Student Panel Triggers Debate
1/23/08
Hilltop





Media Credit: Allexthea Carter


The panel discussion "Who you calling a B****?" brought out the passion and heated frustration of students toward the controversial "B-word." The event started with students spilling out of the Browsing room into the hallways of Founders Library on Tuesday. Some attendees were surprised by student sensitivity.

Charles Beavers, a sophomore political science major, commented on "the amount of concern of the word in the meeting as opposed to real life when [students] probably use it multiple times in the day."

As people became more open and honest, the event seemed to change form.

"The panel was a good idea, but it turned into a discussion of the word instead of a search for a resolution to empower black women," said Naima Pettigrew, a sophomore broadcast journalism major.

Some students had doubts about the professionalism of the panel and the individuals who were running the show.

Senior English major Karen Lawrence said the panel lacked substance and added that none of the panelists were professionals.

"It would have been better if there were someone with a degree who could speak from an academic standpoint," Lawrence said.

Some viewed some of the panelists as hypocritical because they themselves were using the word.

"I'm not even going to say what you're acting like right now," said panelist Baker Blanding, a junior international business major, to a female student who spoke up during the meeting.

The panelists were all college students and were asked to "keep it real" by the College of Arts and Sciences (COAS) freshman student council, who sponsored the event.

"They were instructed to spark conflict to make people upset, to make them think," said Pierre C. Whatley, COAS freshman student council president. "To get the students to disagree to find a common ground, so that maybe we can all come together and possibly start a movement." Whatley said there will be a part two of the discussion with professionals included on the panel.