ETHOS

By Cami King

While perusing the CNN headlines last week I stumbled upon an article entitled “White valedictorian: A first for historically black Morehouse.” I initially didn’t think much of the piece (surprised that there were actually white people attending Morehouse). But I clicked on the link anyway and found:

The article proceeds to describe the ways in which Packwood is one with the black community. Packwood explains that his mother’s second marriage was to a black man. The relationship didn’t work out and things were tough at home (another fact the CNN reporters highlight during their schpeal about Packwood’s ability to identify with the black community). Because of these conditions, Packwood was forced to live with a close friend and his family (also black) where he finished his high school career and prepared for college. Packwood states, “A large majority of my friends, like all my girlfriends have been minorities… So it was very, it was kind of strange that I always gravitated toward the black community.”

Joshua Packwood (left) & brother (who will attend Morehouse next fall) pictured with unidentified ethnic child

Yet, the article does make sure to highlight the ways in which Packwood stands out from his black male classmates. Although he was accepted into Columbia University, he decided to go to Morehouse to be amongst his African-American “brethren”. The article explains that “Packwood, 22, doesn’t stand out solely because he is white or has maintained a 4.0 grade point average.” His standing out (from African-American men, mind you) is because the “Rhodes Scholar finalist turned down a full scholarship to Columbia University to attend the all-black men’s university.”

The patronizing undertone of this article is, at best, politically incorrect and annoying. The implications are that a white man stands out from a black man in academia because he is capable of maintaining a 4.0 and of being accepted into an Ivy League University and of being a Rhodes Scholar finalist. So black people aren’t capable of achieving those things? And don’t these achievements cause him to stand out from fellow whites as well? Also, it is implicit in these statements that black students attending predominately black institutions do so because of an inability to attend more prestigious universities.

Furthermore, Packwood is quoted saying, “They [his Morehouse "brethren"] approached me and said, ‘Yeah, I have a problem with you being valedictorian. I know you’ve earned it and even though I know you on a personal level – I like you a lot – but it disturbs me that out of roughly 3,000 black men – there’s not one that’s done as well as or better than you academically…’” Oh, please! Point out the black man who uttered those words. Does it not sound crazy to anyone else to have “the white boy” (he calls himself this in the article) quote an anonymous black male saying the aforesaid line…? I mean, honestly.

After reading Francis Cress Welsing’s theories concerning white men and phallic images in “The Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors,” I chuckled a little at this picture. But I digress…

So let me get this straight… Packwood is black because he hangs out with black people, came from a broken home, dates black women, and enjoys the “black experience”. The article also says: “Packwood fit in immediately at Morehouse…” Why? Oh, because of his “charm, movie-star good looks and chiseled physique which made him popular among students.” PAUSE! These are the things that made him popular among the all-male student body (the fact that he is a charmer and a hottie)? Really…? Yet another link is made here that just agitates me. Packwood is “black” or identifies with the black community because he is charming and attractive and works out. But, he is not black or he “stands out” from the black community because he is intelligent and a hard-worker, who was accepted into an Ivy League University, was a Rhodes Scholar finalist and maintained a 4.0. I feel some kind of way.

Oh look, he’s smiling! Packwood standing out yet again from his black brethren

Obviously I am irked by the tone of this article. I could have thrown up by the time I finished reading this about a white man who forsook amazing opportunities at prestigious Universities to be at one with his black brothers and partake in the black experience. THE BLACK EXPERIENCE! Honestly, what does that even entail? I also find the article insensitive and, at times, downright silly in the overcompensating statements made about Packwood and his connection to the black community. As though he can’t just be white and attend a predominately black institution. Must I be validated as a white person in order to attend a predominately white institution? Or is that just the natural thing to do (needing no explanation) while Packwood’s actions are abnormal and therefore demands some sort of elucidation. The reporters ignorance seems to shine through in the tone of the piece and this has nothing to do with Packwood, whites attending Morehouse, or a white being named valedictorian at an HBCU.

For the record: I take issue more with the reporting and less (if at all) with Packwood’s attending Morehouse or being valedictorian. If Packwood was sincere when he said, “I think of it in terms of ’study abroad.’ If I really want to learn it [African-Americans studies], if I really want to understand it – maybe it’s best if I immerse myself in the culture,” then I can’t knock him for attending a predominately black university. It is a logical thing to do. Many respected leaders have left their cultures to live amongst those whom they wished to help (the goal being to gain the perspective of a member of the community, listening to the needs of its members rather than imposing one’s own opinions about those needs on the members of the community from a position on the outside). I recently revisited Paolo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed where, among other things, Freire explains the importance of learning and aiding a people as a member of the community and not as an outsider. And I couldn’t agree more. More importantly, if Packwood is at the top of his class, then he should be named valedictorian. DUH!

I also think it’s important to note that I am not attacking CNN. I am something of a CNN-junkie and I could watch CNN all day (looped stories and all). And I am aware that they have extended themselves on numerous occasions to highlight discrimination based upon race, gender, sexual-orientation, etc. I just think they dropped the ball on the reporting of this one.

View the CNN article: White valedictorian: A first for historically black Morehouse