One day my buddy Luis came over to invite me to a show at the Carpenter Center at CSULB. to watch a really compelling show: N*gger W*tback Ch*nk. With a title like that, who could say no? I sat down, the lights dimmed, for the next two hours I watched three men speak on the uncomfortable truths that accompany our racial identities, They held an acute understanding of how the way we look at one other impacts the way we look at ourselves.
It honestly was one of the most memorable entertainment experiences I've had in some time. It was funny, well-thought-out, and infinitely relatable to anyone whose skin has provoked a joke. Though the applause was rousing, the dialogue sparked during the audience talkback was as critical as it was lauding. Not every joke was funny to every group of people, but the performers were gracious and receptive to everyone's pain. It felt good to be heard in open forum about things that are taboo to discuss in pubic. When I got to the lobby, the crowd of people around these three performers was so thick you would have sworn they were performing miracles. They were immensely popular and maintained a relationship with the university after this performance, teaching Masters' students and completing a residency. How brilliant!
That was about a year ago. A few mornings ago Michael shot me a text this morning with this linked:
CSULB's Carpenter Center Director Michele Roberge Resigns In Protest Over Show Cancellation
The school's president, Jane Conoley cancelled the shows upcoming performances without comment, but the official campus statement reads:
Members of the campus community voiced concerns to the President about the educational value of the performance and whether or not it was achieving the goal of creating constructive dialogue about race relations..subsequently, President Conoley asked the Carpenter Center team to withdraw the performance from the 2016-17 schedule. Despite the cancellation of the show, the artists will be fully compensated and we wish them success with their future performances.
This prompted the Carpenter Center director to resign. And I don't blame her in the slightest. Universities are epicenters of education, enlightenment, intelligent discourse. N*gger W*tback Ch*nk is nothing if not enlightening and intelligent. If CSULB is to be a bastion of knowledge, it can't compromise that in the face of discomfort.
I'm inclined to believe the cancellation is due to the renewed sensitivity to the Race issue this year. Donald Trump's hateful rhetoric gets rigorous applause, Black Lives Matter has gained major traction as a national force to be acknowledged with the constant threat of police violence lingering over people's conscious. I think these things have contributed to the sudden flip-flop in opinion of the value in this show. When I saw it last year, we hadn't lived through Philadro Castile or Alton Sterling, and those Dallas cops were still alive.. The conversation on racial tension has definitely heightened, even if they haven't progressed.
However, I think more than ever the campus should want to engage discussion on these topics. Confronting these issues head on will arm the diverse Long Beach community with the knowledge to deal with these issues when they inevitably arise. If the most educated among us are afraid of engaging with this kind of discourse, what illumination can we expect from the world at large?
Just some thoughts. I've been on a no compromises, no excuses kick lately, and I have infinite respect for Michele Roberge who recognized injustice and decided to stand for what she believed in. I hope the university takes the hint and chooses education over fear.
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