Columbia University Marching Band Dissolves After Accusing Itself of Racism and Sexism
“The Band has unanimously and enthusiastically decided to dissolve.”
The progressive mindset sometimes looks like a form of mental illness. There is going to come a point when a majority of Americans will not care if higher education completely collapses and it will be because of moments like this one.
The Blaze reports:
Columbia University Marching Band dissolves, confessing to being founded on racism and sexual harassment
The Columbia University Marching Band voted to dissolve itself over the weekend after more than a century of existence, citing a foundation of racism and sexual misconduct, according to the Columbia Spectator.
The band, which has had various conflicts with the university for years, was stripped of its university funding in 2019 after failing to register as a recognized student group. That registration was a condition for the group continuing to receive funding after violating university rules to hold a concert in the library in 2017.
In a statement provided to the Spectator, the band’s leadership said the decision to dissolve was the result of “anonymous postings and allegations of sexual misconduct, assault, theft, racism, and injury to individuals and the Columbia community as a whole,” which were discussed during a Sept. 12 town hall meeting.
In the statement, leadership expressed a belief that the organization was so structurally corrupt that it was beyond reform.
“The Band has unanimously and enthusiastically decided to dissolve. The Columbia University Marching Band will not continue to exist in any capacity and will no longer serve as a Columbia spirit group,” the statement says. “The Columbia University Marching Band apologizes for insult and injury victims have experienced as a result of actions perpetrated in its name. The Band has maintained a club structure founded on the basis of racism, cultural oppression, misogyny, and sexual harassment.
While substantial efforts have been made in recent years toward undoing decades of wrongdoing, we as a Band feel ultimately that it is impossible to reform an organization so grounded in prejudiced culture and traditions.”
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Comments
This is a perfect example of a “circular firing squad.”
This is just sad.
First question, are there any scholarships, student benefits, or paid instructors involved? Cancel scholarships and all student benefits (including lowered academic entrance eligibility) and fire the instructors.
After that, who cares?
The article says not only was there none of that, the band wasn’t even getting any university funding at all, since it had not registered as a student group.
This is a Monty Python skit…has to be…
“In the statement, leadership expressed a belief that the organization was so structurally corrupt that it was beyond reform.”
Doth the university project too much?
“The progressive mindset sometimes looks like a form of mental illness. ”
Sometimes?
They probably aren’t even aware of their own selfishness to take away someone else’s opportunity in the future to enjoy particpation in a not racist marching band.
They probably think this is the most virtuous virtue signaling that they have ever done and will ever do.
Given their history, I’m kind of waiting for the punch line. Hoping for one, at least.
If this was a normal university, I’d guess that there would almost immediately be students popping up to organize a new marching band. Today, at Columbia — who knows?
I am surprised that there was not a faculty band director. Is there no Music department at Columbia? Do they not offer music degrees? Are there no other music classes? Curiouser and curiouser.
I was in a college marching band 50 years ago and back then, some of the charges they self-levy were true about mine. But that was 50 years ago. Things have changed, I think. Or maybe Columbia is still stuck in the 1960s.
In fact, Marching Band was a 1 credit course that you registered for and got college credit for, just like Orchestra, music theory, etc.
Good riddance snowflakes!