According to the Oxford English Dictionary, racism is a belief or ideology that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially to distinguish it as being either superior or inferior to another race or races. I do not feel that my race is superior to another nor do I feel that my race is inferior to another.

A group on facebook, a social tool for college students, named George Wallace Appreciation Society is not a racist group. Furthermore, this group is not really a group. For example, there are no meetings, nor are dues collected; there are no lectures and no discussion among members. This ‘group’ functions as a way for people to express their favor for states’ rights in a lighthearted manner.

Using “BenLogic”, if Ben made a group on Facebook called “I am the world’s biggest loser” and many of his friends became members, others may view those members as insensitive people who attack someone that they know. There are so many ways to blow the George Wallace Appreciation group out of proportion, if you’re uneducated or unethical.

The ideology of George Wallace does not dominate my life, much like Pepsi does not dominate my life despite the fact that I would willingly join a group devoted to the appreciation of Pepsi-Cola. If I were truly in favor of George Wallace’s one-time belief in segregation then I would be more apt to join a group called ‘Overturn Brown v Topeka Board of Education’ or somesuch like that. But we are getting beyond ourselves. These analogies only serve for the sake of example.

To be quite honest, Ben’s great zeal for the research of my facebook groups may show a tendency on his part for devoting time that could certainly be put towards more fruitful activities. This brings up the issue of what, in our society, can be inherently understood as a joke and what, under all circumstances, can be understood as a serious action.

Chip Hairston

Vote Jeff Evans