As most people are probably aware of by now, every fall semester we have one of the most offensive displays imaginable on campus: Shack-a-thon.
During Shack-a-thon, a group of students builds cardboard shacks, and play homeless dress-up for the afternoon to raise money for Habitat for Humanity.
Inevitably, the poverty satirists put on an excellent display. This year I got to see cardboard signs with various messages soliciting donations scrawled across them, just like real beggars. I also got to see someone wrap a brown sack around whatever he was drinking, pretending to be one of those comically drunk, poor people.
As pathetic as Shack-a-thon is, a new group has challenged it this year for the most offensive display on campus. The student group STAND put on a Campout to Stampout Genocide.
Taking a page from the veterans of outrageous displays, the campout featured cardboard shacks being built on the South Oval, but — here is the twist — this time playing refugee dress-up. The cardboard community they built was apparently meant to create a mock refugee camp.
Although these people certainly did a good job mocking refugee camps, I was not impressed by the accuracy of the display. Absent were the mass rapes I am so accustomed to reading about in the reports about refugee camps. Also absent were poor people, hungry people, people in tatters and other great refugee tropes.
There was one bit of authenticity retained though: the participants in the campout appeared equally as lost and stripped of purpose as refugees I have seen in pictures.
In addition to running up the score on the Shack-a-thon in offensiveness points, the campout hung half a hundred on them in the category of pointlessness. The national organization STAND, with which the campus group is affiliated, oddly boasts on its website that it has been going strong for 25 years.
Although I do not know how long it typically takes to stamp out genocide, my impatient nature makes me think at the quarter century mark, things might not be working out. What exactly does STAND do with the money it solicits in these events for genocide prevention?
Among other things, it hosts a national conference where it presumably points out genocide is bad and should be stopped. STAND also boasts that donations help to fund its 1-800-GENOCIDE hotline — which I am sure does a lot of good.
So, hats off to the campers. Although I sometimes like to think I am always right, I can safely say I was wrong about some of the things I said about Shack-a-thon. Shack-a-thon is no longer the most offensive thing that happens on campus every year, as I erroneously claimed. With this annual tradition starting this year, the campout has eclipsed it.
Regrettably, I will not be here next year when Shack-a-thon hopefully wages an offensiveness comeback. The STAND campers have certainly raised the bar for Shack-a-thon, and the organizers will have their work cut out for them if they want to even the score.
— Matt Bruenig, philosophy senior
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commentah 1 year, 1 month ago
word up.
boomer3 1 year, 1 month ago
Bruenig for Prez!!!
bear 1 year, 1 month ago
Wow, do you get a kick out of being incredibly pompous? You write that people's offensive displays undermine their purpose, but are so arrogant you fail to see that your article does the exact same thing. You would probably call it a writing technique, but I call it hypocrisy. As far as I can tell, you have neither been homeless nor in a refugee camp. As it is obvious that you didn't bother to talk to someone who actually was (tasteless journalism by the way), I think it is safe to assume you know nothing. They may have poor representations based on offensive stereotypes, and it may be offensive to those that actually know what it is like, but, as far as I am concerned, you're just a privileged white man who feels he has the authority to tell others what is and is not just based on limited and faulty knowledge.
Tank 1 year, 1 month ago
It must make you feel superior to berate college students who are attempting to make a difference with their lives. I agree that some of these displays can be offensive, but to use hyperbole to make your point is outrageous. I also agree that these types of fundraisers/organizations rarely make any difference at all, but these students should be applauded for their intentions and redirected in their practices.
I'm sorry that STAND has not stopped genocide in the world. The only regret is that all the money they have raised was not given to you so that this problem would be solved by now.
ruckus 1 year, 1 month ago
I'm quite depressed that people just can't seem to understand that "simulating" poverty, genocide, etc. is incredibly offensive + does very little to alleviate suffering.
braceyourself 1 year, 1 month ago
"Although these people certainly did a good job mocking refugee camps, I was not impressed by the accuracy of the display. Absent were the mass rapes I am so accustomed to reading about in the reports about refugee camps. Also absent were poor people, hungry people, people in tatters and other great refugee tropes."
'Cause mock rapes wouldn't be offensive or anything...
bruenig 1 year, 1 month ago
My bad on not interviewing refugees for this.
kaylee 1 year, 1 month ago
Seconded! heart #superfan
frat_daddy69 1 year, 1 month ago
Butthurt GDI strikes again! Your column basically said that GDIs are better at being poor than greeks. It sounds like you do have big plans for next year as a philosophy major, I like my hamburgers with cheese and extra onions FYI. I'm still going to get you with that ice too.
hmmmm 1 year, 1 month ago
I disagree wholeheartedly that Shack-a-thon is offensive. I participated in a similar event during a rainy and snowy night in another part of the country, and we raised thousands of dollars to put toward building an entirely youth-built, youth-funded house. In the end, we both raised awareness about the prevalence of homelessness in a seemingly affluent area and raised money to build a real home for an impoverished family. We did not intend to act homeless for the sake of the entertainment of passersby, but to create a visual reminder that homelessness is a real problem.
It does no good to belittle the efforts of students on campus who want to make a difference in their world. It seems to me that their mission was accomplished: they raised awareness of a problem. I know you think yourself far superior to the hosts of these sorts of events, but you are simply belittling real efforts by people not to simulate homelessness but to raise awareness. Not all people are going to take the initiative by themselves to read a newspaper and become informed on these sorts of issues, so these groups are helping further their cause by encouraging them to do so.
I do not think the goal of these groups is to act out the life of a homeless person or a victim of genocide, but to make a public display that raises the community's awareness of a societal ill and to solicit donations. If the way in which they advocate their causes offends you, then why don't you further it yourself by writing an article about the effects of homelessness on children? I guarantee you fewer people will read the article than will see the display on the South Oval while walking to class.
(I did not attend Shack-a-thon and am not affiliated with it, I just hate to see their group belittled while trying to make real change in their community.)
Chaco 1 year, 1 month ago
This is a public display to raise awareness. I’m sorry that you are offended by this, but do you honestly know much about the group and what they do? Have you discussed this matter with them or do you back lash at them for the fun of it? People get offended way too easily these days and despite that some participants in this event don’t understand genocide prevention clearly, hopefully it got some attention for students too look up what genocide is and where it is occurring. In today’s society it is hard to get people to understand the severity of the issues we face today, that is why creativity is essential. It may not be the best way nor the most educational way, but awareness is brought up about the issue and hopefully someone will be come interested enough to gain the courage to make a difference in the world in which we live. We have to overcome Bieber and Jersey Shore somehow with more important issues. There is no straight solution to these issues or ways to make people aware of an issue enough to help make a difference. There are just to many distractions and I hope that STAND continues to bring awareness about this issue to OU.
sandra 1 year, 1 month ago
The invite on facebook said that they were intending on making a "mock refugee camp." So, yeah, simulating poverty.
Charitable acts should not be left unexamined. Some of the most disgusting acts of cruelty have happened in the name of "charity." (Colonialism, anyone?) Good intentions are all well and fine, I guess, except the road to hell is paved with them. Perhaps instead of setting for intending to do good, we should go the distance and actually, I dunno, do good? Crazy thought.
On a side note, I think its really funny whenever people say Bruenig will be flipping burgers or a janitor next year because: A) Duh, that's hella classist B) "You speak out about mocking poverty? Ha! You're gonna be POOR as punishment!" C) he's going to law school.
Anyway, sounds like some anxiety projection to me.
ConcernedReader 1 year, 1 month ago
frat_daddy69 aren't you a sig ep? how embarrassing.
although i realize bruenig presents rather radical opinions (that often rub people the wrong way), he's a genius and you have to give him credit for that. he's picking between some of the top law schools. while he does spend much of his time undermining others' efforts, he does this with purpose. i'm sure he supports charity to refugee camps and homeless people. but he's right. i'm a greek student and have participated in shack-a-thon. but if i had been homeless and saw students fundraising in this manner, i probably wouldn't be offended but i'd have a serious case of second hand embarrassment.
surely there's a different way to demonstrate, raise awareness, and funds.
guy24601 1 year, 1 month ago
I think that Bruenig might have a point but, my issue is that all this article is a rag that tells people how wrong they are in trying to do good with these over the top displays. I would just like the author to give some suggestions about what he feels students could do instead of these embarrasing displays, and what he himself would do. I dont think students will accept just doing nothing as aposed to embarrasing displays.
melody 1 year, 1 month ago
"The national organization STAND, with which the campus group is affiliated, oddly boasts on its website that it has been going strong for 25 years."
Actually, the website (www.standnow.org) says is that the Genocide Convention was ratified 25 years ago. This was a major step for the human rights world. Although there are still a lot of changes that need to be made, it is worth celebrating that victory and seeing where to go next in preventing genocide. STAND is only 7 years old.
Also, this is not the first year of the "Campout to Stampout Genocide". It's the 5th year. Instead of providing incorrect and misleading facts, please do your research and talk to those involved. Basing your opinions on the real facts not only makes them valid, but it also makes you look like a better journalist.
I actually asked my refugee friends (from Sudan, Burma, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda) if anything done at Campout was offensive. They were all overjoyed that people got the chance to learn about the conflicts, and several actually choked up that people gave time and money for that to happen. So, I'm still not seeing the offensive things you're reporting. I'd love for someone to explain it to me, but so far I've gotten nothing.