR do when Ryan leaves? Big shoes to fill.
Wow, what a terrible setting for anyone of any background to try and educate oneself.
This place calls itself a “university”? This is “liberal” education on display?
Wake Forest, the intellectual community doesn’t benefit from this contribution.
Lots of pure racism at play here, even from the commenters. For instance, Maya’s base argument is pure racism. She basically ADMITS that the Bias Report System wasn’t set up to enforce equal rights for all, but ONLY for students of color or “marginalized”. The pure hypocrisy, irony, double standards, racism, hate and ignorance of her argument seems lost on her. Anyway, her admission loses the debate for her entirely (again, lost on her). Secondly, justice isn’t weighed on when it happened. That he is speaking out now is irrelevant. Her almost hateful taunts of “hiding” behind a keyboard hint as glee at the violence visited upon Conservatives (re: those evil whites) that dare demand equal rights (ahem, Antifa, for which there is no equivalent on the right). Again it’s irrelevant to her argument, but it seems she is hinting at street justice. With that I am sensing a real similarity in history between her stance and the KKK. They also boasted hateful things like “if they know whats good for em”, etc. Word to the leftists bigots, note that they lose in the end (thankfully). You brainwashed, leftist bigots will also lose. On to more of her “argument” as she tries but can’t seem to really get herself to want equal rights and justice. Watch her struggle here:
“I hope in the future, the University enforces its rules equally and justly”.
-Apparently, no, you don’t. Thats why you fighting this white student coming out against the abuse and double standards visited upon him.
“If Wake Forest truly wants to create a vibrant intellectual environment free from verbal abuse and harassment, individuals must be held to the same standard, regardless of their identity or national political events.”
– EXACTLY! So…why are you fighting that again?
“And not haphazardly use language that is coded, derogatory, and that stereotypes people of color. As there are many articles that can be interpreted as racial bias and there are incidents of racial bias that go with minimal punishment for right leaning individuals.”
– Maya, do you realize your entire argument is coded and is slanted against the white student for speaking out? Oh, this wasn’t just an interpretation of bias, it is pure factual and logical bias and double standards based on race. The exact same thing you just claimed to be against.
Your entire closing statement seems to be you stomping your feet because you ultimately know that the Left really looks bad here, and its another tick along to the Tipping Point when much of America seems the modern “Left” for what it is: brainwashed racist bigotry.
Since clearly you have endless things to say about my comment being “racist.”
First, nowhere in my comment did I use a racial slur or anything like that against anyone. I also did not say it was okay for anyone to call Ryan a racial slur. I just stated that the facts were misguided and not all given. There have been numerous incidents at Wake Forest where left leaning and minority individuals have been harassed or targeted and Wake Forest has responded in the same manner. I am just saying there is more to the story than what is portrayed here, which is why I implied they should make sure that they can prove that there was bias in his proceedings. In 2016, the University would not have suspended or expelled any student who made similar comments whether white or black or liberal or conservative. That was the point I made.
Second, Your views on what qualifies as racism is illogical. Clearly you wish for people to be treated unfairly as I called on the Review to do the same thing and stop using racially inflammatory language, which is because many feel the Review does. Instead of this article being about a White Student not getting justice consider the Right backing the Left and show that few are getting justice in this system; which would be equality and something I stand for. Just because I don’t think it is right to only showcase his experience doesn’t make me racist or bias; if I said only his complaints were meritable that would be bias. If I said only liberal complaints had merit, that would be bias. I said nether, I said that both are handled the same way and if that offends you take it up with Wake Forest. I don’t make the rules.
Third, If you feel like I was taunting by saying they hide behind keyboards it is because that is my honest opinion. I have talked to Ryan after controversial articles and he barely has the same opinion in person. So of course… I feel that this is written behind a lens. I have no issue with opposing views just be honest about them.
Fourth, I didn’t respond because I have better things to do than concern myself with, than explaining myself to someone that has taken a personal vendetta against me over criticism of the reporting tactics that are used here. And nor will I further engage as I find your comments aggressive and unnecessary.
Facts are misguided??? Boy, you really have been educated at a crappy university. You should sue for your money back.
“Since clearly you have endless things to say about my comment being ‘racist.'”
– One comment is endless? How would you describe identity politics in academia then? LOL!
First, nowhere in my comment did I use a racial slur or anything like that against anyone.
– You don’t have to use a slur, its the meaning and content of one’s words and/or actions that make something racist. Oh, and you don’t need “power” to be a racism, anyone can be a racist, as it’s originated as a thought/belief.
“I also did not say it was okay for anyone to call Ryan a racial slur. I just stated that the facts were misguided and not all given. ”
– Facts are not misguided, facts are truth. Your bizarre statement here shows how desperate your argument is. When you argued against the Bias Report system being available for whites, and bemoaning Ryan for having the audacity of reaching for the same protections available to other students, you furthered and condoned racism and institutional racism against whites. Please address this point, where you said this:
“Is it because Ryan is in his last semester and the review is taking an opposing view on their previous stance on the Bias Report system (a system that is meant to remedy things like the ‘RAP party’ a party where white students dressed like “Black Rappers” or the Subway incident where employees were called, “N****rs,” or possibly the incident that occured closest to the one you are referring to on election night when minority students were harassed and called “n****rs” on campus on election night)”
– Note above, you only list incidents against non-whites, in the context of criticizing Ryan for using the Bias Report system, the same system supposedly available to all human being at WFU. Your condemnation of a white man expecting the system to be available to him is pure racism, AND institutional racism. In case you haven’t picked it up, that’s racist, and you didn’t need to utter a racial slur to meet the racist criteria. I wonder if you will address that direct point? Moving on…
” There have been numerous incidents at Wake Forest where left leaning and minority individuals have been harassed or targeted and Wake Forest has responded in the same manner. I am just saying there is more to the story than what is portrayed here, which is why I implied they should make sure that they can prove that there was bias in his proceedings. In 2016, the University would not have suspended or expelled any student who made similar comments whether white or black or liberal or conservative. That was the point I made.”
– You keep saying there is more to the story…but then go on to…never tell us what that is! So, what justifies the racist behavior of the students and the school? Please, do tell us, and not just allude to it.
“Second, Your views on what qualifies as racism is illogical. ”
– Ummm, no. Mine comes from the dictionary. Please see above how yours fits into it. I know you are a liberal and liberals have tried to re-define the word to absolve themselves of any responsibility in the race debate. So because you need a refresher:
rac·ism
ˈrāˌsizəm/Submit
noun
prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior.
“a program to combat racism”
synonyms: racial discrimination, racialism, racial prejudice, xenophobia, chauvinism, bigotry, casteism
“Aborigines are the main victims of racism in Australia”
the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.
noun: racism
“theories of racism”
“Clearly you wish for people to be treated unfairly as I called on the Review to do the same thing and stop using racially inflammatory language, which is because many feel the Review does. Instead of this article being about a White Student not getting justice consider the Right backing the Left and show that few are getting justice in this system; which would be equality and something I stand for. Just because I don’t think it is right to only showcase his experience doesn’t make me racist or bias; if I said only his complaints were meritable that would be bias. If I said only liberal complaints had merit, that would be bias. I said nether, I said that both are handled the same way and if that offends you take it up with Wake Forest. I don’t make the rules.”
– Where did the review use racially inflammatory language? Please give examples. Because many “feel” it does, doesn’t make it factually so. Do you realize that above you are whining because the Left’s racism was showcased? That’s basically what it boils down to. If you really were for equality you would be upset at the racism of the school, but sadly, you are only really upset that the school’s racism was exposed by one of the only FEW media outlets (a tiny school publication at that), that doesn’t engage in the totalitarian, one-sided racist “journalism” practiced in most of America. Your selective outrage exposes your bias. You say one thing but do another. But, please, show us all examples (with links) to where you stood up against the left for totalitarian actions, or racism against whites. Something tells me we will be waiting a long time.
Not to beat the dead horse, but one of your statements above really sticks out:
“instead of this article being about a White Student not getting justice consider the Right backing the Left and show that few are getting justice in this system; which would be equality and something I stand for”
– SO essentially you are saying you are upset that this got ANY ATTENTION AT ALL, and you want to right (or sadly, AN ENTIRE RACE OF PEOPLE) to NOT SPEAK UP, LAY DOWN THEIR HOPE OF EQUAL TREATMENT, AND JUST PARROT THE LEFT. Why should the Review not showcase the school being racist? You actually are upset that the right has any voice at all? PLEASE DO RESPONSE TO THESE DIRECT QUESTIONS.
“Third, If you feel like I was taunting by saying they hide behind keyboards it is because that is my honest opinion. I have talked to Ryan after controversial articles and he barely has the same opinion in person. So of course… I feel that this is written behind a lens. I have no issue with opposing views just be honest about them.”
– Here you really fall down again. Above and below, you bemoan the right (or sadly, whites), for speaking out against an injustice. THEN you go on for justifying taunting someone for your view that they changed their view in person. Maybe Ryan was scared of assault by violent leftists, ever think of that? Oh, your comment that you have no issue with opposing views is contradicted by your statement in the very same post bemoaning the Review for even talking about the school’s racist handling of Ryan. Pure double speak dishonesty on YOUR part.
“Fourth, I didn’t respond because I have better things to do than concern myself with, than explaining myself to someone that has taken a personal vendetta against me over criticism of the reporting tactics that are used here. And nor will I further engage as I find your comments aggressive and unnecessary.”
– A vendetta is not responding to someone with ONE or two posts in a public forum you are taking part in, your definition is laughable. Second, you boast of intimidating Ryan, but then go on to whine because someone met your argument, and dismantled them. that is really what you are whining about, isn’t it?
PS – your terrible performance here really shows how pathetic the modern left has become, because your side just yells over people, violently assaults (Antifa, BLM, etc) the other side, you actually don’t know how to decipher problems/arguments, and debate accordingly. The leftist comments defending WFU’s racist actions really proves it.
What do you think employers think of this type of education…. I will tell you, we look to another grad applicant. Sorry, that’s the real world.
If employers look solely to one discrete issue at a university to determine the type of education an individual received from said institution and then base their review of that applicant on the issue you’re likely missing out on some extremely qualified individuals based on your own narrow-minded scope.
This example of discrimination is but one of many not only at WF but other cocoons of academia as well.
Hold on- I’m confused. What kind of journalistic integrity is this? This reads like a segment on Fox News(well, maybe that’s the intent). I read where the ‘affected’ student’s stance was noted. I also read where the Dean had ‘no comment’, but where is the comment from the student this publication outright NAMED? What the hell? What journalism school did this writer attend? Did you graduate? Where is the OTHER side? You name a student, include her picture and Twitter handle, but YET you offer only ONE side to this story. This article is filled with partiality and cannot be taken with an ounce of seriousness. There is obviously a motive behind this story….much more than a damn judicial review. IMO
So College Grad, you are bemoaning what you see is a biased Media? Something tells me out of the other side of your mouth you see nothing wrong with Liberal Media Bias.
What could the other side be? There doesn’t seem to be a side in the story…just a description of events.
You went through college and dont know that when you voluntarily lead, a public political protest you become a “limited public figure”?
I trust that my granddaughter did not take part in this absurdity.
The only thing that will make this change is if white students engage in civil disobedience. Nothing short of violence is an acceptable counter to this injustice. They won’t be laughing when their cars are vandalized. No platform for anti-right hate.
The best way to protest this is to embrace the symbol. The white students should carry crackers everywhere and throw crackers everywhere.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_cracker
Unfortunately,this article highlights what is the atmosphere on most college campuses today. Unless you are of a certain political ideology you are unwelcome on college campuses. There is no room for civil dialogue.
Imagine the reaction if a group of conservative white males engaged in similar targeted harassment towards an outspoken Hispanic student, passing around a photoshop of them in a sombrero and confronting them with a box of tacos. It’s now clear bullying and racism are tolerated at Mother So Dear as long as it’s the right people (Trump supporters) being abused.
So true.
It’s almost as if the experience of students of color is vastly different from white students – especially at a predominantly white establishment like Wake Forest – due to America’s history and a past rooted in racism. The WFR lauds this narrative of “leftist victimization” and yet here we’re seeing you do just that. You angered hundreds of students of color, queer students, and students who won’t tolerate the blind discrimination that this website has spewed. After the blatant racism, homophobic, sexism, and ignorance that you at the WFR have supported and given a platform to, I’m surprised a photoshopped saltine is the only thing people are doing.
This isn’t a bias incident: this is a case of students fighting back against injustice. This is just desserts.
Shane, your entire comment is racist, but I thank you for posting it because you make our argument for us. You literally show the world exactly how racist the left is. Your argument is that whites in general are all acceptable targets of racism because of the actions of other whites. Judging all members of a race because of a sub-group of said race is basically the definition of racism. America’s history with racism doesn’t excuse yet more racism, ignorance and hatred. If the history excuse is what you want, how about we all play? Ever hear of the barbary pirates? Muslim invaders, predominantly people of color, had a real thing by enslaving, killing, raping white European Christians. This was before the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade even started. So using your excuse, ALL black and/or black Muslims are fair game for racism, correct? After all, you are playing the history justifies current race angle.
Adam Goldstein is a racist, his actions are racist and a textbook bias incident, as were the actions of the lefty students, as are yours. Now, Shane…care to address my direct debate points?
Why no response from Shane? No substantive replies to the debate? Just racism?
Liberal hate at it again. Its never about dialogue but about insults and often times race. Face it this African American student has a racial problem and if the roles were reversed all hell would break lose. The University, along with the left leaning student groups, showed their weakness and lack of intellect by not condemning this behavior.
First off most of it was done by fellow white people. The female is also half white, with her mother being white soooo. The University didn’t condemn KA.
I Got the Tea, you know that means nothing right? There are plenty of whites engaged in racism and brainwashed bigotry against other whites. That the female is half white is irrelevant. Sooo….
Article is pure art
your words might carry some weight if you tell us what it is you like or don’t like about it. Anything else is name calling.
Seems there are a lot of white males who feel terribly abused. I wonder how many would choose to be a minority.
It seems the college offered three choices, and was recommending the first, which was appropriate. The lack of not choosing to pursue the recommended choice does not mean the college did not respond.
The DA who goes for murder when he or she can only prove manslaughter, and losses, does not mean the judicial system if unfair.
@Tom Daly: “I wonder how many would choose to be a minority.”
Well, here’s one answer to that question. I’m white. My best friend in high school, Billy, was 1/4 Native American. This “qualified” him as a minority, even though Billy never presented himself as a minority, never stepped foot on a reservation or participated in any way in his tribe. He’s called a “Person of Color” even though his skin color is almost indistinguishable from mine. He participated in high school sports, and was a youth leader in his church. Hardly anyone even knew that he had Native American blood flowing in his veins.
At graduation, his hidden Native American blood along with mediocre test scores was enough for him to get a full-ride scholarship to an elite west coast university, complete with NICE campus housing, meals, the works. Entirely free. My high ACT and SAT scores combined with my skin color earned me a few hundred bucks in scholarship money at a state college; I took out huge loans and served at Applebee’s to make up the rest.
After graduation, he began openly acknowledging his Native American blood and was rewarded with a great job offer at EVERY PLACE where he interviewed. I went through 5 interviews before my first offer, and had to go through 3 more before getting a reasonable offer I was willing to accept.
In the years since graduation, we’ve both been successful – me, by working my butt off; he, mostly just by virtue of that 25% of blood in his veins. And that is not just my opinion; he tells me of offers he gets from organizations wanting to be seen as “supportive of a diverse and inclusive workforce.”
To answer your question… choosing to be the minority (if such a choice could be made) certainly would have given me a far more comfortable ride in life.
Yet in the end, I wouldn’t have chosen to trade places with Billy to be the minority, but not for the reasons you might suppose. Your thesis suggests that “being a minority” in the modern-day USA is still a position of disadvantage, and in one way, you’re absolutely right. I openly and freely claim “white privilege” and define it as the struggles I’ve endured that non-whites rarely have to deal with nowadays, what I have learned from them and how they have strengthened me. Minorities of yesteryear had to deal with struggles far worse than anything happening today, and those generations deserve our greatest respect… but minorities today have the opportunity/disadvantage of waaaay too many silver platters being extended their way, and the only real “struggle” becomes the decision of which one to accept. Had I been the minority rather than my friend Billy, I wouldn’t have known or benefited from those struggles that build character and shape success.
(Undoubtedly, some POC will now angrily attack me for these words. Of those people, I wonder how many received really sweeeeeet scholarships and other benefits simply because of where their skin color falls on the Pantone scale?)
Cool story, bro.
If you are a white male you already have two “quota” systems working for you.
Females get better grades and better scores on achievement test and if not for the desire to have some balance between sexes on campus there would be a lot more females at competitive schools.
Asians get better grades and better scores on achievement test and if not a desire to reflect the communities they are in colleges would be a lot more Asians at competitive schools.
No one chooses to be anything…that’s the whole point of being against racism. Are white males different then any other groups.
If you were black and a college offered you three choices on how to ignore racism without a problem would you take them instead of causing a whole thing?
That would actually be a reasonable ideal world…if everyone just ignored assholes instead of making the problem more public and complex. It would just die on its own
“It seems the college offered three choices, and was recommending the first, which was appropriate. The lack of not choosing to pursue the recommended choice does not mean the college did not respond.”
– No, it means they responded inappropriately. It was inconsistent with their stated goals, and judging from the words of the college enforces, racist and institutionally racist.
I hope they sue Y’all for slender. This one-sided story. Y’all messed up lol should have scratched the names out. Bye Bye Wake Forest Review. Journalist always learns their lesson.
Sue for slender? LMAO
How is it slander when the parties involved posted those messages on photos on their own twitters and facebooks? Are you suggesting the author photoshopped Ryan’s face himself?
Lol see this is what happened when the story is one sided. Those pictures was in a group chat friends send it amongst each other. Those are screenshots of a group chat. The only thing that made it to social media was the mayo monster. And the girl putting the post that she gave the saltiest conservative a box of crackers. Not to mention there was things going on between all those students and Ryan. He not all innocent.
“he only thing that made it to social media was the mayo monster. And the girl putting the post that she gave the saltiest conservative a box of crackers. ”
– Thats all he needs to establish the racism criteria. Past that, your assertion that “He not all innocent” is subjective, but irrelevant to the college’s role in enforcing its own standards consistently. Furthermore, providing debate that goes against the liberal orthodoxy is not grounds for violation in a sane person’s book – only in the mind of racist liberals like yourself.
Slender? This is your accusation, really? How can I go about suing someone for slender? Bye Bye OIl to the fire, commenters always get called out for an inability to articulate themselves using the English language.
Lots of inconsistencies in this story. To me, this appears to reek of a Wolfe in sheep’s clothing. This is why people like my good friend Alex Jones exist, to find truth in a post-truth world. Look forward to learning more through some investigative journalism.
A brave young man stands up for equal treatment and the administration says double crossies on the judicial option. Welcome to double standardsville in academia where freedom of speech is under assault.
That damned Democrat Nathan Orr Hatch.
This garbage would not be happening under Hearn. I miss those days.
I guess nothing good ever lasts.
Hatch – The guy who let Koch money into WFU? a liberal???
Look up his voter registration, you dumbass.
It’s a sad day when those in authority become jellyfish and go with the flow while we expect a strong true voice to ring out. God help us…
Liberals are capable of racism too. You all are out of control
I don’t know why liberal idiots stop short of saying that you can’t be racist against a white person.
They should go all the way and claim that you can’t steal, rape, or kill a white person, either.
Such retarded “thinking.”
I didn’t take SJW 101 at Wake, thankfully.
I find my alma mater’s (mis)treatment of this white student appalling — and the apparent attitude of this dean disgusting and demoralizing. Real and fair leadership from the top would never have permitted this occurrence nor the negligence that happened afterward. I am thankful that my diploma is on a wall and am grateful every day that I attended Wake Forest in the 1960s — and not now in what appears from the outside to be just another politically correct cesspool of higher leftist “learning”.
For the sake of my daughter, I will keep quiet until she graduates May 21st. That day cannot come soon enough. If I knew then, what I know now, I would never had agreed to send her to WFU. So much more liberal that you would ever imagine. And that’s truly coming from a family who does not have a racist bone in their body, believes in gun control, equal rights, etc, However, WFU takes it to another extreme. My daughter has been mocked at, laughed at, and ridiculed in class by an African American professor who used his/her authority to rally the largely African American class against the few whites that were in the class. I understand the African American community has legitimate complaints about how they were treated in the past and how they may still be treated today; however, there is no reason for a college professor to lynch a 21 year old white student. But because all that my daughter did was to show up for class, take notes, and fulfill the responsibility of the class without partaking in the heated discussions against the conservative right, she was lynched. She was basically forced to drop the class with obviously no reimbursement or repercussions against the professor. When this type of behavior is allowed, it only makes people more defensive of the color of their skin which should not be tolerated. Black, white, male and female should all be treated equally and that is not happening at WFU.
Yes this is truly unfortunate. After your daughter graduates you may want to publicize this bullying and the names of the bullies. This will affect their ability to obtain JOBS. Then demand a reimbursement from the University given this outrageous conduct. Contact HR of any companies they work for and board of directors. Could be a painful experience for these losers.
Dear “father of a student,”
Looks like you need to look up the word lynch before even bringing it up in the comments section. You really need a history lesson, because that word is extremely insensitive to the 4,000 African Americans who died between 1865 and 1968 because of lynching. And that’s only the documented ones. God knows how many more were out there. Sir, you need to pick up a dictionary and look up the word lynching, and then read an article about lynchings.
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/10/us/history-of-lynchings-in-the-south-documents-nearly-4000-names.html
Sincerely,
A former Wake Forest student
Stay True,
Yours is literally the ONLY intelligent comment with merit coming from the left here. Although Father of a Student’s post is right on, he could have used a different word than lynch. The rest of his post, its entire spirit, is right on however.
Cracker article written by a cracker staff. You white trash kids will never learn. No people of color better not get no flak over this.
:/
Racist.
Sorry. WFU students are (supposed to be) adults, even the black students, and adults reap what they sow.
Dis raciss
And this is the reason why I am attending Washington & Lee! I was accepted ED at Wake and now I have a reason to get out of it. Thank you for writing this follow up as I would have never known this type of stuff was a problem at Wake. This does not sound like the place for a white, Republican male.
Used to be. Until Hatch.
Umm, yeah. Please don’t come if you’re bringing the deisre to target marginalized students and involve Nazis.
LOL marginalized. What a retard.
You understand now why the SAT had to be made optional, amirite?
According to WFR this article is being viewed by:
Over 200 people an hour, day and night since it was posted.
It has been viewed by two time the number of students at WFU
The access after two days was 100/day – somehow the access rate is accelerating dramatically in day 3
Is that reasonable?
Or has the Pope/Koch and other right wing network have taken it to heart – unlikely since it does not deal with Trump
Or someone has learned to program Microsoft Macros to simulate activity
Or the access count is BS-
It will ensure this article remains of WFR forever
I have worked with many Wake alum over the years who are very admirable people. For that reason I have always held Wake Forest in very high regard. This incident really lowers my opinion of Wake Forest. This type of non-sense is beneath the quality of university to which Wake Forest aspires. Very disappointing.
Wake up (pun intended). This is way beyond race and is yet another example of the Left deciding which political or other speech is permissible and which is not. The Left makes and enforces the speech code rules, as it intimidates those who disagree with them and continues the assault on free speech. Diversity is a worthy societal goal but should also include diversity of thought, opinion and expression. Unfortunately, this is another failure of this Administration. It is time to clean house. The trends at my alma mater are frightening. Wake has become “Ivy-lite” and not in a good way. I am another unhappy alumnus.
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As a white, christian, red blooded american, I do not understand the political and racial connotation of a cracker. This is because I do not see color. To me, a saltine cracker is a delicious and neutrious midday snack, that can be enjoyed by people of all races, creeds, and nationalities. Sure, maybe a bit bland, but if you throw some cheese on it, it makes a fantastic snack!
I am torn on where to go from here. Should all of us begin to boycott saltine crackers? What about Ritz Crackers? Wheat Thins? There is no “cracker” in Wheat Thins….What about the cracker that represents the body of Christ? Should we stop eating that? I look forward to publications such at the Wake Forest Review to guide me through these trying times….
along with the caviar, and the champagne. Crackers are worldly,
My daughter and I have been deciding which crackers signify different branches of our extended Southern family. Some are perhaps the mundane ( though tasty! )Saltine, others are Ritz, some are oyster crackers (which my father campaigned long and hard to keep in production for his beloved vegetable soup). The most high falutin’ among our relatives, we designated to be represented by Carr’s Water Crackers, particularly those with cracked pepper topping.
Your article ends with the statement that the Dean of Students, Adam Goldstein, stated that you “should” not pursue a judicial case.. Your wording suggests that Dean Goldstein and the University left it up to you whether to pursue the case and you chose not to proceed. Is that accurate?
Assuming that the University did not deny you the right to pursue a judicial case, then your complaint is without merit. Your article clearly showed that the judicial avenue remained open to you consistent with the process accorded to all students. Despite Dean Goldstein’s recommendation, you could have chosen to proceed, but chose to drop your case. Further, you imply that Dean Goldstein’s recommendation was based on ideological bias, but provide absolutely no proof to support that assertion. The Dean may have had other considerations. As a law student at Wake, I served on the Honor Council and sought to bring charges against a student who had, in my opinion, clearly sought to cheat on an assignment. Both our professor and a Dean tried to dissuade me from filing charges due to the severity of the consequences of even having an allegation of cheating being filed. I filed the charges nevertheless.
In this case, it appears that the University provided the same options to you that are afforded every student and you chose not to pursue them. If this is not correct, please let me know.
Ben, it was Ryan’s understanding that despite the options presented to him in his first meeting with the Dean of Students that those options were no longer available to him by the second meeting. If they were still available, the Dean of Students did not express that those options were still on the table in their second meeting, and only presented an outcome determined by the bias report committee and his office.
It seems that the question of ideological bias is answered by Wake Forest University’s statement, which points to the election as the reason why this happened.
Then why does the article end with assertion that Dean Goldstein recommended that Mr. Wolfe not pursue a judicial case? Clearly, the very suggestion that he not proceed implies that the choice was Mr. Wolfe’s to make.
Additionally, you attribute these alleged bias to the entire university, when the most damning evidence is that one dean allegedly recommended Mr. Wolfe not pursue his case. Using the same logic, the university is not biased given that two professors, including a liberal former MSNBC host, “encouraged” Mr. Wolfe to pursue his case.
I will also note that Mr. Wolfe is a prolific tweeter, tweeting or retweeting items almost daily. Yet a review of his account shows no tweets in the month before the election, when the alleged harassment occurred. This seems more than coincidental. I’m curious whether you asked Mr. Wolfe about this and whether this may have been one reason that Dean Goldstein recommended that he not pursue the complaint. Given that Twitter allows users to delete tweets, I’m wondering if Mr. Wolfe engaged in similarly inflammatory attacks, which may have been used against Mr. Wolfe and helps explain why he did not pursue his complaint.
The Code of Conduct and Bias Reporting System do not make it clear if it was Wolfe’s choice or not. The Code of Conduct states that if Wolfe filed a written complaint that rose to a level of a grievance and was deemed not frivolous by the committee reviewing the complaint, the Provost would form a committee to hear the case. The Code of Conduct, however, does encourage students to use “mechanisms already in place for the reporting and resolution of specialized complaints (harassment and discrimination for instance),” rather than a written grievance. Wolfe followed the advice to use this existing mechanism, as the school suggested. The mechanism they are referring to the Bias Reporting System, but the Bias Reporting System is actually not mentioned in the Code of Conduct. The Bias Reporting System’s website – which you can see here (https://reportbias.wfu.edu/what-to-expect/) says nothing about a student’s rights to open a judicial case or to not open a judicial case. It instead says that the bias report committee “directs report to appropriate office for investigation and resolution in accordance with the applicable University policy.” So based on the University’s own policies, the burden to open a case or not open a case is not on the student but the “appropriate office”. Seeking input from a student, like the Dean of Students did in this case, may be part of the appropriate office’s investigation. But nothing in the Bias Reporting System’s policies suggest that students have the power to open or not open a judicial case stemming from a bias report.
Students involved in the case who commented in an Old Gold and Black article did not say that Wolfe’s tweets were a part of why this happened. They generally pointed to his political stances and writings in the Wake Forest Review and their feelings surrounding that. http://wfuogb.com/2018/03/bias-incident-report-creates-controversy/
Ben, your argument falls down on several fronts. Shall we?:
you:
“Then why does the article end with assertion that Dean Goldstein recommended that Mr. Wolfe not pursue a judicial case? Clearly, the very suggestion that he not proceed implies that the choice was Mr. Wolfe’s to make.”
Wrong. The dean TOLD HIM that those options were no longer available, and issued what could very well be interpreted as a veiled threat that it would not be in his best interests to pursue them. This has to be viewed through the lens (I used “through the lens” to make you feel better about this, i know you are a liberal) that the school was siding with the intimidating leftists, thereby sending the intentional message that the school would have THEIR back, not HIS.
you:
“Additionally, you attribute these alleged bias to the entire university, when the most damning evidence is that one dean allegedly recommended Mr. Wolfe not pursue his case. Using the same logic, the university is not biased given that two professors, including a liberal former MSNBC host, “encouraged” Mr. Wolfe to pursue his case.”
WRONG AGAIN. It was the the Dean’s actions, empowered by the university IN THAT ROLE that speaks for the university. that makes them on the hook for this. The leftist profs did an admirable deed, but they didnt speak for the organization – THE DEAN DID. Your argument fails on that alone.
you:
“I will also note that Mr. Wolfe is a prolific tweeter, tweeting or retweeting items almost daily. Yet a review of his account shows no tweets in the month before the election, when the alleged harassment occurred. This seems more than coincidental. I’m curious whether you asked Mr. Wolfe about this and whether this may have been one reason that Dean Goldstein recommended that he not pursue the complaint. Given that Twitter allows users to delete tweets, I’m wondering if Mr. Wolfe engaged in similarly inflammatory attacks, which may have been used against Mr. Wolfe and helps explain why he did not pursue his complaint.”
– in the words of every liberal media member trying to stop conservatives criticizing their Dem politicians, “there is no evidence to suggest this”. Meaning, you are doing nothing but speculating with zero evidence. Sure, he could have tweeted anything, but its irrelevant to this case. Using your logic, the leftist racist antagonists could have tweeted racist stuff and deleted them. See, speculation as “evidence” goes both ways.
Ben, I notice you haven’t responded to response to your debate participation. I wonder why.
It’s simple, if WFU is gonna have these rules in place, they must be applied equally. And if you’re unwilling to apply the rules fairly, the same way for everyone, then do away with this Committee. We all know if a minority had been the target of a similar harassment campaign by their fellow students, it would have been taken far more seriously and the punishment much more severe. And there would have been no lame attempt to justify the abuse based on a “heated presidential election.”
the reason the left gets away with this is because people dont stand up to them. finally it seems people are starting to. Look at how they whine when people point out the flaws of their debate points (if you can call them that).
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what happened to your idea of the denial of safe space? you dont deserve safe space any more than the fucking liberal crybabies and its sad to see Ryan going against his formerly brave and logical viewpoints in favor of joining the pathetic liberal army crying about everything to their institutions of higher learning. grow the fuck up, you are a disgrace to conservatism
Awaiting moderation? You truly do disgrace the very message you pretend to spread. What happened to your idea of the denial of safe space? You don’t deserve safe space any more than the liberal crybabies and it’s sad to see Ryan going against his formerly brave and logical viewpoints in favor of joining the pathetic liberal army crying about everything to their institutions of higher learning. Grow up, you are a disgrace to conservatism.
The college just endorsed racist bullying, by blacks, of whites. Liberal systemic oppression on display.
I’m a white guy and it’s clear that using a cracker was a completely innapropriate way to describe these students. They should have used snowflakes.
It should be remembered that there are strict definitions about what is, and is not, a protected group. I agree that no one should receive unwanted characterizations linked to race because as we see it stifles dialog on the main issue as the perceived offense takes certer stage. And mechanisms meant to serve oppressed group are incumbered by Alt-righters with exceedingly thin skin.
I’ll also echo comments on the poor journalistic standards of this article, which reads more like a Brietbart piece than a serious effort to find truth. Interviews with the administrators involved, for example, might have shed light on the federal regulations governing the events of this piece and the available protections.
Lincoln:
“I’m a white guy and it’s clear that using a cracker was a completely innapropriate way to describe these students. They should have used snowflakes.”
Me: You don’t want to go there. It’s liberals that are trying to shut down free speech because they are triggered, even most liberals admit that. Your comment is both dishonest and desperate.
Lincoln:
“It should be remembered that there are strict definitions about what is, and is not, a protected group.”
ME:
Irrelevant, ANYONE can be a victim of racism or institutional racism (those are two separate things), and in this case, the Conservative white man was the victim of both. The very brainwashed and dangerous idea that whites can’t be a victim of racism contradicts it’s very definition (just open a dictionary), logic and morality. Fighting hate with more hate is the single biggest reason whites are leaving the Democrat party in droves.
Lincoln:
“I agree that no one should receive unwanted characterizations linked to race because as we see it stifles dialog on the main issue as the perceived offense takes certer stage. And mechanisms meant to serve oppressed group are incumbered by Alt-righters with exceedingly thin skin.”
ME:
So, you dont agree with it because you feel it distracts from what you want the conversation to be? How about this, you brainwashed hateful liberal: racism is wrong because it’s ignorant and hateful? Ever think of that?
Lincoln:
“I’ll also echo comments on the poor journalistic standards of this article, which reads more like a Brietbart piece than a serious effort to find truth. Interviews with the administrators involved, for example, might have shed light on the federal regulations governing the events of this piece and the available protections.”
No, there were no poor journalistic aspects to the piece. You, and your fascist liberal friends just don’t like ANY conservative media. Instead of being adults and debating, you want to shut down the debate. At any point in time, doesn’t your pride get to you?