Indiana Chapter of NOW: Anti-AAPI racism is no joke
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Indiana Chapter of the National Organization for Women sent the following letter to the Journal & Courier, condemning Purdue Northwest Chancellor Thomas Keon’s remarks during a Dec. 10 graduation ceremony and the Trustees’ decision to issue a reprimand rather than dismissal.
Ending racism is a fundamental tenet of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and Indiana NOW. As such, we work with organizing partners to promote anti-racism and educate the public on the historic and current societal harms of racial injustice. Racism flourishes when those with the power to move our society forward instead choose to promote the status quo.
Unraveling anti-Asian racism, intricately interwoven as it is into white culture and American history, requires affirming how this racism impacts and harms Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) to this day and removing racist speech from our public discourse. It requires our universities to teach anti-racism, not tolerate racist speech or behavior.
At the Purdue Northwest December 10 graduation ceremony, Chancellor Keon reduced that responsibility to a joke.
More:Purdue NW chancellor's 'insensitive' comments still drawing ire
Chancellor Keon comfortably used “mock Asian” gibberish in an overt display of anti-AAPI racism that disgraced the university he represents, and diminished the AAPI community. Keon’s and the Board of Trustees’ responses were textbook examples of institutionalized racism.
When his behavior was publicly exposed in the media, Keon issued a generic apology that echoed the same empty words that have been used time and time again to placate people of color and other historically marginalized communities. Keon dismissed his racist display as a bad joke, and claimed to “take great pride in being welcoming and inclusive to all people.” He placed the responsibility for remediation onto the student-led Diversity and Inclusion group that had not been involved in the incident, and where he wields authority.
More:Letter to Purdue trustees: Chancellor not qualified to lead
Compounding the harm, Purdue University’s Board of Trustees ignored its own faculty’s vote of no confidence in Chancellor Keon, dismissed calls from students and faculty for Keon’s dismissal, and ignored public outcry from members and leaders of the AAPI community when it issued the Chancellor a reprimand with no consequences attached.
Anti-AAPI harassment and violence is no laughing matter. It has increased by over 330% in recent years, with mock Asian a favorite weapon in street harassment and bullying. Chancellor Keon’s “off the cuff joke” is a clear indication he is not qualified to be in any position of authority at any university. That the Trustees chose to protect this racist position over its students’ safety is unconscionable.
Asian students, alumni, and staff deserve better than to be the object of racist jokes. PNW students, alumni, faculty, and staff of all races and backgrounds deserve a truly inclusive university that actively embraces diversity and multiculturalism instead of just giving it lip service. They deserve a Board of Trustees that condemns racist remarks instead of protecting the man who makes them. They deserve to feel safe, respected, and seen. This Chancellor and this Board of Trustees have failed them on all counts.
Julie Storbeck is the president of the Indiana Chapter of the National Organization for Women.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Indiana Chapter of NOW: Anti-AAPI racism is no joke
