Political Facebook Posts/Tweets From People

[Tobias]

[_33]

Again, 0% of people think there was even a 1% chance it was a prank. Let's quit talking about that.

I disagree. Self pranks are hilarious. Reminds me of the time I let the air out of the tires on my car and then TP'd my house. You should have seen my face the next morning when I saw what I had done. LOL.

[Trogdor]

I think you could compare it to inciting a riot, really. Your entire goal is to create racial tension in a small community and bring it to a National scale. The fact that you are stopped before it is successful doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be punished.

If it really were a prank (like imagine him tweeting that photo and going, SMDH white people on Halloween). Then he would have immediately owned up to it the first time anyone from the media talked to him about it. In this case he jumped straight in.  The motivation is clearly different.

This is modern definition of 'terrorism'. People love slinging that phrase around and it can be easily applied here. Not only was an entire race within the city plus some actually terrified that this happened, it also brought legitimate anger from people within the initial reactions of this happening, and the aftermath of it being debunked.

[bucket]

I think you could compare it to inciting a riot, really. Your entire goal is to create racial tension in a small community and bring it to a National scale. The fact that you are stopped before it is successful doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be punished.

If it really were a prank (like imagine him tweeting that photo and going, SMDH white people on Halloween). Then he would have immediately owned up to it the first time anyone from the media talked to him about it. In this case he jumped straight in.  The motivation is clearly different.

This is modern definition of 'terrorism'. People love slinging that phrase around and it can be easily applied here. Not only was an entire race within the city plus some actually terrified that this happened, it also brought legitimate anger from people within the initial reactions of this happening, and the aftermath of it being debunked.

I may be reading this wrong but if you're labeling what this kid did as terrorism then that's very lol

[Trim]

Dear K-State Family,

We are writing to address concerns regarding several incidents that have occurred over the past few months around the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan and in the Manhattan community. Many of you have heard about these incidents through the news, social media, campus newsletters, or from family and friends. Some of you have contacted us, which we appreciate.

These incidents, some of which were determined to be pranks or false reports, have caused emotional stress and angst for students, faculty, staff, parents and members of our K-State community. Please be assured, we have taken and will continue to take responsive and proactive steps to support our K-State family and ensure a safe environment for everyone.

K-State is not alone on these issues. There is no question that racial tension has increased in communities and college campuses across our nation. A recent Inside Higher Ed newsletter cited a report indicating 188 incidents of racist fliers found on 129 campuses across the country between September 2016 and September 2017. Across the country, our colleagues are reaching out and sharing information to help address concerns impacting our campuses today.

Safety, inclusion and compassion for others are paramount at K-State and in the Manhattan community. Our legacy at K-State is about family and supporting one another. That hasn't changed. We cannot and will not allow the actions of a few detractors to attack our values or divide us.

We care about each other, and when others attempt to tear us apart it's time for us to demonstrate our strength by showing our unity.

On Nov. 14, we will suspend class from 1-3 p.m. for a special event that we are calling KSUnite. In a sign of solidarity, students, faculty and staff will walk in unison from classrooms and offices to the Anderson Hall lawn. Jack Ayres, K-State student body president, and Darrell Reese Jr., president of the Black Student Union, will host the program. President Myers will provide a message of unity and outline steps that all K-Staters can take to help move our campus and community forward. Following the KSUnite program, K-Staters will have the option to convene at the K-State Student Union to share their thoughts through facilitated conversations about education, reflection and action.

Going forward, we will be steadfast in continuing our efforts to provide a safe environment and foster unity and inclusion within our K-State family.

As part of our ongoing effort to address these concerns, we have provided training to faculty, staff and students on how to recognize discrimination and how to report potential discrimination if they see it. As a result, the overall number of reports has gone up, that was expected and will help us confront these issues.

We address every reported incident and have adopted a policy of making certain that our statements are based on facts and the outcome of formal investigations. We understand information moves swiftly across social media channels, and as a result, it often spreads inaccurate and confusing information before investigations have been conducted.

In a recent experience, a car at an apartment complex in Manhattan was painted with racist graffiti. K-State and the Manhattan community were attacked in social media posts for being racist, only to find out, after the Riley County Police Department conducted an investigation, that the car was painted by its owner, who is not a K-State student. He confessed it was a Halloween prank. You may have also recently heard of a similar incident at the Air Force Academy.

We caution you to be careful with what you hear or read and take the time to look for facts. The university offers a website with updated information regarding issues impacting campus. Please use it as an official source of information about K-State.

In other actions, our K-State Police Department has increased its patrols and visibility on campus, and we continually review our security plans. We have many resources available with information to help students, faculty and staff if they want more support, including counseling and safety services such as our LiveSafe app and Wildcat Walk services.

We encourage dialogue on campus for students to talk about their concerns. Groups are meeting and actions are being taken. It's a process that evolves, it doesn't happen overnight.

Last spring, we announced a new leadership structure to further address diversity and inclusion at K-State. We are nearing completion of the searches for two positions: a chief diversity and inclusion officer who will report to the university president, and associate vice president for student life/diversity and multicultural affairs who will report to the vice president of student life. The arrival of these new leaders is crucial as dialogue continues about the need to develop and protect inclusive learning communities at K-State.

College campuses are places where issues and differing points of view should be discussed openly and respectfully. We also encourage you to talk with family and friends about these challenging issues. We support bringing about social change in a positive manner.

We have accomplished a great deal in addressing many challenges, but we also recognize there is much work to be done. We ask for your continued support. If you have questions or ideas that will be helpful, please don't hesitate to contact any one of us.

Together we will help K-State stay united.


Richard Myers, president, Kansas State University


Amy Button Renz, president and CEO, K-State Alumni Association   
Jack Ayers, K-State student body president

Greg Willems, president and CEO, KSU Foundation


Gene Taylor, director of Athletics, Kanas State University

[slackcat]

I think you could compare it to inciting a riot   Appears to be one of their goals and still possible


Your entire goal is to create racial tension in a small community and bring it to a National scale.    Goal reached


The fact that you are stopped before it is successful    Isn't over yet


I imagine project assessment is still being done.   

[LickNeckey]

I think you could compare it to inciting a riot, really. Your entire goal is to create racial tension in a small community and bring it to a National scale. The fact that you are stopped before it is successful doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be punished.

If it really were a prank (like imagine him tweeting that photo and going, SMDH white people on Halloween). Then he would have immediately owned up to it the first time anyone from the media talked to him about it. In this case he jumped straight in.  The motivation is clearly different.

i have known the young man in question for some time. 

while i do not know his motivations and thought process I doubt his goals were a grandiose plan of social engineering.

my guess would be he was trying to earn some social capital and had not thought through the full ramifications

 

[420seriouscat69]

 

[kso_FAN]

I think you could compare it to inciting a riot, really. Your entire goal is to create racial tension in a small community and bring it to a National scale. The fact that you are stopped before it is successful doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be punished.

If it really were a prank (like imagine him tweeting that photo and going, SMDH white people on Halloween). Then he would have immediately owned up to it the first time anyone from the media talked to him about it. In this case he jumped straight in.  The motivation is clearly different.

i have known the young man in question for some time. 

while i do not know his motivations and thought process I doubt his goals were a grandiose plan of social engineering.

my guess would be he was trying to earn some social capital and had not thought through the full ramifications

 

So he's a Manhattan kid and the part in the original story about returning home to California was also made up?

[slackcat]

wtf is "social capital"

[ChiComCat]

wtf is "social capital"

Attention?

[420seriouscat69]

If he was going to start some BS gofundme off this fake racism stunt, that just makes him even more of a downgrade.

[catastrophe]

Honestly I’m surprised Trump isn’t all over this. Guy actually commits a crime by lying about whites being racist.

[catastrophe]

If he was going to start some BS gofundme off this fake racism stunt, that just makes him even more of a downgrade.

It’s just a phrase. But that is a hilarious thought.

[LickNeckey]

I think you could compare it to inciting a riot, really. Your entire goal is to create racial tension in a small community and bring it to a National scale. The fact that you are stopped before it is successful doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be punished.

If it really were a prank (like imagine him tweeting that photo and going, SMDH white people on Halloween). Then he would have immediately owned up to it the first time anyone from the media talked to him about it. In this case he jumped straight in.  The motivation is clearly different.

i have known the young man in question for some time. 

while i do not know his motivations and thought process I doubt his goals were a grandiose plan of social engineering.

my guess would be he was trying to earn some social capital and had not thought through the full ramifications

 

So he's a Manhattan kid and the part in the original story about returning home to California was also made up?

family moved around some and he had recently moved back to Manhattan

spoke with him at length at the K-State OU game

said family was now in California and it is my understanding that he is there now

he also told me he was going to school so 

he has a history of stretching the truth (on a much smaller scale) to get the attention of peers

[LickNeckey]

If he was going to start some BS gofundme off this fake racism stunt, that just makes him even more of a downgrade.

by social capital i meant attention/notoriety from a peer group

[DQ12]

i, for one, am glad that dirtbag doesn't live in MHK anymore.  maybe exile is the most appropriate punishment anyway.

[kso_FAN]

family moved around some and he had recently moved back to Manhattan

spoke with him at length at the K-State OU game

said family was now in California and it is my understanding that he is there now

he also told me he was going to school so 

he has a history of stretching the truth (on a much smaller scale) to get the attention of peers

That makes sense, thanks for sharing that. To be fair, its difficult to put yourself in the shoes of kids in these situations. Its easy for me to say "he/she should just grow up and take responsibility", but I know many don't even know what that means. Often the attention from peers (good, bad, whatever) might be the only thing they get. Not necessarily saying that's this situation, but it sounds like it and its something I've seen far too often over the years working with kids.

[DQ12]

Yeah I mean maybe if this involved an adolescent.  But this guy is an adult.  No benefit of the doubt from me.

[steve dave]

not a kid
not a student
not a prank

[yoga-like_abana]

he sounds like an awful human being

[CHONGS]

Sounds like a real Alex Trimboli.

[kso_FAN]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there shouldn't be consequences and he's certainly not a kid. It sounds like just a sad situation.

[star seed 7]

Sounds like a real Alex Trimboli.

100 percent

[catastrophe]

Sounds like a real Alex Trimboli.

100 percent

Damnit I was going to make that joke.