This article is supremely confusing if you've never had a frat/sorority experience personally. Are the Greek houses not subject to the bylaws and requirements of the college itself? Why is racial profiling allowed in a college-affiliated group? Why on earth does an alum's opinion override the actual current…

People who voluntarily leave their own blood/vomit/excreta/other biological waste for others to clean up are the most disgusting people.

Given that she's pretty even-keeled throughout the rest of the letter, I have a feeling that the lamp is either A. a heirloom or B. part of a bedroom set that can't be bought on its own easily. But yeah, that really stood out.

For real — at a $40k asking price I'm certain that the landlord had some money tucked aside to cover incidental damages. She does seem particular about her things and about cleanliness, so she'd probably have had the place cleaned after a rental anyway. But a renter would expect to have the carpets steamed and to…

That pissed the former 20-something in me off something fierce. I had my fair share of drunken shenanigans too, but we somehow managed to completely ruining the fucking house.

I also wouldn't be surprised if her $40k asking price also included a fair cushion for cleaning, restoration, etc. after the rental to bring the place in line with the owner's preferences. A renter does expect some damage, but not blood-soaked mattresses and a houseful of broken shit.

I know, right? I lived in rentals (and had some pretty serious parties in them) all through my twenties and managed to clean up after myself like a freaking adult. I don't doubt that the landlord expected some clean-up, but no matter how young your renters are you don't expect a bedroom looking like a hooker got…

One thing that comes to mind is that if these are older men who came up in the '60s and '70s, then the afro and dreads may still be linked to Afrocentric countercultural movements in their minds. I totally agree with you that, especially for this demographic, social "legitimacy" involves rejecting anything that…

Oh, goodness - I'm at work and cannot watch the video. Is the school representative also a black woman?

I love how the only banned hairstyle that isn't explicitly linked to a black cultural tradition is — explicitly linked to a Native American cultural tradition. Cute. Why do we never hear about a school banning the Bieber Swoosh? The Rachel?

First, thank you for another thought-provoking and fantastically written piece!

Ugh, yes —ignoring generational wealth is a big favorite with that crowd. If my parents had the freedom and job opportunities to move to an area with good schools, let me live in their home indefinitely, had resources to shuffle me to and from part time jobs (or hell, buy me a car) then everyone's parents can do…

Haha, not that I know of — but I don't know so I wanted to limit my comment to American Libertarianism just in case. It would be hilarious if Reason magazine and Ayn Rand were inexplicable top sellers in Tuvalu or Liechtenstein or somewhere, though.

Exactly. American Libertarianism kind of relies on massive privilege-blindness. If you're "making it just fine on [your] own" you were either born on third base or are not as "on your own" as you think you are.

From one Red Stater surrounded by "blithering idiots" to another: thank you for doing what you do. The beautiful thing is that such obvious injustice really motivates people to take a stand on an issue that they may not have felt was important beforehand. I saw it happen in my hometown with Todd Akin's "legitimate…

It's so disgusting. Abusers understand that they can trust by letting their victim feel in control, grown up, "getting away with something," etc. Grooming behavior can absolutely leave a victim of abuse confused and thinking that they "want" the attention they're receiving. So... if you boil it down the judge…

I just laughed really hard at the mental image of Skeletor being like "Woah now, guys, don't lump me in with this dickbag!"

That's a good point. I can only imagine that Black Hispanics are hit with it from both sides. I think the stereotype of the barrio and cholo/chola as a uniquely Hispanic form of poverty is kind of recent to many Americans (although much less recent to California and the Southwest) but it's definitely its own thing.

Yeah, the erasure / invisibility of white urban poverty (and likewise, the erasure of black rural poverty) is a huge problem too and Hikki's right to point out that white urban poor folks exist, but it's definitely not Katie Baker who is responsible for "ghetto" becoming a code word for "black" in this discussion.

I was going to say — I had these on Sunday, at a luncheon. They're good!