Students in blackface win BUSU costume contest
Professors at Brock University are accusing students of “racist” behaviour after the group wore blackface to the Brock University Student Union (BUSU) costume contest on Halloween.
The students, who won a $500 cash prize based on applause from the audience, dressed as the Jamaican bobsled team. BUSU president Ronald Erman told the CBC that he does not believe the winners had malicious intent.
“Regardless of the intent or motivation of the students in question, donning blackface for Halloween is never OK,” said Larry Savage, director of the Centre for Labour Studies on campus. “It is racist, full stop.”
The BUSU has said it’s taking steps to ensure such incidents don’t happen again, including an expansion of workplace safety and harassment training and more checkpoints for future costume contests. The students will not be disciplined for their actions, however.
“The university is satisfied that this incident was a result of a lack of awareness, not a lack of sensitivity, and that the participants had no intention of being inflammatory or racially offensive,” said Kevin Cavanagh, Brock University spokesman.
“We can’t go back and change that competition,” concluded Erman. “But we can try to put building blocks in place to ensure for greater oversight.”
US troops sent to Anbar
America has sent 50 troops to Iraq’s troubled Anbar province to aid in the fight against Islamic State (IS). This deployment marks the first time US troops have been present in Anbar since the airstrikes began in August.
In early November, President Obama said that he would be sending approximately 1,500 soldiers into the province as advisors. This decision came at the request of the Iraqi government. The troops are to be stationed at the largest air base in Anbar, Ain al-Asad.
The president maintains that the American troops will not be a combative presence.
The province has presented significant resistance for America since 2003. Anbar is now largely under control of IS jihadists and was, at one point, a base for al-Quaeda in Iraq.
– Compiled by Alyssa Ottema