I didn't know about this prior to todays hatchet article, but apparently they are planning on filling in the swimming pool and create a basketball practice facility. Definitely something needed to compete at a high level of D1 Hoops. Most of the top A10 schools have them. I do however hope they have a good plan for the swim team.

Link


 

I'm sure this will lead to a nice, rational discussion here:  https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1323326466717863938
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/El1mYUlXEAA0UgI?format=jpg&name=900x900

this is good

Good for GW.   The meaning of Black Lives Matter has evolved over the past few years.  What was once seen as a political act of defiance now has, at least for me, come to symbolize the message that there can no longer be a double standard as to the way minority communities are policed as opposed to the rest of the country.  Only so much change can come from the efforts of the Black community.    For real, systematic change to happen, the rest of the country has to likewise demand it.   For GW to support this message reflects well upon the university.   

Long Suffering Fan wrote:

Good for GW.   The meaning of Black Lives Matter has evolved over the past few years.  What was once seen as a political act of defiance now has, at least for me, come to symbolize the message that there can no longer be a double standard as to the way minority communities are policed as opposed to the rest of the country.  Only so much change can come from the efforts of the Black community.    For real, systematic change to happen, the rest of the country has to likewise demand it.   For GW to support this message reflects well upon the university.   

Long Suffering Fan, I feel you are right about that the BLM movement has evolved over the past few years.  I might add that, in addition to the elimination of the obvious double standards associated with the criminal justice system (including law enforcement), subscribers to the BLM doctrine also demand equal access to capital, quality education, housing, medical care and other systems which may be administered unfairly.  I feel you are very much on target that for this to work, the whole country must demand it, for black people, and for all people. 

I'm extremely happy that GW is taking a visible stand.

I just looked at Rothstein's twitter page and saw that his tweet about GW putting the BLM symbol on its home court has 44 responses, which is way more than his other tweets. You guys think the high number of responses is because people want to praise GW for doing this? HA!  But seriously, I know Rothstein posting about the BLM symbol will trigger/anger that "35% of the population", but it's good that GW is doing this. When people look back at this period of time, GW will be viewed in a positive light for doing this. 

GW Alum Abroad wrote:

Was Professor Krug consulted? (chortle, snort, giggle).

While a nice little gesture, what does it actually do? Now, if to graduate from GW you need to know who Roy Wilkins, Marcus Garvey, W.E.B. DuBois, Thomas Sankara, Chris Hani, Patrice Lumumba, James Baldwin, Angela Davis, Joseph Rainey and Walter Sisulu are, that would be progress. So long as the factulty and curriculae fail to recognize the contributions of black people to global development (beyond Harriet Tubman, Nat Turner, Martin Luther King, Malcom X and Nelson Mandela), it seems that putting the BLM logo on a court in a (thanks to COVID) empty gym is a minor measure.

GW Alum Abroad, I feel what you've written is beautiful, honest and true.  But sometimes big things start with small gestures.  I'm choosing to be hopeful that this is an excellent start (although long overdue) for a university that doesn't have a good track record regarding how it has conducted itself over the years.

Last edited by 22ndandF (11/03/2020 6:36 pm)

So many levels to this that I'm not really sure how I feel about this ...

PROS

Black Lives Matter!  Enough Said! Absolutely in favor of equality and have no problem with GW stating it either privately or publicly such as on the court.

CONS

Virtue signaling when your own hiring record with respect to minorities both within and without the athletic department is abysmal - the athletic department has approximately 15% African-Americans among its staff and coaches in a city that has the highest African American population in the U.S. (around 45%). Those that know, know. 

Cynicism - The only reason it was placed on the court was for television. If you feel so strongly about it, place it permanently on the outside of campus buildings. It should be everywhere!. And ironically, probably the last place it should appear is on a basketball court if you really are all about it.

Potentially divisive - are you supporting BLM the movement or BLM the organization? I have no problems with the former ... huge problems with the latter due to their marxist, anti-police and anti-semitic views not to mention the fomenting of violence. Perhaps that is why the NBA made sure to use the words Black Lives Matter on its floors to signal the movement and not the organization. The fist gives me pause as to what exactly is being supported.

Slippery Slope - .Why shouldn't the LGBTQ community get messaging? How about the Palestinian causes like BDS? How about the anti-abortion crowd? Where do you now draw the line? Just the causes you like or all of them? Has GW now set itself up for a discrimination claim the first time it denies a similar request? Will GW sports look like a NASCAR race car of causes in the future?

These are the challenges. Once you head down this road you better walk the walk. I'll take several new hires for the athletic department and many more across campus every day and twice on Sundays over some messaging on a basketball court without follow through.

Call me cynical if you'd like Gwmayhem but until I see more it is what it is. I've seen this play before.

 

Last edited by GWRising (11/05/2020 5:27 pm)

Dr Mike, great questions from you. and as GWRising made the point, what does this mean? The point is that if you believe equal rights and equal justice both through the laws on the books and the enforcement. I would be all in support the school team with the city on building the skill basic of disadvantaged citizens. The university can create new models of education outside the structure of the traditional university's systems and degree structures. 

The other concern in the city that I have is that I spend time worrying about how citizens of the city can maintain what little property assets. I have spent 5 to 6 years working around construction industry on a small basic as properties are purchased and re-modeled  There is a strong connection into the multi-family building industry and GWU. The university can work on planning workable density question in the city and work on the laws that will allow some expansive building spaces.

Just a few ideas that speak to your comment. As the University already partners with entrepreneur, we can  take that concept and micro-sizing it and merge in a program of office space and businesses service
sharing.

Let me start by saying that all of my comments pertain to the BLM movement and not the organization.  I have not spent a great deal of time researching the organization and am therefore not in a position to comment on whether I am in agreement with any or all of their positions.  For example, if they felt that looting or violence were proper recourses to make a strong statement, I know I would be radically opposed to this.

That said, my opinion is that we've reached a point in our history where causes should not be lumped together and all given equal weight.  Most if not all have importance and are worth fighting for.  However, I really think that if you're not black or brown skinned, you have to do your best to imagine how your life might be different for the worse.  Maybe you're pulled over while driving for no discernible reason at all.  Maybe you're denied a bank loan, or access to a new home or apartment, while a white person with your exact same financial assets and credit history isn't.  Maybe you're treated poorly in a restaurant having nothing to do with anything you said or did.  Maybe you've been killed while following the directions of a police officer or simply asking a question.  And while you may think this is unfair to say, maybe things have gotten considerably worse for you these past four years under a white supremacist president who at the very least says or does nothing about such actions and at times, appears to more than condone this.

Causes like the LGTBQ movement and abortion rights will vacillate contingent upon who is running our government.  Yet tell me when black and brown skinned people have truly been treated equally in this country?  Black Lives Matter is a cause that I'm afraid a portion of this country will always have a problem with, certainly in my lifetime.  If the goal of eradicating this problem entirely is too lofty, then the next best goal would be to diminish this problem as best we can.   

Yes, putting #BLM on the court is for television, and publicity and awareness.  You needn't put this outside of every campus building for the school to prove it's behind the cause.  As for the school's hiring actions, I used to believe that the best qualified person should get the job and was once against affirmative action.  I've changed my views on this for the very reasons being discussed.  We don't know how many people at GW or anywhere who are hiring lesser qualified white people instead of more qualified black people due to a racist motive.  Or, the numbers of intelligent blacks who are turned down because they lacked the means to obtain a quality education.  This is why affirmative action or diversity hires are needed.
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