V for Victory: The Policing Continues As Perez Says He's Sorry!

Well color me...surprised. Perez Hilton has offered a (rather tepid and fake as a $200 Fendi bag) apology. I have a funny feeling somebody read my blog post from Tuesday and as you review the following you will find out why. Let's deconstruct this one shall we? My response is in bright blue.

"People make mistakes. I have made many in my life, but this past week I have made more than I can count on one hand.  Thinking I could continue getting away with foul behavior.

I am sorry. And I mean it. No one is forcing me to write this. I am not feeling pressured to say this. I am speaking out because I realize that the last few days have been more hurtful to me - and many others - than the repeated blows I suffered to my head in Toronto this past weekend.

Pity me because I was properly censured.

I have been filled with incredible sadness and regret.  That I was vilified in public.

I am sorry that any good work I have done for promoting equality may be tainted by me reclaiming a hurtful word - that's been personally used against me and the gay community - to hurt someone that was verbally attacking me. It was stupid. 

Perez has bashed women, outed the trans teen of celebrities and a host of other vicious things so yes he is the great equalizer of vitriol.

Apologizing for me is not easy. Writing this was not easy. Life is not easy. But everything happens for a reason and I will take away a lot of valuable lessons from this experience.  Ok now give me my cookie!

Violence is never the answer. Never.   But your poison pen still flows.

Victims should not be mocked.   I will claim oppression when it's convenient.

The "F" word will never be uttered from my lips again. Just as others use the "N" word to insult and hurt - or as part of their everyday speech - I challenge them to remove it from their vocabulary as well.  Oh please!

Hindsight is always 20/20, they say. I should have been the bigger man and walked away from an unfortunate situation. Instead, I chose - in a very misguided way - to stand up for myself and only made things worse by how I - under pressure and diress - handled the situation. My ego couldn't cash that check!

I am sorry.  Sorry it blew up in my face. Don't you know I'm gay and oppressed, oppressed I tell ya!

I am NOT apologizing to GLAAD. I could care less about them, my former employers.

Somehow I'm not believing you, but maybe it's the DONORS and ADVERTISERS that got your attention!

I am apologizing to the gay community, to anyone who was hurt by my my choice of words, and to all the people who have ever emailed me to thank me for all that I have done to fight for gay rights over the last few years.

I have reached out to Isaiah Washington, someone I incorrectly labeled a homophobe in the past, despite his own public statements that he was not.

HOLD UP! Now what does Washington have to do with a situation between Perez and the Pea? Could all the hypocrisy chickens have come home to roost? Perez was instrumental in ruining the man's acting career. He owes Washington so much more than an apology. He owes him about $5M in lost wages!!

I will be donating any money collected from my lawsuit against Polo Molina, road manager for the Black Eyed Peas, to the Matthew Shepard Foundation.  

If that lawsuit ever sees the light of day - since he couldn't decide who'd actually hit him. Also the defense will be subpoenaing all his messages on Twitter, other social media and the video where he contradicts himself. But whatevs Perez. File away.

And I will continue to speak out for equality and support the great work done by LGBT organizations, such as LAMBDA Legal and HRC.

Sincerely,

Perez

*****

Now let me state for the slow section that I don't condone violence either, but Perez is a grown man, not a girl and not physically weak. He chose to engage another man physically. I have no idea what exactly happened, who threw the first punch or what transpired. I'm certain the pending lawsuit will determine who was at fault - or not. This is not a case of dating violence OR gay bashing and should not be couched in any victim terminology. 

He thought he could continue using his orientation as a shield from being held accountable from his history of instigating trouble. Many people don't have a problem with him being gay, they have a problem with him being petty and mean. Did he go to court and whine about discrimination or intimidation when he was sued for not paying license fees for the photos he'd placed on his blogs or his original logo and all the other illegal things he did while growing his blog AND CHARGING HUGE AD FEES? He may be self-made but it was made while stepping over plenty of people - of course one could argue it's the American way. So be it, but that doesn't make it right.

Perez's blog used to be a place I'd have a laugh at until the level of open hostility became too much. Besides D-Listed is so much funnier. I have also noticed how white gay males dominate these gossip blogs. You don't get to claim oppression while exerting your skin shade and gender privileges. It's time to grow up Perez. You're famous now and quite wealthy at the expense of attacking others in print. It was just a matter of time before it spilled over to real life. Perhaps you will do some soul searching  - if you have one.

Now the other issue at stake here is the response to the unexamined undercurrent of racism on his part. He clearly has an issue with Blacks and Black men in particular. I'm not here to ride the rescue wave. That's not my job, but it needs to be mentioned and resolved. The GRIC needed to police the behavior of one of their own (despite his claims of having nothing to do with them). Of course he does. Others - including other Black LGBTs - paved a way for him to enjoy his cushy lifestyle and his freedom of movement. For him to deny that is atrocious. 

We'll see if he's actually learned anything by his behavior a few months down the road. In the meantime, the GRIC needed to step up and at least give the appearance of caring because Perez was making them look bad. Like what certain white men did with Letterman, they had to do with Perez because he'd crossed a line. 

I feel a sense of victory not for myself but for the efforts toward equality and having standards that actually paid off in this scenario. I am now hopeful that some aspect of African-American culture and the lives of some women and children can be salvaged. I am sincerely hoping this was bigger than Black male protectionism. The image of Black women that has been so battered in so many ways can be pieced back together. We can hold the obstructionists, infiltrators and do-nothings accountable. We just need a few good men to get the ball rolling.

If These Gay Rights Groups Don't Come Down On Perez Hilton They're Done!

I think I should have titled this "I'm Done With the Gay Rights Industrial Complex". 

Yeah this is supposed to be about the big bad blogger who uses his 1st amendment rights to bash other people for laughs and profits. This is supposed to be about our discussing how it's wrong for people to get into physical confrontations. Apparently Will.I.Am and Fergie approached blogger Mario Lavaderia, who writes as Perez Hilton at the Much Music Awards show (it's the MTV of Canada for those not aware) to complain about his pissy behavior. Things got heated and his manager hit Perez, according to...Perez. It's a little hard to tell since he's changed his story a few times. 

So in what is highly suspicious behavior Perez sends a message on Twitter for readers of his blog to call the police. He retaliates by verbally attacking Will.I.Am - not the manager. He uses several choice "F" words including the one universally accepted as an anti-gay slur. Then he proceeds to make a video to talk about it. He claims he was "intimidated". That's code word for "he's a Black dude and they're downright dangerous". Perez is like 6' while Will.I.Am is like 5'5". Now if that isn't *itch behavior I don't know what is!

I read this and I rolled my eyes, honestly because we have so many more important things going on, but this hasn't died down yet. Perez is using this to draw further attention to himself and his blog. Again, I thought I was going to ignore this as the actions of stupid, immature person, but now I'm a little peeved because another blogger posted a link on Twitter today's Dish Rag column in the LA Times AND I watched the video:

Said Hilton in his video: "I made the split-second decision -- that I was gonna say what I thought was the worst possible thing that thug would ever want to hear" -- which was a handful of assorted F-bombs.  {No I'm not linking to it}

Oh so calling a Black man a thug and faggot is okay, Perez....really?

Per GLAAD rep Rashad Robinson: "These are vulgar anti-gay slurs that feed a climate of hatred and intolerance toward our community. For someone in our own community to use it to attack another person by saying that it is, quote, ‘The worst possible thing that thug would ever want to hear,’ is incredibly dangerous. It legitimizes use of a slur that is often linked to violence against our community. And it sends a message that it is OK to attempt to dehumanize people by exploiting anti-gay attitudes.”

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation has asked Perez Hilton to apologize for slurs he hurled at Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas. 

I'm taking big breaths here....they've ASKED? Um Perez...could you pretty please with sugar on top not be such an hypocritical *sshole because you're drawing too much attention to our hypocrisy and we can't have that.

First of all how many Black people work for GLAAD? In positions of authority (i.e check-writing ability)? In Kat Williams voice: I'll wait.

This is the ongoing argument and unresolved problem with the Gay Rights Industrial Complex. It's run by a bunch of cis-gender white men who will be the first to cry discrimination when it suits them but engage in their own version of racist/sexist/gender identification terrorism and erasure from the table when it suits them. Of course there are white women in charge as well so they don't get off the hook either, but I'm focusing on the majority ruling class here.

Why only ASK? How about DEMAND?!!!

See I remember not too long ago when a Black man (I know some of you are surprised I'm taking up the cause of one as I'm critical of so many...whatever) on a certain tv show was vilified in the press for MONTHS and subsequently FIRED on the mere ACCUSATION of using the word Faggot.

That would be one Isaiah Washington. 

Can I just say how much the show blows and the Dr. Burke character was great but the actor got sold down the river for not showing enough deference to a white man. I still don't know how an argument with one actor turned into a anti-gay railroad job involving another actor who wasn't even involved (and has now taken his overinflated ego elsewhere). Except that I think he and a certain blond actress (who decided to stay on the show) used the conflict to their advantage for more money and increased air time. Don't tell me Hollywood isn't cutthroat!! 

Perez Hilton was all over this with multiple postings about Washington and saying some particularly nasty things. Have I also mentioned that Perez used to work for GLAAD? Well...I digress. My point is the GRIC needs to come and police their wayward enfant terrible with a quickness! They need to devote air time and hand-wringing over one of their own being JUST AS DISCRIMINATORY (EVEN MORESO) as they've accused others, including Washington of being.

Otherwise I don't want to hear about how unfair it is that "we're" not supporting ENDA, DOMA and other discrimination. Don't ask me for money or to participate in your campaigns either. As an African-American woman I have enough crap to deal with yet I still spend time and energy devoting myself to injustices that occur everywhere. 

Right now this is looking like good old fashioned white racism on Perez's part. He doesn't get to run to the Discrimination Safety Zone by using his orientation or ethnicity when it suits him while actively engaging in it against others. The silence from the GRIC will only confirm they are in agreement with hating on Black people.

You are either in support of justice across the board or you are full of it!

**Update a little birdy on Twitter told me that somebody read my little post...and Perez has "officially" apologized.** Imagine that! Now it's time to start reigning in all the wayward Blacks that are dragging down the perception of the entire group with their foolishness.

Give Janet Jackson Her Due

I'd like to have a conversation about our failure to properly recognize the musical and cultural contributions of some of our most talented and innovative recording artists. It is no coincidence that they are usually female....and African-American. Quick: name a current female MC or rap artist who's currently in the Top Ten...Twenty....Thirty?. Exactly. 

So you'd think a superstar like Janet Jackson would have been able to avoid showing up on the Missing Music Artist files but such is the fate of many undeserving talents. Now I am unable to offer a complete analysis of the ins and outs of maintaining a career in music industry, but I can tell you the times produce the artists - not the other way around. 

If people started demanding quality music and stopped supporting the lowest common denomination perpetrators this flood of Auto-tuned, low grade, embarrassing fakeness would end with a quickness. Some people have a vested interest in promoting the gutter because it fits into their disempowerment plans. There was and still remains racism and sexism at play that marginalizes many great creative talents. 

I'm also sure many can recall the Dallas Austin "effing for tracks" video that was pulled from the internet. It highlighted the practice where many female artists have sex with male producers for favors and a choice selection of songs. I bet we could go down a list of artists that draw a question mark as how they got a record deal, why they were "dating" so and so and who got promoted by their label - and who didn't. After he almost went to prison for having drugs in Dubai you would've thought Austin would've learned a little humility and the art of keeping your mouth shut - but I digress. 

I also can only offer my opinion on what Ms. Jackson is using for inspiration these days. I think she was at her best when she had a message that was focused on something productive. First it was autonomy, next it was social justice and later it was her exploration of her sexuality. For me personally I felt she lost her voice when she listened to other people telling her to compete directly with Madonna and/or believed those that would give her credit for being innovative but not Janet. I don't know if this actually happened, but I noticed a huge shift in her public persona and music. Some of which I felt wasn't authentic and didn't necessarily care for.

Perhaps it was insecurity or a response to being thought of as less than. The focus on securing male validation felt like an abandonment of her earlier progressiveness. We know how African-American are constantly under assault and have internalized indoctrination of worthlessness. Just look at what Lil Kim has done to her face and body as proof of that. Being famous and wealthy does not provide cover or relief for that. Black women's bodies have been promoted by others to be open, available and unrapeable. Can I be blunt? When the breasts started going out on window display Jackson alienated me as an early fan.

Either way Jackson was on the verge of a career resurgence when the ill-fated SuperBowl mishap occurred. We'll never know whether it was an accident or a publicity stunt run amuck, but the damage to her career had been severe. A hint of decollate wasn't the same thing as the full monty and she got a lot of negative feedback. If you do a Google search the #2 subject after her name is "wardrobe malfunction". It's been years and people are still talking or thinking about it. I've made my feelings clear on this: Justin Timberlake got away with murder while Janet has been hung out to dry. That's racialized sexism at its bloody worst. 

I'd like to focus on the positive though and I'm certain that Ms. Jackson is capable of being musically relevant again IF she is willing to return to a message of uplift or something else with a deeper meaning. The "I'm so breathy, cute and sexy" look doesn't work with Mariah Carey and it doesn't work with Jackson either. We are capable of dancing to something of substance just as easily as something of folly. The (0ver)sexualized imagery smacks of desperation - at least to me and was too close to being compared to Madonna. The same Madonna that thinks nothing of lifting bits and pieces of everybody else's culture and creating a new image around it. I usually liked her but I was always amazed how her whiteness protected her scrutiny of it. That may not be a fair comparison or situation for they are two different artists....but I think there's a certain racism prevalent where a Black woman will always be demonized for being sexually "free" in a public forum. Jackson has far too much talent to rely on displaying her body and relying on youth for appeal. 

In the meantime, we have Janet's amazing body of work to review. We can see her influence across a spectrum of artists. She deserves the credit, yet so many of Jackson's most ardent copiers (thieves!) have the nerve to give it to Madonna. Some of us aren't fooled - or impressed. I can write about and speak about it, but let's look at the evidence: music videos. See for yourself.

The Imitator

The Originator

More Evidence

See this video where Janet turns the tables on the typical male female dynamic. Almost masculine imagery as the women take on an aggressive role, initiate the contact and control its execution. What was empowering is that they did not leave with the male romantic interests but left them in the dust - literally. This is an empowering message for women regardless of their orientation as well. I'd love to have discussion of this video from the LGBT community. 

Compare this in contrast to the rather backwards pining of Beyonce and crew for a "hood" guy and the hyper masculine images on display. The role of the men are limited by definition. Further this is problematic in it being the only depiction of the Black male. Hood, ghetto, tough, animalistic even. They were trying to control the beast of the hip-hop misogyny with fake empowerment. Soldier = Thug = Criminal.

There are many other artists who've been influenced by Jackson but I want to keep this post somewhat brief. What are your favorite Janet Jackson videos, songs and what impact has her career had on you?

Weekly Wrap-Up

I'm condensing multiple posts into a one and giving some other blog hosts a shout-out. Please read them!

Did anybody use GeoCities? Nope me either. Another one bites the dust. 

Speaking of biting the dust, wearing a cheap cotton painter's mask won't protect you from the swine flu. Is this latest outbreak an accident or biological warfare being tested on populations is open for debate. Discuss amongst yourselves. FunkyBrownChick has an interesting take on things.

• The Supreme Court will review Ricci v. DeStefano where white male fire fighters (who have like a 99% hire and promotion rate) charge they're being discriminated against as municipalities look into altering testing to bring in more POC. Now I'm not advocating the dumbing down of qualifications, but US firefighters have a hero complex and die at a rate of 8-1 compared to other countries because they rush into situations without evaluation. Despite San Francisco having a female Fire Chief it's still a rare occurrence and they had to be sued to allow women and non-whites in. So I'm just sayin'......

In the "It's A Post-Racial World - Not!" files: 

Michael Kors decides to have a little racism with his (black) coffee. Who wants to deconstruct the racism and sexism in this ad? Any takers? I wish these fashion people would just stop trying to use Black people to make a buck during this depression when they were perfectly happy ignoring us before. See the Field Negro blog.

We all know this won't be a Jeopardy question, "Who Is the First Person Convicted for Murdering A Trans teenager?" but a murderer got his due for the killing of Angie Zapata. Fem.Men.Ist is a great blog by the way and blog host Richard is a Black man who fights for women's equality. Just so you know I may write about the pathologies of some, but there are plenty of fully functional people of color out there.... 

How you plan on spending President Obama's 100th day in office depends on whether you were happy or sad he got elected in the first place.

• I learned just how filthy our planet is. Have you heard of the trash vortex the size of Texas? Hmm maybe that's where we can send Gov. Perry! It has motivated some to take action. No wonder Klaatu came to get rid of us.

Unemployment rates have increased as projected. The state of California's is more than 11% now. Blacks with degrees have a disproportionately high jobless rate? Do you have a plan?

• So many people seemed shocked, shocked I tell ya that the ignorance, apathy misogyny and prejudice they pass onto their kids actually takes effect. Why are people so reluctant to turn in the criminals in their families?

Airlines come up with yet another scheme to bilk us out of our money while sucking on the teat of corporate welfare. Well since we know people are getting bigger why do they keep making the seats on the plane smaller with less leg room? I bet you if all of us "fatties" stopped flying in protest they'd really start howling.

South Park does a send-up of Susan Boyle. 

I found out American Violet isn't a story of one Black woman's triumph, but the same ol' okey doke by whites making a victimization movie. Clink the link and it will take you to the Black Woman Blow the Trumpet blog. You can read the analysis of how this film is showing (some of) us at our worst. See Tyler Perry isn't the only one you know. Glad I didn't waste my time or money on this drivel. FAIL!!!

You're So Lame Award of Shame - Asher Roth & Larry Summers

I was deciding between Jackie Chan and some others but then this just came in: Larry Summers fell asleep during a VERY IMPORTANT meeting between the President and members of the Banking Industrial Complex as they have to justify gross overcharges in credit card fees. I guess he hadn't had his Wheaties. This is a huge consumer issue and one where laws enacted to protect us from fraud need to be enforced. Especially after the CBC sold out the Black community in thwarting the ability to include certain debts in bankruptcy filings. Yes we bear some responsibility but we know the amount of credit being issued was usually more than what would be advisable. 

The one strike rule where if you missed one payment your interest rate could nearly double was ridiculous - esp when the banks ask for and get gov't bailouts, favorable rates and other concessions. Summers was already a controversial choice for the Obama administration with his conflicts over gender insensitive statements and his very public fight with Cornell West so you'd think the man would at least TRY to show up for work ready to work, but I suppose that's just too much to ask for!  

**********

So I was all set to publish this when I spent a little early evening Twitter time and lo and behold I've got another entry for ya'll. Some dubious character named Asher Roth who's a rap artist and claims he's about the "culture" of hip-hop yet doesn't want seem to want to properly acknowledge that culture came from BLACK PEOPLE made some off the cuff joke about "nappy headed hos" because he was at Rutgers. Yeah the Imus assault all over again. At least he got a flood of responses from others calling him out on it. He quickly deleted it from his stream and said he was "sorry" - except it had been resent. 

Blogger Byron Crawford did a screen capture so we have the proof. I sent him a message saying he needs to read the posts at Racialicious blog about Hipster racism and get a clue. Oh and the excusers and deniers came out to defend his insult to Black women, because it "doesn't have anything to do with me personally" and "you're being overly sensitive". Including a few very CLUELESS Black women. When will we learn that every "little" slight leads to further depravity? I'm sure he's a nice person and it's all a misunderstanding because he said he meant no harm. Yeah because racialized sexism is just so darn funny, haha. As funny as a gas chamber, hey Roth? Two steps forward, five steps back people!

P.S. Now in the biggest CYA action in recent memory, his PR flunkies are now trying to claim his account had been hacked into. Oh really...then why apologize? People are so concerned about not APPEARING racist they never learn from their mistakes. BIG FAIL!

Hipster Racism Strikes Again

Happy Monday! You might be thinking, gah there she goes again with the heavy hitting (depressing) stories about racism and I haven't even had my coffee yet. Oh well....grab a muffin and dig in!

The writers at the very excellent blog Racialicious began using that term to describe amongst other things, "ideas, speech, and action meant to denigrate another’s person race or ethnicity under the guise of being urbane, witty (meaning “ironic” nowadays), educated, liberal, and/or trendy". Really it's describing the less blatant, non-KKK cross burning but still just as ignorant racism and exercise of privilege amongst a younger generation of non-people of color (i.e. whites). Though there's often a few colluders of color in the mix.

Samhita M.A. wrote a post about her experience at Burning Man and it practically started a flame war. Her piece was rather mild and non-confrontational in its tone to be honest. The overreaching responses are from those who wish to keep their privilege status intact and unexamined. You should read the comments attached at the bottom of the linked post based on passages like this - which was the hardest hitting portion I thought:

The search for making a culture of their own, the majority white constituency of BM have created a culture of dramatic appropriation, elitism, consumption and lack of inclusion all within the guise of freedom.

Now having lived in San Francisco since 2001 I am very familiar with Burning Man but have never felt this burning desire to attend. The main reason why I've had no interest in attending is I don't do drugs and couldn't imagine being stuck in the desert in some makeshift community as being a relaxing experience. If you're not high or that into trance what are you gonna do for a week? Did I mention it's in the desert i.e. lack of toilets and showers?! I don't even have to mention the lack of participation from enough people of color do I? As Samhita so aptly wrote, the space created seems so overwhelmingly geared for the pleasure and comfort of whites, I know I'd be pissed about it. The rest of my life has to be navigated within a white construct that I don't want to have to integrate 24/7. Yes I know if a white person said that it would generate some raised eyebrows and a bit more probably, but when you are part of a minority population you deserve a space reserved for yourself. 

Coachella is about all the desert I can take because I am just not an outdoors, woodsy type gal. I don't like extreme weather conditions be it heat or cold. The cost of attending was also something I didn't wish to partake in, not to mention taking time off from work to do so. I'd rather travel outside the United States and broaden my horizons than hang out with a group of strangers trying to "escape it all". By the way I'm still not sure what people are escaping from.

The East Bay Express has covered a burner party with racist overtones in the article, "Burners Torched Over Native Party". I know there's supposed to be some irony in the title but I even found some elements of a condescending attitude in the way it was written. 

More than fifty Bay Area Native American rights activists converged on the historic East Oakland property at 9:30 p.m. to ensure the shutdown of popular Burning Man group Visionary Village's "Go Native!" party. The fired-up Hopis, Kiowas and other tribal members spent more than four hours lecturing the handful of white, college-class Burners about cultural sensitivity until some of them simply broke down crying.

You won't find Blacks throwing a "Going Native" party - sorry. First of all I believe we'd think it was pretty stupid, secondly since so many Blacks like to claim Native heritage (or have it) that would be pretty redundant. A bring your light-skinned or white girlfriend party - yes - but that's another kind of discrimination.

So some burners decide to throw a party with offensive themes and don't want to back down. Crying ensues when directly confronted with their racism. Crocodile tears for sure! There are also some who claim Native heritage who are in agreement with the racists. That's called "approval of white supremacy hoping you'll get to be the exception". 

Here's one such comment which typifies hipster racism and the rejection of the rights of the offended party: 

Reading these comments I keep seeing "these people..." and divisions into sides of these issues. I'm not reading that there is validity in both sides (which there is). No there isn't! Yes, it's perfectly understandable that any indigenous people who have had their land and lives upended, stolen, etc. by another group will feel once again abused when the very fabric of their culture, once attempted to be eliminated is now being appropriated. Completely understandable and anyone who doesn't understand that is wrapped up in their own desires.

But it's also understandable that some kids are throwing a party and choose a theme that may allow for some exploration they haven't felt and that they are not the most capable of thinking past their own fun - they're kids after all. See how the use of "kids" absolves them of their responsibility? It's understandable that in a culture that has gone astray they are looking elsewhere for inspiration and ways of being that help them to see something more than money and fame as ideals. And anyone who doesn't empathize is too caught up in THEIR own issues as well.

How dare we the oft-marginalized group demand equality, a set of standards and repercussions for violating them? We're supposed to understand how hard it is out there for (insert your dominating group) and let them have their way!! Doesn't this remind you of something? If you were reading my blog back in November you may recall the posts I did on Princeton Theological Students publishing racist and sexist writings in their newsletters - specifically attacking Dr. Yolanda Pierce. There's still work to be done and your participation is welcome.

Boy my blog hits jumped as the guilty parties checked sometimes as much as 50 times a day to see what information I'd post or who had responded. I still have your IP addresses!! They whined, denied and protested the exposure of that little ditty all the while ignoring the last few times Princeton students have published racist writings in numerous newsletters/papers. They also pretended to be sympathetic but were secretly trying to gain my trust and get information to give back to their friends. But because some non-whites participated in the hate mongering it was supposed to be okay (i.e. not racist). Yeah right! If a woman leads another woman into a situation where she's raped, wouldn't that woman be in collusion with the person who carried out the act and just as responsible? Legally isn't that referred to as "conspiracy to commit"?

Plus the idea that the mostly Middle Class white participants get to do this with little police interference speaks volumes. Last time I checked the drugs du jour that people bring to the party are illegal. Of course not everyone does drugs who attends. Before somebody accuses me of being a prude or worse a McCarthy wannabe let's flip the script. Do you know of any annual events where a majority group of Asian, Black, Latino or Native populations go off to throw a week-long party that would NOT be raided by the police or investigated? I've yet to hear of any busts going on or any difficulty in obtaining licenses for such an event when it has a majority white population participating. It smacks of class and race privilege that people even get to have these types of events and remain unscathed by law enforcement. 

So those people who complain about having to be responsible for their actions and acknowledging their privilege are typical closed doors to progress in my opinion. Their discomfort is in being confronted - not about struggling through a growing self-awareness. They'd rather deny and lie than face the truth of the situation. Even after confronted they don't want to face any repercussions or make amends. They'd rather just blow off the learning opportunity. With their race or class privilege still intact they don't have to.

By the way we're still wondering what the Princeton administrators are doing about those students. Well..not really...we know they've been mostly been let off the hook. The fight is far from over though. Perhaps it's time to reapply some public pressure. I couldn't help but notice the deafening silence from the typical feminist brigade on this as well.