I never thought I’d see the day when Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes and the equally upstanding Milo Yiannopoulos would spew obscenities across a Russell House ballroom. The “Roast of Cumala Harris” was put on by USC’s chapter of Uncensored America, which prides itself on Garnet Gate as follows: “Of course, we want to bring back open, thought provoking, and honest conversations. But we also want to bring back fun.” Now, I love a good honest conversation. The word “honest” came up a lot throughout the entire event. But when club founder Sean Semanko introduces speaker Anthony Cumia, a self-proclaimed “shock jock,” as a protester he invited to come share an even-handed opinion with the audience, I’m left scratching my head as to whether Uncensored America cares about honesty at all. What a terrible day to have media literacy skills.
The Carolinian Creed is this: “I will practice personal and academic integrity; I will respect the dignity of all persons; I will respect the rights and property of others; I will discourage bigotry, while striving to learn from differences in people, ideas and opinions; I will demonstrate concern for others, their feelings, and their need for the conditions which support their work and development.” I’m no genius, but if I rub two brain cells together, I’m fairly certain this event directly undermines the very basic principles of being a good person that this university claims to uphold. I hardly see the point in having a creed if any puffed-up student can put on an event that proudly ridiculed basically every minority group on this campus, as well as women. Go Cocks!
What I witnessed as a spectator was not a roast of Kamala Harris but rather a display of the most puerile behavior targeted heavily at university personnel. If I had a dollar for every time a speaker insulted a student in the audience, I could pay my tuition. But hey, what do I know? I’m just a “total lefty,” or so I was called for being present in the press area of the event. So much for good discourse and open dialogue.
My heart goes out to all of my beloved professors who found themselves the subject of ridicule during this event. On that stage, you may have been the enemy, but to me, you are heroes.
“You are a homophobic piece of sh*t!” To a student who refused to make out with another student for fifty dollars.
“Ladies, if you wanna make it in this world, I would suck your boss’s d*ck. It works. It’s lucrative.” And then proceeded to act out how to do so.
“She’s got one of those Rihanna five-heads. What a shame.” About a public health professor.
“Let’s not resort to name-calling.” While standing beside a giant sign saying “Cumala Harris.” The irony is eating me alive.
“I’m not saying he touches kids. I’m just saying he looks like he touches kids and he has friends who touch kids.” About a philosophy professor.
Called a Russian professor a “f*cking c*nt.”
“The ‘risk’ is you’ll get raped.” Playing on the name of a history professor.
“Historically the United States has produced second-rate civil rights leaders at best. I think I’m probably one of the only two civil rights leaders in American history.”
"I gave up the n-word. I'm not giving up r*tard and f*g."
Photos from Uncensored America Roast and protest
