The Role of International Students in Combating Racism

Ingrid Yeung ‘23

Community and Equity day in St. Mark’s always provides students and faculty a safe space to openly discuss their own identities, experiences and concerns.  This year, the student-led workshops during C&E day addressed various issues in our current society: body image, social media influence on inequality, privilege, racism, and many others. Although all the workshops tackled different problems, all aimed to combat the discrimination and inequity in our society. Out of them all, one workshop intrigued me the most:  International Student Identities. By discussing how international students define themselves, whether through nationality, culture, mother language, or birthplace, we recognize the complexity of international student identities. In this particular time period of active antiracism, where is the international student’s place in this fight against discrimination? What are the experiences of international students with racism? How can international students define and defend their own identities?  Antiracism is not a one-race war, but a war for all races against racism. 

To understand how international students can participate in combating racism, discussing the discrimination that people of international backgrounds have experienced is vital. For the most part, antiracism work dedicates itself predominantly to address the inequalities that African Americans experience in American society. International students may seem irrelevant to the center of this issue. However, that does not mean that people of international backgrounds do not experience similar discriminations. Many international students have experienced microaggressions while studying abroad. That is mainly due to their unfamiliarity with the second language, their distinct cultural backgrounds, and even their names. Such aggressions might not be dedicated directly to their race or ethnic backgrounds, but international students’ stories cannot be neglected in this battle against racism and discrimination. Especially after the pandemic had broken out, people of East Asian descent experience much more intense aggression than before. Their properties are destroyed, and their safety is being threatened. All signs show that international students should not be excluded in advocating anti-racism and defending their own identities. When coming to combating racism, international students can make up a powerful group to tackle the problem.  

What exactly can international students do in fighting racism? Through observation, the general norm of international students does not lean towards intense activism. Most of the time, international students lack the ability to defend their own identities. In the safe-space that the student workshop presented, several students shared stories of their experience of microaggression. Their stories are all different, but one thing those students had in common was that they never reported any of the actions even if they felt extremely uncomfortable. Not reporting or simply ignoring these actions doesn’t contribute to the process of problem-solving. Microaggressions and discrimination will only continue to grow without bringing those in front of the community under the light. International students, making up not a small amount of the entire student body, can also play an essential role in combating racism. Instead of facing the issue passively, students should actively seek a resolution and stop discrimination from happening. 

The combat against racism is not just a war for the African American students, nor is it only a battle for the international students. There are no permanent victims, nor are their permanent aggressors. Anyone of any race could potentially become a victim of racism. Every student in our community is responsible for antiracism. When everyone within a community is aware of the issue and intentionally minds their behaviors, the fight against racism will be much more achievable.

What Racism Costs All of Us

Eve Elkins’ 21 

It can not be denied that white people benefit from racism by not being targeted by the police, having access to better health care, better housing, less student debt, and so many other institutions racism has infiltrated. This is something I know to be true and is an obstacle in uniting white and black Americans against racism. However, after reading the book The Sum Of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone And How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee, I now have a new perspective about racism in America and white privilege. The book opens by pointing out how focusing on how white people benefit from racism and how people of color lose ingrains in our heads that racism is a competition with clear-cut winners and losers. This makes the narrative that progress for one group comes at the expense of another all more believable for white people and holds our country back from the achievements that are possible. 

How do we get white people who are unwilling to give up their privilege to join the fight for an anti-racist society? Reveal the truth, says McGhee. The truth is that white privilege is unsustainable. Racism costs white people as well. The Sum of Us powerfully makes this claim and, as an economist, McGhee focuses on the costs that racism has for everyone yet not undermining the effects racism has had on people of color in America. 

She starts with the example of public pools. In the early twentieth century across America, there were public pools in towns where people would socialize and bond with their communities. Governments wanted to improve the quality of life in their towns and break down the walls of class. Since these pools were public, people of all different statuses would meet each other. However, the people at these pools were all white. Then, when a thirteen-year-old black boy in Baltimore drowned because he went swimming in a dangerous river, a lawsuit against the state to integrate the pools was successful. In 1956 when black people could finally enjoy the benefits of their tax dollars spent on these pools, white people stopped going to them. In some areas, north and south, the pools were sold to private corporations, which became members only with fees to access this resource. In many places, however, city counsels decided to drain the pools all because of skin color. Everyone lost a public resource, all at the expense of racism. She refers back to the idea of the drained pools because it is the physical representation of the lengths white people are willing to go to keep people divided and hold all of us, including themselves, back.
The same issue happened with higher education. Many colleges once had immense public funding, and student debt wasn’t nearly the devastating problem it is today. However, once schools became integrated, public funding decreased, and students began paying more and more of the tuition themselves. Today, people in their forties are still paying off student debt, and interest rates make it even more of a challenge. Many regret going to college in the first place. Racism played a significant role in cutting the public resource that once helped so many. The mindset, if people of color could finally start accessing some of the public resources that were so abundant to white people, then no one should have it has cost so many. 

A recent study done two years ago found that only eight percent of high school seniors in America believed that the main cause of the Civil War was slavery. Only eight percent. When the author stated this fact, I had to make sure I read it right. These people make up our generation and the future of our country. These are the people we will encounter and work with in the near future. Why is the education system failing to expose the truth and cruelty of America’s past? One necessary factor contributing to this failure is the effects of slavery. Plantations and the slave labor system were self-contained because they did not have to pay for the labor they violently forced on black people. Slave owners did not need or want government-funded education programs because they wanted to keep the economy centered around the plantations. Whether it be for white or black people, education was against the wealthy elites’ economic interests. When slavery was abolished, the slave states found themselves struggling to develop public infrastructure to support the community. Today, seven out of the ten states with the least education achievement are in states that once had a slave-based economy. Slavery impoverished the south, and it cost everyone except the small percent of the wealthy. The slave-based economy states lacked public funding and infrastructure, which helps everyone achieve the American dream of moving up the socioeconomic ladder. This is only one factor, yet it must be addressed. 

This hidden part of the story of how racism costs all of us is what can unite our country across racial groups. The racist competitive fallacy that progress for one racial group comes at the expense of another, known as the zero-sum narrative, is such a hurtful lie because everyone loses when people think this way. Showing the ways racism has cost all of us may be the way to finally end the social divisions made between racial groups and the approach we can take to defeating racism in America. I highly recommend that everyone read this book to see how climate action, healthcare, poverty, education, housing, and democracy can achieve real progress in an anti-racist society. This book lays out the ways white privilege is apparent in all these issues, but also identifies the hidden burdensome costs. While it is important that white people realize how racism has cost them, it is fundamental that the suffering and pain people of color endured and still face today is not overshadowed because it has always been greater. We have to “refill the pool” of public goods for all of us. In order to do that, we have to have the will. It starts with fixing America’s broken moral compass and facing the truth of our country’s history and current state. 

Note: Here is the link to the study conducted about high school seniors: 

https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/us-students-disturbing-lack-knowledge-about-slavery#:~:text=',-By%3A%20Tim%20Walker&text=Share-,Only%208%20percent%20of%20U.S.%20high%20school%20seniors%20can%20identify,the%20Southern%20Poverty%20Law%20Center. 

Image: 

https://www.rbf.org/news/new-book-rbf-trustee-heather-mcghee-examines-costs-racism 

Antiracism Through Social Media

Julie He ‘23

On May 19th, 2020, users on social media posted black squares to support the movement Black Lives Matter. Millions of posts were made protesting the death of countless black people at the hands of police brutality. While there have been marching protests for racism in the past century, the 21st century has opened doors to more opportunities for word to spread. Due to the advancement of technology, it has allowed news to spread faster, petitions and donations more accessible, and people to be more educated and informed. While the internet can be a dark place, social media can help us in the fight for equality. 

Because of rapid growth made in technology, almost everyone has easy access to social media nowadays. Just on twitter, there are over 330 million monthly active users, not to mention the staggering amount of 1 billion active users on instagram or over 2 billion on facebook. Recently, because of Coronavirus, more people have flocked to social media for entertainment and interaction. With so many people using these platforms, information is easily spread to a mass of the population. With one post, millions of people are able to see information on what is happening. People uneducated on the topic are able to know what and why it is happening. For instance, Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok all helped promote the Black Lives Matter movement which would not have been as successful without social media. People helped promote the movement with Instagram stories, Tiktok videos, and more. On these platforms, anyone can share their experiences and stories dealing with racism to everyone. Additionally, multiple schools, including St. Mark’s, have created accounts where students, staff, and alumni have made accounts to create a safe place where they can share their stories and allow them to be heard. It brings attention to topics that people would be unaware of without the internet. Petitions and donation websites can be made then shared to millions all at once. There are numerous things that can be done with the aid of the internet. 

As teenagers and social media users, we can help do our part! Liking, sharing, or reposting content that is supportive of the movement can help spread the word. It allows for news to reach everyone. It only takes 3 seconds, but could impact someone’s whole life. However, simply liking a post is not enough. It is our responsibility to educate and inform ourselves on what is happening in the world. We are very lucky and privileged to be able to go to a school such as St. Mark’s, and we should use it to help others that are unable to do the same. We can show our support by commenting and leaving a kind message. We can also help by signing petitions, or donating to causes if we are able. However, it is beneficial to read articles and inform yourselves before blindly signing petitions. We are limited to what we can do as individuals, but as a group and as consumers, we can help educate others and call out racist businesses and shops. With what we can achieve as a group, we should all strive to help in the fight against racism.  

Social media has been instrumental in recent campaigns and movements, and we can utilize it for more progress. As the generation to grow up around such advanced technology, it would be a waste to not put it to good use . Every little thing helps, and informing someone takes only a few seconds. The internet can be used for good, and it is our chance to do it. Social media has helped allow information to spread rapidly, which can be good and bad. If we all use social media to help fight racism, we can collectively do lots of good in and off the internet. The fight against racism is still far from over, and we can all assist in ending it.

Bystander to Upstander-Antiracism in Action

By Fiona Tran ‘22

I have always considered being a bystander was a normal thing to do. I always thought that it was better not to get involved, scared of what might happen in situations where people are direct victims of racism and worried that I myself would make the situation worse. I have seen people being beaten in the middle of the street or even being harassed, but not done anything about it, and now looking back, I feel extremely guilty for doing so. 

Being at St.Mark’s and our in our current environment, with our school becoming an Anti-Racist school, has made me become a lot more aware of the problems with being a bystander. To me, being a bystander now means indirectly supporting racist actions that may be happening, and giving a cue to the perpetrator that it is okay to perform these actions -which it’s totally not. 

I have learned a few ways for myself to become more involved in the situation in order to turn myself from a bystander to a protector, and I would like to share some of my experiences with you.

1. Become more aware of your words. Sometimes we can make comments that seem innocent on the outside, but it can actually hurt someone’s feelings because they feel like they’re being attacked. Therefore, it’s best to not include comments that include generalization as well as stereotypes in our daily conversations with others. 

2. Check up on your peers.When we feel like our peers are going through a rough time because of their experiences with racism, don’t be afraid to reach out and console our friends. This is the time for us to make them feel like their emotions are validated. If they start to push you away, give them space, and check up on them another time. As long as we’re showing our friends support and being there for them, it’s okay.

3. Don’t be afraid to call people out when they make racist comments. This is a way for us to help improve the situation. By calling people out, we’re showing that we care about others, and it allows us a chance to engage in a productive conversation to help educate others. 

4. If the situation becomes physically violent and if you can’t stop the interaction, notify adults nearby. This is especially important because this will make the perpetrator become threatened, and they will most likely stop or  run away. Also never crowd around a fight, this will just encourage the perpetrator to become more violent for attention.

5. Finally, educate yourself and be aware of false news and accusations . This means paying attention to the news and be more sensitive towards racist hate crimes around us. As upstanders or protectors, we don’t directly need to get involved in the situation at hand and try to fight the perpetrator, sharing correct information through social media is also a good way for us to help others. 

I know that these tips may not directly apply to you, and some of us might take some time to warm up to the idea of not being a bystander because of our fear. However, it is extremely important for us to take part in an Anti-Racist movement to protect those around us, and even ourselves. 

Where Do We Go From Here?

By Sophie Chiang ‘23

by sophie chiang ‘23

2020 will go down as one of the most monumental years of the 21st century. In one year, people had to deal with a global pandemic, lockdowns around the world, one of the most nerve-wracking presidential elections in US history, widespread racism, and a momentous Black Lives Matter movement. Perhaps the most prominent problem 2020 highlighted is the fact that racism still exists ubiquitously around the world. Amidst all the disheartening headlines, it may seem that our future may seem bleak at the moment. But it is so important to acknowledge that there are ways we can move on from here.

2020 isn’t the year that the coronavirus came into existence, but it is the year that it became a global pandemic. A new normal had to be adopted – social distancing, hygiene, social gatherings, and masks. Perhaps a more drastic change the COVID-19 pandemic inflicted is the inequality gap between different groups of people. Because COVID-19 started in the Chinese city of Wuhan, many frustrated people have been blaming the Chinese, and even Asians as a whole, for initiating this pandemic. Since March 2020 alone, negative views of China have increased by 7 points (Pew Research). This resentment has manifested in more violent actions. An Asian woman had acid thrown on her, Asian elderly have been jumped, assaulted, and even killed, Asian-owned businesses have been robbed and ravaged, and much more. According to NYPD data, anti-Asian hate crimes have jumped by 1900% percent. 

It is evidently clear that Asians were not the only race to have faced hatred and xenophobia in 2020. The United States has seen nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake, Ahmaud Arbery, Jonathan Price, Elijah McClain, and far too many other POC who were murdered by the nation’s police. The country’s inherent systemic racism was exposed– thousands of protests fueled by anger over police brutality only elucidated that. The Black Lives Matter movement, triggered by the death of George Floyd, gained popularity online and offline as people protested against police brutality and systemic racism. These protests became a global initiative, extending to more than 60 countries. Timelines became flooded with infographics, hashtags, solidarity profile pictures, and blacked-out posts for #BlackoutTuesday. 

  It is true that as a society, we are slowly but surely  moving forward in our march for equality. But judging from the current social and political climate, it seems like racism will still be prominent in 2021. Many governments continue to punish marginalized communities and minorities for no reason. In many countries like Myanmar and Thailand, civil unrest is taking place as citizens are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the government. However, we have already seen changes rippling through our societies, a sign of lessons learned. Thankfully, the United States has learned enough over the past 4 years to not elect Trump for a second term. Twitter and other social media accounts learned enough to permanently ban him from their platforms. The Supreme Court ruled that LGBTQ employees are protected by civil rights employment laws. Kamala Harris was the first woman and woman of color to be elected as vice president. Amidst the chaos and dark skies, the sun has taken its occasional peek out into the sky. 

And above all, the biggest lesson we must learn as we move on from 2020 is to become anti-racist. Not just simply not being racist, anti-racism means standing up to discriminatory remarks and actively uplifting BIPOC. Anti-racism occurs through small everyday thoughts and choices. We must learn to identify the subconscious biases we all have and distance ourselves from them. Only when we do this will we truly be free of our ignorance and, in turn,  subconscious racism. Change starts with you changing your own thoughts, which will then manifest into genuine and concrete anti-racist actions. There are so many lessons to be taken away from this last chaos of a year, but those lessons are what are going to be so valuable for 2021 and beyond. 

Picture sources:

https://www.vox.com/2020/6/9/21279536/radical-politics-george-floyd-protests-police-brutality-black-lives

https://247newsaroundtheworld.com/uncategorized/texas-cop-comforts-5-year-old-girl-at-george-floyd-protest-who-asks-in-heartwarming-footage/

The Difficulties with Classroom Technology

Amber Lee ‘24

There is always at least one student in our classes that has problems with his or her Zoom or Canvas page. The types of issues are diverse: poor internet connection, VPN issues, lag, dropped links and so on. Students and faculty at St. Mark’s are constantly in conflict with technology issues, especially due to the unexpected remote learning environment that has been thrusted upon us. It compels us to face unprecedented complications in diverse dimensions, and one of the biggest challenges for everyone is the technology that is utilized. Applications such as Zoom and Canvas make it easier to connect the remote students with their teachers and allow them to actively participate in class as usual, however, there are limits to what technology can do, both the applications and the devices. Not only are students struggling with technology problems, but also teachers are frustrated when dealing with new tech issues. In the yellow-block global seminar class, there is one remote student, JC. I interviewed JC and his teacher,  Mr. Corazzini, to talk about their experiences.

Mr. Corazzini

“With the current classroom dynamic, we have an advantage in that JC is the only remote student. With a lot of other teachers, you see them use their computer for zoom, an external camera, and in many cases an iPad to do lecture notes. Because JC is the only remote student, we truly only have to use the computer in order for him to feel like a part of what is going on in our activities.

Zoom is a pleasant surprise in that JC gets to see everyone's faces and even though he is many miles away, he can interact with the class and get an opportunity to know personalities as he participates in breakout rooms. The limitation of the technology is because of our lack of access to an iPad and then our ability to move the external camera that we were given.

The external camera is small and we are not able to mount it in a way that gives JC the ability to see the panoramic view of all the students. All he can see is about four students when we turn it. If we had access to another iPad, I would have the ability to do a split-screen of JC and those on zoom and give people the ability to see lecture notes!”

---

Zhun (JC) Chen

“Our teachers try their best to make remote students engage. But remote students can’t see other people, and it’s hard to build relationships or ask for help.

When your classmates are talking, it’s hard to understand because the computer is usually set near the teacher. It’s also really easy to miss homework assignments and hard to keep track of time. Teachers reply to your emails a day late or they take forever. Zoom is laggy sometimes. Also, looking at your computer for a whole day hurts your eyes.

But in zoom, it’s really easy to collaborate on some group works. And being able to see your total grade calculations for each course on canvas works really well as an inspiration or encouragement.”

Although situations and technology difficulties cannot be predicted nor dealt with easily, everyone at St. Mark’s is trying their best to make it work. Teachers have experimented with various applications and methods in order to provide remote students with equal experiences, and students are working hard to stay on top of their workload and confusing schedule. During unexpected and unprepared times like this, it is crucial that each member of our community plays their part to the best of their ability, and also trys to understand each other with generous hearts. Despite frustrating circumstances such as tech issues, people are always eager to continue attempting and putting effort. I strongly believe that this atmosphere and environment will enable us to overcome COVID.

Spring Break Is Gone, But Fear Not!

By Suha Choi ‘22

The pandemic has taken away the March break of 2021 and led to new adjustments to make up for this break, but maybe things are not too bad this way… 

Weeks ago, before the school made an official announcement, discussions alongside worries and concerns circulated among students about the possibility of spring break being cancelled. Some of those main concerns and worries centered around the simple– but surely important– need for students to take a break around this time of the year: early March when weather is starting to get warmer and you are exhausted by having already made through more than half of the school year. For some seniors, this time is supposed to be their highlight of “Senior Spring,” when they are finally freed from the burden of college applications and can travel, perhaps, fly to Coachella with friends. March break is also the time when arguably one of the most exciting parts of the St. Mark’s community happens. Sadly, the exciting travel programs offered by the Global Citizenship department to countries ranging from Italy, Belize, Peru, to Namibia will not happen this spring. However, as a year of pandemic has probably taught us by now, this is no longer a time to discourage ourselves about what is taken away from us, but rather to see the best in what is new for us. And what’s more, the St. Mark’s faculty and trustee committee have put in a great accumulation of time, care, and thought to make the best changes possible for the St. Markers despite limitations and uncertainties. 

Mr. Corliss, a science department faculty member who led the faculty committee that landed on this decision, said that the biggest reason for not holding Spring Break was equity. “For some people, two weeks off and two weeks of remote learning would have been a nice time at home, but some people would have been stuck spending that time on campus, or traveling through multiple layers of quarantines,” Mr. Corliss explained. He acknowledged that now with the absence of a typical Spring Break, we’re all facing the same challenge together, or even footing. A typical Spring Break of about two consecutive weeks off is gone, but this is not to say that a time for a break is totally taken away from students. It simply occurs in a different way this year, perhaps, indeed in a way that allows better rest for many busy and exhausted St. Markers.

There is one day of no classes – besides the weekends– during the school weeks throughout March to May, as some may have noticed on the schedule on St. Mark’s Google Calendar. Alongside this change, we finish the year two weeks earlier than usual. These off-days are primarily to make up for the absence of spring break, providing students to take a midway break from days of remote learning, which can still be somewhat stressful even if it is something we have been practicing for a long time now. Mr. Corliss added that “it's really important that we all find ways to talk openly about our mental health and make sure we all get to the finish line together.” Given that fancy vacations trips in March will likely be difficult due to the pandemic anyways, this change might come as a big advantage for V formers or other students who take challenging academic coursework. It may also come as a pleasant change for those who simply prefer to get spread-out and shorter, but more frequent, days of rest.  Regardless of being a boarder, day student, or remote student, St. Markers who are all around different locations of the world will be able to spend the days equally as a means to catch up with busy school work or to simply recharge themselves.

228 - Washington

By James Nichols-Worley ‘23

Feel Uncomfortable

Have you examined just how you feel about January the 6 2021? Do you feel uncomfortable?

On Wednesday, supporters of President Trump broke into the U.S. Capitol after leaving his rally. By all indications, they were egged on by Mr. Trump’s previous comments. He refused to promise to concede if he lost in 2016 (Lind, 2016). He falsely claimed that millions of people illegally voted in 2016 (Nichols, 2019) and for months tweeted that there were widespread voting irregularities in the 2020 election, or that specific states unconstitutionally allowed people to vote. 

We pride ourselves on a sense of there being one truth - there are no alternative facts. There is no getting around the fact that Mr. Trump inspired the sieging of the Capitol. Sixteen high profile individuals have already resigned (The New York Times, 2021) with several more certain to follow. The Vice President, Mike Pence, reportedly hasn’t spoken with Mr. Trump for nearly a week (McEvoy, 2021). Nearly the entire Democratic Caucus is unified in calling for the Presidency to be vacated by any means possible, and they’re joined across party lines by multiple Republicans, like Senators Pat Toomey, Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski, Representative Adam Kinzinger, and a majority of the American public (McCaskill). Some of the largest corporations in America are pausing political donations to those “who objected to President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College win” (Cutter et al., 2021). 

To be sure, Mr. Trump’s rally preceding the riot poured gas on a fire. Words like:

“you’ll never take back your country with weakness… You have to show strength… We will never give up We will never concede… You don’t concede when there’s theft involved. Our country has had enough. We will not take it anymore… we will stop the steal… [If] you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.” (Savage, 2021) provided fuel for raging flames.

But the buck does not stop there. These words were merely gasoline on in the inferno.

You don’t even have to take my word for it. Peruse the laundry list of white nationalists, conspiracists, and supporters of the president waving Trump flags. Michael Phillips and Jennifer Levitz, for The Wall Street Journal, described Doug Sweet, a rioter who broke into the Capitol: “Mr. Sweet says he took his marching orders from the president and walked east” (2021). Also included in the group was Eric Munchel, who dawned camo and was seen carrying zip tie restraints, Cleveland Meredith Jr., who authorities say texted that he would put “a bullet in her [Speaker Pelosi’s] noggin on Live TV,” (Astor et al., 2021) the Proud Boys, a far-right men’s only group, and state lawmaker from West Virginia, among many, many others. All who “had one thing in common: a… certainty that President Trump had won re-election.” (Ailworth et al., 2021)

Does this make you uncomfortable? The unmistakable, nauseous, gasoline-like smell of white supremacy and white nationalism. Confederate flags circled around the Capitol like the lips of a burning conflagration. Doug Sweet “[liked]… Mr. Trump’s defense of Confederate war memorials… [He] felt Mr. Trump was trying to ‘preserve America.’” (Levitz & Phillips, 2021) 

But just how and why do you feel uncomfortable?

I spoke with Dr. John Daves, the Director of Community & Equity Affairs here at St. Mark’s. Nothing that makes you uncomfortable can be thoroughly challenged without the insight of others.

Dr. Daves describes it best: “White nationalism is really about the belief that America is a country designed to serve white people.” Consider how much power the President’s words hold. At his rally, he told his supporters, “But just remember this, you're stronger, you're smarter. You've got more going than anybody and they try and demean everybody having to do with us and you're the real people. You're the people that built this nation. You're not the people that tore down our nation.” (Jacobo)

To Dr. Daves, “the literal meaning of the speech is white supremacy. The actual truth is that the U.S. Capitol was built by slaves.” The President and his allies spread the myth of a white America, echoing the calls of the alt-right heard four years ago in Charlottesville of “They will not replace us.”

Black Lives Matter activists, who have been working for years to bring justice to an unjust system, expressed frustration at the incredible disparity of police action at the Capitol riot (Eligon, 2021). Not only was there a major disparity in arrests compared to previous Black Lives Matter protests, but there was also a disparity in how the rioters were treated (Click & Shamsian, 2021). The rioters, carrying the flag of a foreign country that was at war with America for the entirety of its existence, were able to break into the seat of American democracy, threaten a hostile takeover, and then leave. 

“White supremacy, really the practices of white nationalism and white supremacy, is that the rioters' lives are valued more than the black and brown protestors. See the contrast between the police presence at the peaceful Black Lives Matter protests compared to the underpolicing of the riots. This shows the disparity in the over policing of the community.” Dr. Daves remarked.

(Via Business Insider)

In an Opinion published last weekend in The Wall Street Journal, former D.C. assistant attorney and White House official Jeffrey Scott Shapiro defended Mr. Trump’s action from a legal standpoint, citing “language based on Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969), in which the Supreme Court set the standard for speech that could be prosecuted without violating the First Amendment. The justices held that a Klu Klux Klan leader’s calls for violence against blacks and Jews were protected speech. The court found that [these] comments were ‘mere advocacy’ of violence...” (Shapiro, 2021)

The basis of Mr. Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rhetoric lies in the disenfranchisement of non-white Americans (Burns, 2020). The basis of Mr. Trump’s supporters holding a beacon of democracy hostage was a gross ideological and racial disparity in policing. The basis of Mr. Trump’s legal defense rests on precedence used to defend lynchings.

Does this make you upset?

Do you feel like there has been a great injustice committed?

Do you think you understand why all this chaos happened, or why it’s such a big deal?

(Nichols-Worley, 2020)

The riots at the Capitol made nearly everyone uncomfortable.

The day of, a Tammy from Boise called into C-SPAN:

I just have one question. I wanted to know if my president lied to me today. If he did I want him to tell me. More importantly, I want him to tell the family of the woman who got shot and killed today. I voted for him — I voted for him. I’m sorry. (Matthews, 2021)

Who have you talked to about what happened?

It is probably one of the hardest conversations you’re going to have right now. For many here at St. Mark’s, this is rightly a passionate subject. It is whether or not white supremacy and lies will dominate our future. 

To be sure, it will still lie in our future. Already, its enablers have started trying to rehabilitate its image. They will claim that both sides are equally guilty, falsely saying that Black Lives Matter protests were similar if not worse (they were not). Sitting Congressman will falsely claim that Antifa, which is not a group, let alone a terroristic one, was behind the protests (Contorno). Most of all, however, they will continue to ignite the kindling that caused this insurrection. They will attack voting.

The night of the riots, after Congress had finally resumed its session, nearly every Republican Senator or Congressperson condemned the rioters. Yet, oddly, they continued to use the same rhetoric that started the riots in the first place. Notably, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell remarked, “I support strong State led voting reforms. Last year’s bizarre pandemic procedures must not become the new norm.” (Rev, 2021)

Racist ideas can propagate largely through plausible deniability. That is what a dog whistle is, a comment that can be plausibly denied to have a racist innuendo, but still resonates and is understood by its intended audience.

Those, like Ted Cruz, will condemn the Capitol rioters and then proceed to question the validity of the election, saying he’d even still do so with hindsight (Gillman, 2021). On his Twitter account, Senator Cruz called it a lie that “debating an Election Commission in the Senate somehow supports terrorist violence.” 

To be very clear: Mr. Cruz and his colleagues are practicing the rhetorical equivalent of condemning the Civil War yet defending slavery.

Do you disagree with this characterization? Did you once disagree, but have since changed your mind?
Does it make you uncomfortable to consider any of this?

At the present, we need to be equipped to face these challenges. Already, many of our classes have broached the subject. But is it enough? Consider, have you been able to fully explore your understanding and your emotions? Do you feel like you can actually talk about this with your classmates, your peers, your teammates, or your friends? Are you worried about disagreement? Have you considered what you’re going to do in the future? 

We need to confront these issues as head-on as we can. We need to start taking these discussions to points that will make us uncomfortable, and keep going. 

We should follow the lead of our own, great, Mr. David Lyons, who was featured in the Metrowest Daily News: “[His] approach going into class on [last] Thursday was ‘not to set parameters on the discussion.’ Instead, he planned to start class with: ‘It was an extraordinary day and it became, obviously, even more extraordinary. What are your reactions, thoughts or questions?’” (Razzaq, 2021)

This challenge is no different than your classes or your sports: It should not be easy because it needs to make you stronger. No scientist ever understood relativity without trial, and no runner ever got to state without tribulation.

If you’re not willing to change your opinion, or share your opinion freely and defend it, will you claim to be not just a non-racist, but an anti-racist? If you’re unwilling to be confronted that you may be wrong, how are we going to ever improve?

And, to be honest, I don’t know how we’re going to get there easily. What is maybe the most significant domestic attack to happen in American history should not be able to slip past us. We have a duty to not let it. We, not just as a school, but as the individual people who make it up, need to confront this and never stop. We need more conversations that make us feel uncomfortable talking about blatant white supremacy and white privilege. Feel uncomfortable that not everyone agrees with you. Feel uncomfortable talking about injustice because you don’t know everything. I definitely don’t.

One of the last things Dr. Daves said to me, and the one I will probably keep with me the longest, was, “This is just the tip of the iceberg. Until we gain a greater understanding of the lenses through which we see the world as white people, black people, and Asian points of view, we cannot begin to truly understand the truth behind America’s living history. Whether we’re voluntary immigrants or involuntary immigrants. We need to understand history from our own point of view and the views of others if we continue to strive to be a nation that is a role model for democracy for ourselves and the world.”

This will not be solved by unilateral action. This will not be solved only by what the School can do. Talk to the people you know. Talk to your friends. Stay on an uncomfortable Zoom call for two hours. Start a club dedicated only to this one subject if you have to. If we have to reorganize the entire school just to get it through our heads that we cannot let this opportunity slip out of our hands, then so be it. There might not be any more noble action that we can take than facing the wrongs that make us uncomfortable.

And then we never stop making them right.

(Since we don’t really have Letters, please forward any responses for this article to thejamesnicholsw@gmail.com and I’ll work hard to respond to or publish them.)

References

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Book Bites: A survey of Winter Break Reading

By Coco Chen ‘24 

Winter break was a wonderful time to relax as we want and read as we want! Relieved from projects and assessments, we could finally immerse ourselves in books that we had long yearned to read. Absorbed in myriads of adventures experienced by the characters, intrigued by complex concepts brought up by great thinkers, and engrossed by the history of objects of our interest, we all rejoice in books with a close relation to and a tremendous impact on us. In the interview with some of St. Mark’s readers, we can see how our choices for books are related to our personal experiences and thoughts. 

Helen Qing, a freshman, enjoyed reading 7000 Years of Jewelry by Hugh Tait, a renowned expert on European decorative arts. As a student of studio art, Helen has always loved to incorporate jewelry as an element of her designs. She is also fascinated by its history, the complexity of which, in her opinion, the book well illustrates.

Cathy Zhou, a senior, read Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, a 1994 book by Stanford University biologist Robert M. Sapolsky. In this book, Sapolsky points out that zebras can ward off ulcers because they do not feel stressed about their social securities. As for Cathy, she considers the book “a light-hearted introduction into the stress that we experience daily as humans.” As a senior and a remote student, Cathy is not able to enjoy her last year at school,Nonetheless, most scientifically, this book cheers her up!

Brandon Tang, a junior, immersed himself in Country Driving by Peter Hessler, an award-winning American author famous for his China trilogy. The book talks about the author’s journey through China and conveys the sense of rapid change in this country that he is so familiar with. As a Chinese, Brandon is very concerned about the development of China and the life of people living in the countryside. He appreciates Hessler’s profound insights on China. 

Diana Oh, a freshman, finished The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid, a Pakistani American author. In the book, a Pakistani named Changez tells an American stranger about his affair with an American woman and his eventual abandonment of America. Diana is impressed by the discussion of capitalism and power abuse in the book. She as well deeply resonates with both the author and the character Changez’s identity as a person of in-between cultures and their perspectives of America, since she is also a Korean American who is still exploring her identity. 

Carl Guo, a junior leader of the debate club and an avid reader, has always been fascinated by philosophy, leading him to constantly challenge himself by choosing books that require him to think profoundly. He completed The Stranger by Albert Camus and Shoe Dog by Phil Knight around winter break. The Stranger accounts for the experiences of Meursault as a bohemian, an example of absurdity Camus advocates, “the philosophical discussion of nihilism, absurdism, and existentialism” of which fascinates Carl. As a recommendation of Carl’s beloved YouTuber John Fish, Shoe Dog provides novel insights by comparing life to a sport, and Carl deeply appreciates the life lessons obtained. Looking ahead, Carl plans to read A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and On Liberty by John Stuart Mill, as the former is a short and fulfilling book while the latter is “one of the most famous texts in advocacy of utilitarianism”. 

Though the winter break is over, we shall continue reading. As a nice way to help us relax and acquire insights, reading has been integrated into our life. Though personal experiences and interests lead to differences in our book choices, we all enjoy the sheer pleasure of reading, a modest happiness that will hopefully accompany the rest of our life.