In yesterday’s issue of The BG News we saw the first response to a very heated issue of dress codes in Bowling Green clubs. I am the President of the Black Student Union, and we have debated taking on this issue for quite some time. While it does not quite fit into our political agenda and goals for this semester, I feel that this issue warrants our attention. Mr. Dubois makes a good point in saying that specifically targeting the brand name FUBU targets African Americans. The founders of the clothing line and its target market are African Americans. Ignorance, not safety, is the reason for the measures some establishments have taken to keep certain people out. Think for a moment. Did any of you ever really think that in the 80s those shoes with the basketball on the front would really make you jump higher if you pumped them? Then what person, whether it be a racist or discriminatory business, would condemn a certain brand name because he/she thinks it would cause fights? I’ll even consider another hypothetical situation. If I walk up to the door with a professional suit on (yes, FUBU makes suits) that has FUBU across the lapel, will I be turned away while someone with an Abercrombie ‘ Fitch T-shirt gets in?
The dress codes wreak of discrimination and something will be done. BSU has a lot on its political agenda already; to have to deal with this nonsense is ridiculous.
Vontoba Terry
STUDENT
