Florida State University student Amanda “Mandy” Thurston drew criticism last week for racist remarks, which she blamed on hackers hijacking her social media account.
“Welcome to FAMU…I mean FSU,” read the post, followed by three emojis crying laughing and the hashtag #monkeyseverywhere.
We, at The Famuan, appreciate the important conversations that have ignited after Florida State University student Amanda “Mandy” Thurston’s racially-charged Vine post. This incident gives us an opportunity to remind the Tallahassee community and the world that racism still exists in America. Even though Thurston claims that her social media accounts were hacked, we still forgive her for this insensitive act.
We are skeptical of her claim, however, but will let the results of the investigation determine whether that is true and not concern ourselves with her punishment. It is not solely her words we want to condemn. It’s the bigoted and prejudiced mindset we seek to eradicate.
We acknowledge that others may agree with her, but we understand that this isolated incident is not an adequate representation of anyone but her.
No matter how alarming, we do not believe this issue should divide our schools, as there is indirect tension between the different student bodies. We acknowledge that racism and prejudice exist from various racial communities, but we hope to encourage unity and civility among scholars attending both FAMU and FSU.
Let this incident be a firm reminder that we do not yet live in a post-racial society, and there is still a lot of work to be done, especially among those who profess to be educated.