# SHOCKING News From Oberlin! \[re: racist incidents\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 23, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993 "2013-08-23T19:25:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/1 "2013-08-23T19:25:39Z")
That racist graffiti that led to the whole campus being shut down? The culprits have been identified, and they’re a pair of white, left-wing scam artists! > **[Oberlin College | Racism Hoax](https://legalinsurrection.com/2013/08/the-great-oberlin-college-racism-hoax-of-2013/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%2BLegalInsurrection%2B%28Le%C2%B7gal%2BIn%C2%B7sur%C2%B7rec%C2%B7tion%29)** > > In February and March 2013, Oberlin College was rocked by racist graffiti and signs. It all was a hoax by liberal students and covered up by Oberlin. Who ever could have predicted this??? Besides, you know, EVERYBODY? There AREN’T any Klansmen or neo-Nazis at Oberlin, but leftists feel compelled to pretend that there are. Otherwise, what would they have to protest against? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/2 "2013-08-23T19:35:58Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > That racist graffiti that led to the whole campus being shut down? They did what because of what? ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/3 "2013-08-23T19:40:08Z")
Yeah, I was a student at Harvey Mudd College during [a nearly identical incident](http://www.isteve.com/Hate_Hoax.htm). It is one of the events that caused me to start shifting away from far left political views. It made me realize that the leftist professors and student groups that surrounded me were intellectually dishonest and wrapped up in a phony narrative of victimization and racism. I hope that some students at Oberlin will experience a similar shift as a result of this. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/4 "2013-08-23T19:42:33Z")
All the stories link back to one source, The Daily Caller. I wish there was more, it’s a bit thin. eta- not saying I don’t believe it. Just that a second source would be nice. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/5 "2013-08-23T19:43:25Z")
Can we get another source for this story? With headlines like “Alabama graduate students newest victims of Obamacare”, “Penn State employees start petition against invasive health policy” and “Obama plans to “spread the wealth” through college ranking system” I have my doubts about _Legal Insurrection_’s impartiality. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/6 "2013-08-23T19:45:10Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Can we get another source for this story? With pleasure: [http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/08/the-oberlin-college-hate-incidents-cruel-provocateurs-at-work/278979/](http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/08/the-oberlin-college-hate-incidents-cruel-provocateurs-at-work/278979/) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/7 "2013-08-23T19:46:55Z")
Actually- having looked at a couple of articles I do remember hearing about this. Unfortunately this kind of dumb shit happens from time to time and it might be more common on college campuses. It’s a reason to be careful in overreacting to people doing dumb shit. Nobody is harmed by a rally in response to some anonymous posters or message board comments, but not that much is accomplished either. > [@astorian](#): > > The culprits have been identified, and they’re a pair of white, left-wing scam artists! […] There AREN’T any Klansmen or neo-Nazis at Oberlin, but leftists feel compelled to pretend that there are. Otherwise, what would they have to protest against? To my non-surprise, you’ve already dashed headlong beyond the facts. According to the article, one of the two was a left-winger and they wanted to piss people off, not draw support for any particular leftist cause. (We’re all against racism and Nazis and the Klan, aren’t we?) As a matter of fact they specifically wanted to upset campus liberals. And no, it’s not a surprise that there are not Klansmen at Oberlin. I don’t remember hearing that part of the story and I agree it’s ridiculous. There are hardly any Klansmen anywhere these days and the blanket thing is pretty hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/8 "2013-08-23T19:48:20Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > With pleasure: [http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/08/the-oberlin-college-hate-incidents-cruel-provocateurs-at-work/278979/](http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/08/the-oberlin-college-hate-incidents-cruel-provocateurs-at-work/278979/) That story links back to the same source used in the OP, The Daily Caller. Every story I’ve found (so far) is based on that one item. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/9 "2013-08-23T19:48:32Z")
n/m ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/10 "2013-08-23T19:49:16Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > With pleasure: [http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/08/the-oberlin-college-hate-incidents-cruel-provocateurs-at-work/278979/](http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/08/the-oberlin-college-hate-incidents-cruel-provocateurs-at-work/278979/) Thank you. Anyone notice a difference between the OP’s description of the perpetrators and the description provided by the _Atlantic_? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/11 "2013-08-23T19:49:20Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > According to the article, one of the two was a left-winger and they wanted to piss people off, not draw support for any particular leftist cause. What about the college administration that went along with all the outrage rallies etc. knowing that it was a hoax? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/12 "2013-08-23T19:50:44Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > What about the college administration that went along with all the outrage rallies etc. knowing that it was a hoax? Put down the goalposts- think of the Oberlin football team! ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/13 "2013-08-23T19:52:14Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > There AREN’T any Klansmen or neo-Nazis at Oberlin, but leftists feel compelled to pretend that there are. Otherwise, what would they have to protest against? A reader who didn’t know any better might mistakenly read this bit to be indicating that 1. the Apparent Oberlin Klansterfuck of Apparently February 2013 is a crucial component of “leftism” and 2. real racism/anti-Semitism/bigotry, to the extent it is opposed by “leftists,” doesn’t exist. That can’t actually be your argument, though, right? Sorry, I meant, that can’t ACTUALLY be your ARGUMENT, though, RIGHT? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/14 "2013-08-23T19:53:40Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Put down the goalposts- think of the Oberlin football team! No goalpost moving - the post to which you were responding didn’t refer to the hoaxers - it referred to “leftists [that] feel compelled to pretend that there are [Klansmen at Oberlin]. Otherwise, what would they have to protest against?”. Which perfectly describes the administration that knew it was a hoax yet went along with the outrage rallies. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/15 "2013-08-23T19:57:24Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > What about the college administration that went along with all the outrage rallies etc. knowing that it was a hoax? I’m not seeing that in the story from The Atlantic, except where it links back to the same one guy saying this stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/16 "2013-08-23T20:00:34Z")
I’m not really sure how this significantly changes the story. Shitheads left posters around campus, with the intent of panicking the student body. Turns out, said shitheads weren’t quite as racist as originally feared. But they still thought it was funny to terrorize minority students by using racial slurs and intimidation. Which is still pretty racist, IMO, even if they turned out not to be the kind of racist that likes to play dress-up. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/17 "2013-08-23T20:01:07Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > I’m not seeing that in the story from The Atlantic, except where it links back to the same one guy saying this stuff. What a coincidence-it’s the same professor that is in charge of that right-wing college paper, _Legal Insurrection_-William A. Jacobson. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/18 "2013-08-23T20:04:03Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > No goalpost moving - the post to which you were responding didn’t refer to the hoaxers - it referred to “leftists [that] feel compelled to pretend that there are [Klansmen at Oberlin]. Otherwise, what would they have to protest against?”. Which perfectly describes the administration that knew it was a hoax yet went along with the outrage rallies. Tell you what: I’ll let **astorian** explain what he means. I don’t know why the Oberlin administration didn’t say anything, but it’s possible they felt they were not able to comment on the behavior of students (or former students). I will say that this is a reason to be careful about how we react to stuff like this. One thing I think everybody should realize by now is that there lots of trolls out there. There are plenty of people who try to provoke or threaten other people by saying the most offensive things they can, and while it doesn’t have to be ignored entirely (you can imagine some students really being worried about who was on campus with them), those reactions should be kept in check. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/19 "2013-08-23T20:04:19Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Shitheads left posters around campus, with the intent of panicking the student body. Obama-supporting, Green and Democrat party-identifying-with, “Ithaca White Allies Against Structural Racism” shitheads. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993/20 "2013-08-23T20:05:21Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Obama-supporting, Green and Democrat party-identifying-with, “Ithaca White Allies Against Structural Racism” shitheads. Where did you get all this from? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shocking-news-from-oberlin-re-racist-incidents/666993.md?page=2)