Spring Break
'Oh, so are you an athelete?'
Column: Guest column
Norman Townsel
Issue date: 3/22/05 Section: OpEd Page
No... for the umpteenth time. No, and personally I almost find that downright offensive. I am a black male student that (contrary to some students' beliefs) earned my way into Miami academically. Imagine that: A black male in college who doesn't play a sport? What has the world come to? Well folks this isn't ESPN... this is college and some black male individuals either didn't pursue sports in college, or their sport wasn't offered, or simply aren't gifted enough to play sports. Hard to believe but true. We're not all here to entertain. I'm not writing this because I fit the profile of the "typical oversensitive black individual who purposely looks for more reasons to complain about what I haven't been given." As harsh as that sounds, that isn't me. I'm just plain sick and tired of being asked this question from supposed bright individuals here at this school. If you can't relate then picture someone asking you for the last two or three or four or five years you've been here, "What's your name?" "Are you a Republican?" "Are your parents rich?" "Do you wear North Face?" "Do you say 'like'?"Sounds incredibly ignorant, right? Well guess what, so does that question. Maybe I'm taking it wrong and maybe I and others just look athletic (I do my share of working out) but somehow I feel as if looking "athletic" in part has something to do with the shade of my person. Really, I wouldn't even bring the matter up if other individuals like me weren't just plain sick of the question as well. So to put it out on the forefront I ask people to stop assuming. Let me say it again: stop assuming. I understand that there are a large number of black males here that do play sports. I'm not entirely oblivious to that fact. I am also conscious of that this could be used to my advantage on any given Friday or Saturday night (but I can't bring myself to do it). However, I am also conscious of the fact that Miami University is one of the best schools in the nation. So to be worthy of this incredible honor, a Miami University student must have the ability to be able to think on a higher level maybe more so here than at another school (supposedly anyway). Therefore, I make my appeal to the intellect of some of the best and brightest in the country. I ask that you stop and think before you open your mouths. I know this isn't the easiest of tasks, but I try to give students here more credit than I probably should (even though they continue to walk into oncoming traffic without looking up). Maybe if I say that when you don't stop and think you resemble President Bush during one of his typical hiccups (hopefully a cliché that may scare some individuals into being a bit more active in watching what they say). Anyway, I write this column in hopes that it makes people aware of the fact that you can put your foot in your mouth even when it comes to the little things and, much like a foot, certain questions are in bad taste.
