Look at this bunch of racists…
On a Thursday night in September 2014, a few students painted their faces black when they attended a “blackout” football game at Sun Devil Stadium. [1] Now, because of the black face paint, the Arizona State athletic department has asked all students not to wear any kind of face paint whatsoever to future sporting events, the Arizona Daily Independent reports. [2] In addition to this lunacy, which is similar to the idiotic controversy about the Washington Red Skins’ coporate denomination, the public school’s student council will now consider a bill intended to prevent anyone from wearing black face at a campus event ever again, according to The State Press, Arizona State’s student newspaper. [3] The message from the athletic department proclaims:
As an inclusive and forward-thinking university, it is important for us to foster an environment in which everyone feels safe and accepted. Therefore, we discourage the use of face paint at any event, whether the theme is black, maroon, gold or white, and ask our fans to show their Sun Devil Pride in other ways. [4]
Arizona State University officials on Thursday still would not say whether Sun Devils fans who show up to athletic events in face paint will be asked to remove it or will be barred entry to games. [5] For the record, neither the “blackout” nor the face paint helped in the game at issue, as UCLA mauled Arizona State by a score of 62-27. The students who donned the black face paint told The Arizona Republic they had no intention of causing offense to anyone. [6] The president of Arizona State’s Black and African Coalition, Kyle Denman, said the students who painted their faces black for the “blackout” demonstrated racial insensitivity. [7]
