The Cornell Sun reported that an email sent to the Cornell Law School student listserv on Monday by the Cornell Black Law Student Association (BLSA) contained an “offensive image.”
The image in question was a “meme captioned ‘ABBA REE I CAN FRYYY’ accompanied a photo of an Asian man singing,” according to the Sun. A quick Google search returned the image at the top of this article. The email was advertising an “unspecified student-sponsored event.”
The Sun reported:
Shortly after the incident, the BLSA issued an apology to the law school community.
“On behalf of BLSA, we would like to formally apologize for an offensive image included in an earlier advertisement of a BLSA-sponsored event,” the statement reads. “BLSA was created — and strives to be — a diverse network of students committed to fostering an inclusive environment within the law school community.”
In response to the apology, the Cornell Asian Pacific American Law Student Association sent an email to the law school listserv.
“On behalf of APALSA, I would like to thank BLSA for sending out the e-mail,” the APALSA statement reads. “While the meme was not used out of malice, and people may have varying opinions on the image, it encompasses certain stereotypes that could be found offensive to members of our law school community.”
The law school’s Dean, Eduardo Peñalver ’94, announced both BLSA and APALSA will co-host an event on “unconscious bias” and that the Office of the Dean of Students and the Dean’s Office will be involved.
While there are not yet any reports of planned protests, The Cornell Review will keep on top of all developments as this major controversy unfolds.
Will there be fried chicken and watermelon served at the event?