Alexandra Wallace: the three minute mistake that wasn’t related to sex….(I know, odd right?)
Several weeks ago, UCLA poli sci student Alexandra Wallace created a youtube video voicing her opinions on Asians in the library. The video, which very obviously crossed the line into racism went viral and in days, Wallace had created a mistake that she couldn’t undo.
After the incident, Wallace took responsibility for her actions and released the following statement to the UCLA student newspaper, The Daily Bruin
Clearly the original video posted by me was inappropriate. I cannot explain what possessed me to approach the subject as I did, and if I could undo it, I would. I’d like to offer my apology to the entire UCLA campus. For those who cannot find it within them to accept my apology, I understand.
In the days following, the UCLA administration conducted an investigation concluding that imposing academic consequences was outside of their scope
As a public university, UCLA protects free expression. While I and most on campus were appalled by the sentiments expressed in a recent YouTube video, we have uncovered no facts that lead us to believe that the Student Code of Conduct was violated. We have no intention of pursuing a disciplinary matter. Statement by Janina Montero, vice chancellor for student affairs
However, this investigation was not the only fallout from the video. Reactions reached the point of death threats (because fighting racism with violence is always the best answer [yes, that was sarcasm]) and Wallace’s interactions with the University quickly turned from investigation to protection. In fact, Wallace has decided to no longer attend UCLA as noted in a letter she wrote to The Daily Bruin
In an attempt to produce a humorous YouTube video, I have offended the UCLA community and the entire Asian culture. I am truly sorry for the hurtful words I said and the pain it caused to anyone who watched the video. Especially in the wake of the ongoing disaster in Japan, I would do anything to take back my insensitive words. I could write apology letters all day and night, but I know they wouldn’t erase the video from your memory, nor would they act to reverse my inappropriate action.
I made a mistake. My mistake, however, has lead to the harassment of my family, the publishing of my personal information, death threats, and being ostracized from an entire community. Accordingly, for personal safety reasons, I have chosen to no longer attend classes at UCLA.
One might question where Wallace will find solace in a world with no borders.
The Huffington Post has written a critical piece asking if the reaction to Wallace’s video was inappropriate. In their article, they pinpoint the most offensive part of the video as Wallace’s rendition of Asian languages, “In the most offensive part of the video, Wallace used a mock Asian accent and ethnic slur to portray her version of what Asian students said on their cellphones in the UCLA library: ‘Ohhh. Ching chong ling long ting tong.’” (This author argues that there were quite a few other remarks that were much more inappropriate…)
Further, the Post argues (emphasis mine)
We do have to remember that she is a college student. There’s perhaps no other population that is as prone to saying or doing inappropriate or embarrassing things as college students. Yet, at the same time, college students probably have one of the greatest opportunities for personal growth, learning, and expanding their horizons. And colleges have a responsibility to educate their students, no matter how foolish at times they may be. It would be a pity if an institution as great as UCLA could not figure out a way to reach out to Alexandra Wallace and its entire student body, in order to make this unfortunate incident, to borrow President Obama’s apt phrase, a teachable moment.
Anyone see anything wrong with that picture? Stereotyping, anyone?
Our forefathers were blessed with their slow presses – books and newspapers- they had time to sit on their thoughts. The evolving social media has allowed anybody to share any thought, well thought through or rash and then to have that thought shared across the world in seconds This leaves our generation with the question of how to fix rash mistakes; to hide, to apologize or to stand up and say, “yeah, that’s what I think. What of it?” Perhaps what’s most disturbing though is that in a world that has come so far, our reactions to such insensitivity are sophomoric – for a wise response would be to realize that words are stronger and more effective than violence.
An earlier version of this post contained the word “solstice” where it should have been “solace,” The Commentator regrets this egregious error…To report any other incredibly important copy errs’ please contact whogivesashit@hatersgonnahate.com
“for a wise response would be to realize that words are stronger and more effective than violence.”
there is a wide range of responses – not just people who are the most notorious.
why ignore the positive ones? i guess they don’t make for good reading.
http://tonyp4joke.blogspot.com/2011/03/blonde-chinese-in-ucla.html
Incoming Charlie Brooker http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/28/charlie-brooker-rebecca-black-friday
Our generation is not the first generation to do or say stupid things we are just the first generation who post those stupid things on the internet for the world to see.
“our reactions to such insensitity is sophmoric” – sounds like you are casting judgement on those who were offended than the person making the remarks.
For you to generalize that all those who responded or were offended responded with threats of violence is just as ignorant as Alexandra’s comments. Perfection doesn’t exist in this world. There will always be a few bad eggs. Just like many of us know that we shouldn’t murder anybody, there will inevitably be murderers, but that doen’t make the entire human race violent.
Alexandra Wallace is my hero! Have any of you actually been to any of the libraries at UCLA? That was pretty funny. Gotta look at the entertainment value of her expression. Lighten up people!
Such sloppy journalism…the death threats are ALLEGED, not confirmed, as your own link to the Daily Bruin shows. My guess is the blonde bimbo made up the whole death threat thing in a weak attempt to get back at the asian community at UCLA.
“One might question where Wallace will find solstice in a world with no borders.”
Also, do you not know the difference between “solstice” and “solace”? eating too many of those magic mushies that Oregon is famous for, huh?
Just read your “mission” and found out you’re all a bunch of conservatives. Now I understand the root cause of the idiocy…
Just looked at a map and found out UCLA is in smoggy, shit-ridden Los Angeles. Now I understand the root cause of Grace’s bitterness.
@ Sammy- if you take the sentence as a whole, which you should- since it’s a sentence, it reads, “Perhaps what’s most disturbing though is that in a world that has come so far, our reactions to such insensitivity are sophomoric – for a wise response would be to realize that words are stronger and more effective than violence.” I am calling those who result to violence or threats of violence sophomoric.
@ CrabbyMcGracePantswhoisobviouslyfromUCLA- One need not look further then the responses on youtube to find threats of violence but if somehow that doesn’t work for you, just type in “Alexandra Wallace” into Google.
@ All of you silly people who think I was generalizing about violent responses- “Reactions reached the point of death threats,” just in case you still haven’t caught it, it says “reached the point of” see see? Yes. Good job.
Produce a youtube video that explicitly threatens her with death and I will drop it. Otherwise your whole piece is based on a WEAK foundation of hearsay and allegation, unsupported by facts.
Grace is right. The Daily Bruin article here specifically states:
http://www.dailybruin.com/index.php/article/2011/03/ucla_student039s_youtube_video_039asians_in_the_library039_prompts_death_threats_violent_responses_c
“UPDATED: UCPD cannot confirm or deny that any of the threats were death threats.”
sophomoric journalism on your part
Here I’ll hold your hand-
Here’s a sample of the responses on the youtube link above:
GO DIE , bitch .
leannemILYtran 3 days ago
ok im white and blonde like this bitch but still no need to be racist against asians that racist bitch needs to go fall off a cliff and die i doubt she even does her own homework. i mean come on she probably cares more about looks then brains.
stiger1998 4 days ago
i would rape u gurl dam u fiiiiiiine
publicastrations 6 days ago 3
Die Bitch…
TheBigBlueberry9876 1 week ago
And if you notice, quite a few of the responses have been removed….I wonder why?
Well, let’s see, there’s this video which may or may not be considered a threat;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAQhhfXqh1M&feature=email&email=comment_reply_received
There’s this facebook group; http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alexandra-Wallace-should-die/206991382647156#!/pages/Alexandra-Wallace-should-die/206991382647156?sk=info
Alas, we all need a laugh- so watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zulEMWj3sVA&feature=player_embedded
weak sauce. hurled insults at a dumb bimbo? yes. death threats, hardly.
let me hold YOUR hand – Again, the university police have NOT confirmed that the threats she received to be death threats.
You need to reconsider journalism and by extension, comprehension of English, as a vocation.
I almost thought this was the Huffington Post by some of the comments, so…
This thread needs more bro spew.
http://www.oregoncommentator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/bro-spew.jpg
Bains, I love you.
I think it’s wrong for someone to be threatened or harassed by anyone. Yeah, we all have a right to our own opinions. But she should have filed a complaint instead of posting a racist video.
Who the fuck are these Grace and LaBohica people and why are they arguing against logic?
I’m angry at the people who are angered because other people got angry at Alexandra Wallace. And I want to take this opportunity to say creative mean things to them because I have too much free time and not enough friends. I hurl bad words at you and wish you to be aware of my disdain for you and my superiority to you.
The average post-prime-time comic in this country often says things that make Alexandra Wallace sound like Shirley Temple. True enough that Wallace was insensitive and made herself look dumb. But “racist!!!?” Let’s do a little homework on that term and get real.
First of all, seeing the world through the prism race, or stating an opinion which expresses that, isn’t against the law. Nor should it be – not unless you disregard the most basic Constitutional freedom that extends to all of us.
Grace must be a fuckin asian
i make death threats on a daily basis and most of the time its NOTHING PERSONAL! get over yourselves. bitch deserves to die!
@Grace: You’re not going to find a youtube video that explicitly states a death threat against Wallace. Why? Because youtube videos are moderated, just like HuffPost comments (you sound like you write 90% of those comments, too, based on what you have already said.) The offensive ones are removed, just as Melissa had mentioned. And for the record … insulting someones grammar on an internet forum or their use of English written language is pathetic, and a last ditch attempt to try and assert superiority over someone. Perhaps if your head wasn’t so far up your ass, you could smell how shitty your argument is.
@AndyShep: That is like an internet meta-argument … so well said!
wow teaming up on 1 person. people are so pathetic here
Life’s more fun when everything’s a gangbang.
If students don’t stand up against political correctness, this kind of thing happens. Some uptight minority spokesperson makes a mountain out of a molehill, or plants a white hood in the library, or paints a swastika in the LQGTB center, and the administration, academics, local politicians and gullible students all protest about ‘racism’ or some other ‘ism’. The most extreme case was at Duke in 2006, when three men were persecuted by a mob, denounced by over eighty professors, the president, and the national media, for a rape which didn’t happen.
Yo brother Jay, tell it like it is! What is up with these orientals and all there complainin. So what if they smarter than us whites, have a better work ethic, spell better then we does, and the fact that all us be working for them someday, don’t give them any excuse to whine like they does.
Thankfully she got a job and is making 80 grand a year.