# Black student hangs ‘White Only,’ ‘Black Only’ signs at bathrooms, water fountains **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 18, 2015, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674 "2015-09-18T14:31:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/21 "2015-09-18T18:08:26Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Victim culture morons. Oppressor culture blindness ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/22 "2015-09-18T18:28:18Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Perhaps you could provide a list of topics that you would find acceptable for posting? Ooh, touchy, aren’t we? Terr (and you and anyone) are free to post whatever topics you find of interest. And I am free to find them not worthy of the time. Called freedom of expression, which I believe is allowed her (within limits). Press on. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/23 "2015-09-18T18:34:20Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > I could see a purpose to this project as a reminder of the past that might be useful to everyone. History, sociology, psychology maybe even philosophy… > > But to call it an “art project” is total nonsense. There is nothing artistic going on. Hmm. Your idea of what counts as art is about a century out of date. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/24 "2015-09-18T18:34:53Z")
“Victim culture morons” must be a Fox News expression. Not very catchy! ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/25 "2015-09-18T18:40:21Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It was a dumb idea because by making an unnecessary protest against a form of racism that has been eliminated, he allowed some people to generalize and claim that all protests against racism are equally unnecessary. I think she should have hung “this is an art project” under the signs. But I get her point. Given the number of people who seem nostalgic for the Jim Crow south, a reminder is not out of place. I bet few people these days have had first or second hand experience with this stuff. One term I was officially faculty where I went to grad school in Louisiana, and I got to go to the “faculty” bathroom in the old Math building - as opposed to the “student” bathroom. Two sets of water fountains also. I think some of us could use a reminder of those days. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/26 "2015-09-18T20:45:44Z")
Typical. An asshole does something asshole and it turns into a “dur Trump/OReilly/Fox News/etc. is stupid” circlejerk. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/27 "2015-09-18T20:54:08Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **Ranchoth** : > > Oh sure, fine, when THIS GUY does it for “art,” it’s fine; but when _I_ want to build ONE measly Pyramid using authentic methods for art and historical research, the Israeli Consul-General just stares at me like I’ve lost my mind…and just FORGET about getting a Grant, I can tell you that right now! You don’t need a Grant for your pyramid; he’s already got a tomb. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/28 "2015-09-18T21:03:05Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Typical. An asshole does something asshole and it turns into a “dur Trump/OReilly/Fox News/etc. is stupid” circlejerk. This thread was typical right from the gitty-go. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/29 "2015-09-18T21:25:34Z")
Ok, so it’s just an art project. But maybe she thought it would catch on and white people would stop using her water fountain. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/30 "2015-09-18T22:01:35Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Typical. An asshole does something asshole and it turns into a “dur Trump/OReilly/Fox News/etc. is stupid” circlejerk. No, I thought it was “asshole does something asshole, so now white people can finally stop thinking about racism.” ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/31 "2015-09-18T22:20:14Z")
“Art” would have been to record the instant reaction of the people coming across the signs for the first time. Even those who have never seen the ‘white only’ signs are quite aware of their existence and implication. Just posting them and watching is a hideously inappropriate ‘joke’ - and _that_ is the nicest possible way of viewing this stunt. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/32 "2015-09-18T22:23:07Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Typical. An asshole does something asshole and it turns into a “dur Trump/OReilly/Fox News/etc. is stupid” circlejerk. The thread is the OP making a political comment for the purposes of “sticking it to” liberals. It was not “look at this stupid thing this guy did” but “look at what ‘victim culture’ creates.” (Victim culture is kinda a code word. It’s about the idea that we’re all too politically correct. It’s not necessarily a conservative thing, but it is political. It’s **Terr** ’s own posting habits that inform that it was anti-liberal. It’s his _raison d’etre_ here.) ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/33 "2015-09-18T22:25:10Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > “Art” would have been to record the instant reaction of the people coming across the signs for the first time. > > Even those who have never seen the ‘white only’ signs are quite aware of their existence and implication. > > Just posting them and watching is a hideously inappropriate ‘joke’ - and _that_ is the nicest possible way of viewing this stunt. And this is it in a nutshell. It’s a prank, not victim culture. It’s an asshole using art as an excuse. (I hope no one actually tells him this so that he can make his trolling even better, though.) The idea that black people can’t be assholes is itself racist. But it’s also the type of racist thing that a lot of conservatives seem to think liberals believe. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/34 "2015-09-18T23:09:16Z")
This is absolutely outrageous! What are the white women going to do with urinals? ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/35 "2015-09-18T23:55:42Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Victim culture morons. The people who were offended by it? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2015, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/36 "2015-09-19T02:25:52Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > Ooh, touchy, aren’t we? Terr (and you and anyone) are free to post whatever topics you find of interest. > > And I am free to find them not worthy of the time. > > Called freedom of expression, which I believe is allowed her (within limits). > Press on. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. It was a serious suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2015, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/37 "2015-09-19T04:54:21Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > The idea that black people can’t be assholes is itself racist. But it’s also the type of racist thing that a lot of conservatives seem to think liberals believe. And, the idea that black people can’t be racists is, itself, assholish. If a white student had done this, would he have been expelled? Arrested? Fined? ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2015, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/38 "2015-09-19T14:31:08Z")
And in other news, here’s a story that proves that anti-police attitudes don’t actually exist: [http://www.fox4news.com/news/21536949-story](http://www.fox4news.com/news/21536949-story) A disabled veteran has his car vandalized with anti-police slogans, and blames it on black people. But in a shocking twist, it turns out he vandalized his own car for the attention, thereby proving that anti-police bias is not a thing. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/39 "2015-09-22T18:39:56Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > And, the idea that black people can’t be racists is, itself, assholish. > > If a white student had done this, would he have been expelled? Arrested? Fined? Only inasmuch as racism is assholish. But, yes, he probably would be expelled or such\*. Because it would be more likely that the kid was actually being racist rather than just being a jerk. It is unlikely that a black person actually thinks black people are inferior, so you need more evidence. The same is true for white people, BTW. It just doesn’t arise all that much. There isn’t much historical basis for it, so you just have to rely on outright anti-white claims. There is no equivalent to black face or “nigger”–things that are racist due to their history. Which is also, BTW, why those signs are (by default) anti-black and not anti-white. They were not historically used to be anti-white. \*Whether he was fined or arrested would depend on the criminal laws, and should apply evenly, since racism isn’t the deciding factor. It would be something like “defacing property.” We don’t have hate speech laws in the U.S.) ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674/40 "2015-09-22T18:57:36Z")
It was a Black person rubbing an extinct form of institutional racism into the faces of white people who may or may not harbor cultural racism, and who may or may not be direct descendants of those who practiced institutional racism. In other words, hereditary guilt. The same impulse that compelled Serbians to murder Moslem Bosnians 170 years after the Ottomans left the Balkans. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-student-hangs-white-only-black-only-signs-at-bathrooms-water-fountains/731674.md?page=3)