Fordham's Reaction to Racism and Malcolm X

  America in 2020 and 2021 has been extremely racially charged. Not that it hasn’t in the past decade or so as well, but the call to action feels stronger than this generation may be used to due to extreme violence facing both Black Americans and AAPI. Fordham has come out with statements regarding killings of innocent minorities. 

    Some have argued that these statements are bland and only being put out from Fr. McShane because he feels he must. No action is happening behind these emails and Fordham’s stance on these racial injustices are weak.

 In his email to students after the Atlanta Massacre in March 2021, Fr. McShane writes,“Our thoughts and our hearts go out to all the families and friends directly affected by this terrible tragedy. More generally, we condemn the broader context of increasing violence against Asian Americans in which this crime took place.” This statement, while nice, is general and does not take a strong stance against racism and never acknowledges hate crimes that have happened across Fordham’s campuses. 

Fordham students upset regarding this seemingly dull response to racism in America reflects the teachings of Malcolm X that we read earlier this semester. Malcolm X is often referred to as “the violent social justice leader” whereas Martin Luther King Jr. is the “peaceful social justice leader.” It is clear which one America favors. In American public schools, there is a clear difference of teachings of the lives of the two social justice warriors. We praise Martin Luther King Jr (As we should, do not get me wrong) and we rarely are taught the life and work that Malcolm X did for the civil rights movement.

Personally, I did not learn about Malcolm X at all until college. Growing up and going to early schooling in Texas, I only heard the name Malcolm X tossed around but I didn’t know anything else about him. It was not until I took an American History class- taught by an African American professor- that I really learned about the life and philosophy of Malcolm X. Malcolm X is crucial to the Civil Rights Movement and to erase him from that movement would be a crime. 

Fordham’s reprecutionless words in the statement from Fr. McShane, I can only assume, would horrify Malcolm X. The lack of action and the lack of, for lack of a better word, gusto, is so opposed to the incredible leader's work. The ‘thoughts and prayers’ and peaceful protest of Martin Luther King Jr. have not gotten the world of racial injustice as far as minorities deserve. It is the ideology that Fordham displays in the email quoted above that sending thoughts and prayers is enough will keep America stagnant in the progress towards racial justice. 

Just today, Daunte Wright was murdered after being pulled over for having an air freshener hanging from his rear view mirror. The movement began by Malcolm X and the Black Panther Party is not finished. The Spring and Summer of 2020 we saw, and attended, rallies and protests that showed that action helps. Changes began to happen and Americans, specifically white Americans, must show up for others and fight the fight Malcolm X did not get to finish in his lifetime.