Offensive poster posted in multiple locations on Elon University’s campus

Photo by Kristen Case, design chief.

The original image of the offensive poster that was strewn around Elon's campus on Monday. An expletive has been blurred. Photo by Al Drago, photo editor.

The original image of the offensive poster that was strewn around Elon’s campus on Monday. An expletive has been blurred. Photo by Kristen Case, design chief.

This poster, pictured left, was posted around Elon University’s campus on Monday. The origins of the poster remain unknown, and, according to Dennis Franks, director of Elon campus police, the issue has been referred to campus judicial. The term ‘coon tunes’ is a racial slur that refers to hip-hop and rap music.

Coon is a racial slur that originated from the Portuguese word for slave pens, or barracks, which were called “baracoons.” Stay with The Pendulum as more details become available throughout the week.

M

I fail to see what about this poster is offensive. Someone enlighten me.
- David
  
  There was like a picture or something along with it that they edited out
- disqus_cIpBC6q0ha
  
  This poster is offensive because it is using a derogatory
  term to describe a type of music that at the time was being enjoyed by African Americans.
  This is an issue and I don’t understand why people at Elon are taking it so
  light- heartedly. If someone else were to be called a “Spic” or
  “Chink” it carries the same amount of hurt and discrimination as the perpetrator
  in this note had carried out by using “Coons”. For one this is not the
  1st time something like this has happened and we have to stop it in its tracks.
  At the end of the day what is wrong is wrong! I am an African American and on
  many occasion I have been called many derogatory names and I for one am not
  going to stand by and let it happen anymore!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001244235989 Adam Lawson

How is it ethical to edit out the photo, or at least not say WHAT about it is offensive?
- Emily
  
  ^ I kind of agree there…
- s
  
  I’m not sure it’s a matter of ethics, as much as not providing all of the relevant information. Let’s be careful tossing around the “ethics” where they don’t necessarily apply.
  - disqus_cIpBC6q0ha
    
    It does deal with ethics because you can be withholding
    information that is vital to understanding the whole truth about the story. This
    incident can be claimed as harassment by the way in which the note was which
    was not detailed in the story above. So if this goes to court or even student
    conduct on a smaller level, you can be kicked out of school for withholding
    information. I think this is what he is
    talking about when you are talking about ethics in this story.
R

This campus is becoming pretty damn sensitive as of late.
- Liz
  
  If by “becoming pretty damn sensitive” you mean “addressing issues which don’t necessarily offend the privileged majority of students at this school” then yes, perhaps that’s true. In fact, I hope it’s true, because it’s about time.
Elon Student

As someone who saw a few of the posters, the phrase was “blasting coon tunes.” Which explains how the poster is offensive. That apparently was edited out by the Pendulum.
- Elon Student
  
  I mean no offense to anyone by using that term. Just hoping to clarify and make the whole story more transparent.
Steven Taranto

This is really unfortunate considering that I had thought things were pretty peachy keen in terms of inclusion after the whole Chick-fil-A thing calmed down. Obviously blasting music at that time of night is disrespectful and is something that shouldn’t be tolerated for decency’s sake, but there’s a way to go about it and I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say that’s not it.

That said, I think the benefit of the doubt should be practiced here if the person who posted this is pinpointed. We’ve all had moments where we’ve said or done something when we were irritated that wasn’t smart, so I say while they should be reprimanded, I wouldn’t go so far as to throw the book at them. I’m not in any position to be a disciplinary though, so I’ll just leave that up to the Honor Code people I suppose.
- c
  
  Sure, we’ve all made mistakes, but I don’t think the benefit of the doubt should be given to someone who is being unabashedly racist. While we all have done stupid things in an irritated state, this took some effort- there were multiple posters found. This means that they had at least the amount of time that it takes to make/write multiple copies and walk around campus to not do something stupidly racist.
  - c
    
    Oh, I might have to retract that- I guess the flyer that was posted was a photocopy of the original, posted by someone who wanted to draw attention to an offense against them? I’m not really clear on what happened. In any case, I stand by my belief that we should not give the benefit of the doubt to someone who took the time to write out a racist letter and post it on someone’s door.
R

This is absolutely disgusting. The person who did this is an embarrassment to Elon. Still waiting for the email from Smitty J that will say that Elon doesn’t tolerate this kind of behavior…
Random Guy

That and the note that was found off campus were from these two guys from Oak Hill. They’re both pissed off about a personal matter that involved a black guy. They live in the building all the way to the rear of the complex on the far left. I’m not saying anything more… but walk into their apartment and look at the walls…
http://twitter.com/LisaDeNike Lisa DeNike

As the parent of a student who will be a member of the Class of 2017, I am saddened and upset to see this poster and to read this story. When we visited campus, we were told that making Elon more racially, economically and internationally diverse was President Lambert’s #1 strategic initiative, and clearly, diversity is needed at Elon, and badly, if students are posting such hateful and ignorant messages. I hope they find the students who did this and encourage them to undergo some diversity and sensitivity training. They need to know — and quickly — that the world and, indeed, their own country is changing, and the sooner they learn to live with and respect people of other races and ethnicities, the sooner they will deserve respect themselves.

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