University explains why it named a training course #StopWhitePeople2K16

Officials with New York's Binghamton University said they were trying to be ironic when they named a training course for the upcoming school year "#StopWhitePeople2K16."

The training course was apparently meant to spur discussion about diversity, not demean any specific race.

"The premise of this session is to help others take the next step in understanding diversity, privilege, and the society we function within," the program listing reads. "Learning about these topics is a good first step, but when encountered with 'good' arguments from uneducated people, how do you respond?"

Brian Rose, the university's vice president of student affairs, said the training course was not in any way anti-white.

"We verified that the actual program content was not 'anti-white,'" Rose said Wednesday in a statement. "Topically, the discussion in the program was far-ranging, student-driven and explored reverse racism, the relationship of communities of color with police, whiteness, crime and segregation in an open conversation format."

Quite a few people appeared to have missed the joke.

In an article for the conservative news site Red Alert Politics, Ryan Girdusky, wrote:

"SUNY Binghamton has become a leader in social justice warrior education. The state university has announced that they'll be offering a 'Stop White People' course to help better inform any members of campus who choose to be 'woke.'

"A couple of decades ago the three 'R's' of education were reading, writing, and arithmetic. In 2016 they'd be racism, reparations, and rape culture."

About the Author