The Power of Silent Protests

In December of last year, a group of Elon University students staged a silent protest at President Lambert’s Christmas Party. These students, all white, walked through the concourse alongside the rest of the attendees. The only thing that separated them from the rest of the student body were signs they carried around highlighting certain privileges white students have.

The silent protest was received fairly well. Dr. Lambert warmly invited the student protestors and even encouraged a photo with the group. Other students acknowledged the courage it took to put themselves on display at such a popular Elon event. The detractors of the protest while not visibly confrontational, took to social media to voice their concerns.

One commenter complained that white students were speaking on an issue that didn’t pertain to them. On social media app Yik Yak, commenters complained that the students protesting were “ashamed of their whiteness” or “not transforming their frustrations into anything that combats racism”. Other people stated they weren’t ever going to apologize for being white.

It’s important to recognize the significance of white privilege on campus because institutions across the US are now slowly being held accountable for racist historical trends. Part of reason these student-led protests across college campuses are being conducted is to raise awareness on various issues that predominantly white students/institutions might fail to recognize.

There have been efforts on Elon’s part to find avenues to reach out to larger sections of the campus. Workshops and discussions led by various organizations have done great work in highlighting racial problems across campus. Efforts from organizations like CREDE or DEEP have done wonders to improve the campus climate and educate students on subtle racism that exists beyond our general perception. These sessions showcase the emphasis Elon has in putting forth a better foot forward in combating white privilege and racist undercurrents that have plagued higher academia.

However; one can go to a workshop centered on white privilege and notice two different types of audience members: those who recognize the effects of white privilege and students forced to go by their teachers. These workshops aren’t reaching the audiences that create anonymous social media posts like the ones during the silent protest. These workshops occasionally are found just preaching to the choir or to the people forced to go for the benefit of a 100% participation grade. There are small pockets of students who go for the purpose of learning, but most participants fall into one of those two categories.

The dilemma these workshops face is that they lack the scope to fully challenge or make uncomfortable the people who profit from white privilege. They educate and raise awareness but they lack the faculties to engage the broader community. In the end, these workshops end up archived and rehashed for the following semester.

With this said, there should be an expectation to engage students that really causes them to consider their privileges. It should be uncomfortable bringing up issues of race and privilege on a college campus that is predominantly white students. People use outlets of anonymity because they are uncomfortable confronting others head on. What protesting (and the silent protest) accomplished was engaging these types of students head on.

Leo Lambert’s party functions as a place of privilege: an area where students congregate in fancy attire as they are served expensive appetizers. (It’s important to note that the majority of serving staff was black). Targeting an event like that challenged students to face some of the uncomfortable realities of privilege. More specifically, being targeted by white students on privilege revealed some the flaws in those student’s logic.

And on the criticism of being "ashamed" by whiteness: there shouldn’t be an expectation that black students or organizations led by people of color be the only areas on campus raising awareness on white privilege. Just as it shouldn’t be the sole of women to combat sexism on college campuses. It’s productive for white students to talk to other white students about white privilege. It can take the burden off of students of color when it comes to educating about these issues. There isn’t any shame or hatred of whiteness involved; just an awareness of one’s self and how skin color plays a role in benefitting certain lives.

After the general chaotic social media fire this protest caused one student made an exciting comment:

This shows that at least some people are listening.

photos courtesy of:

the trail blazer online

Yik Yak - Elon University