Provost message on offensive social media video

From UH News, September 1, 2020

This message was shared with the students, faculty and staff of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa on September 1, 2020.

Aloha UH Mānoa community,

It is with great alarm and disappointment that I send this message today.

(Wisdom-inducing information in parenthesis thanks to your dear editor.  By the way: If you are attempting to discern for yourself whether the video really IS offensive in order to decide whether the admin action is warranted, then your mind has already been defeated.)

This morning I was alerted to a social media video of an individual in UH apparel reenacting the death of George Floyd. The university strongly condemns this video, and the actions depicted do not represent our community as a whole or the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. The university is investigating the incident and those involved, if found to be students of the university, are subject to discipline under the Student Conduct Code. The procedures administered by the Office of Judicial Affairs may result in their suspension or expulsion.

(Question: Do they still teach 'due process' at UH? -- or is that only for the 'Enlightened, Conscious, and Progressive' elite?)

UH is located in one of the most diverse communities in the world and we take pride in our inclusivity.

(So we will ...uh... 'exclude' these videographers, whoever they are, in the name of  ...uh... 'inclusivity'.  And we don't get the joke that we have become.)

UH Mānoa has been ranked one of the most diverse Research I campuses in the nation and part of our mission is to provide safe, healthy and discrimination free environments for teaching, learning and scholarship. There is absolutely no place here for this type of extremely insensitive and hateful behavior.

(But there IS a place for 'two minutes' extreme insensitivity and hate towards these videographers.)

As I stated in my message to the campus announcing the establishment of a Commission on Racism and Bias on June 18, “We need to be proactive, honest and fearless in order to address these issues head on, for the sake of our campus community.”

(Translation: My bone-headed ignorance is not a momentary lapse.  I have been planning this.)

The world is far from perfect, and racist behavior like this does occur. It is how we respond this time and the next that will demonstrate our resolve to change our community and greater society for the best and to keep our campus safe.

(Clue for the clueless: Censorship is not change.  You do not change minds by outlawing thought or expression.  Two really obvious clues: USSR and Yugoslavia.  Their ethnic divisions were outlawed for decades.  And when the dictatorship collapsed they both quickly reverted to their old ethnic divisions.)

E mālama pono,

Michael Bruno

UH Mānoa Provost

KITV: University of Hawai'i taking action after a disturbing video is posted to social media  

KITV: University of Hawai'i students, staff ritually denounce video