Racist Comments on Social Media Attributed to American University Students

american-university-logoRacist comments were allegedly made by students at American University in Washington, D.C., on the social media app Yik Yak. The mobile app lets users upload anonymous posts that can be seen by other Yik Yak users within a 10-mile radius.

The posts, which allegedly were authored by American University students, included:

  • I really don’t like 99 percent of the Black people I meet.
  • Their entire culture just isn’t conducive to a life of success: The outfits. The attitudes. The behavior.
  • Tell your people to dress cleanly. No hootin and a hollerin in public.
  • At my work, EVERY single case of theft and fraud has been committed by a Black person.

Gail Short Hanson, vice president of campus life at American University, issued a statement that said in part: “It cannot be stated strongly enough that these posts stand in stark contrast to American University’s core values of respect for human dignity and appreciation for diverse cultures and viewpoints.”

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