After multiple incidents of defacement of the Free Speech Wall occurred throughout the beginning of fall quarter, a group of students of color united to make a list of demands for the university on a shared Google Doc. Demands included making an institutional commitment to cultural heritage programming, mandating inclusive excellence workshops similar to the current B.O.S.S. training program, eliminating DU’s former mascot Boone’s presence at DU events and more. Students were able to sign their name at the bottom of the document, meaning that the editing option was turned on for the document.
The document and its demands were edited multiple times throughout the morning of Oct. 21, starting around 4:00 a.m. and ending at 6:57 a.m. All edits were done anonymously.
The anonymous editor replaced “LGBT+ history month” with “white history month” and replaced all instances of the word “Black” or “African American” with the word “gorilla.” Additionally, the anonymous person wrote that the authors of the document, who were all people of color, were the “weakest members of their gene pool,” calling the vice president of the Black Student Alliance (BSA), Tashan Montgomery, “president of the gorilla student alliance” and more.
The defaced document also included several paragraphs about how the anonymous individual felt regarding the demands. Under the demand for a more representative mascot that celebrates inclusion and diversity while also acknowledging the history of the university’s part in violence against Native Americans, the anonymous individual wrote, “The mascot basically needs to look like a giant stereotype somehow without all of us deciding it offends groups who don’t care. We [the authors of the demands] didn’t actually ask any Natives about this, but we felt comfortable assuming it.”
Additionally, sarcastic comments were implemented regarding the courses and programs the document proposes to draw awareness and sensitivity to the issue, stating, “Force students to take brainwashing courses that teach the white devil what a monster his race has been, and by extension what a monster he is, and teach men they are horrible for being men.”
“The person really just tried to belittle our demands, even though we’re just trying to uphold the university to their own standards and values,”said Makia Jones, president of the Black Student Alliance, in an interview with the Clarion. “This once again reflects an issue on campus that we are trying to solve, and it is making it more blatantly obvious for those who continue to tell us that it is not a problem.”
Jones said that there is a current investigation through the Office of Equal Opportunity of this event. The office is currently unaware of who the editor is but is working hard to gather as much evidence as possible.
