Marshall Barnes Backhands Academic's Complaint of Racism On "The Conversation"

YELLOW SPRINGS, Ohio - Aug. 25, 2015 - PRLog -- Marshall Barnes, the internationally noted research and development engineer, has responded to a posting by Cherise Smith at TheConversation.com describing an alleged case of racism in academic circles by slamming Dr. Smith. The email response that he sent was not posted on the site and so Marshall decided to issue a statement in regards to the post by Dr. Smith, titled, Reflections of a black female scholar: I know what it's like to be invisible.

To Whom It May Concern:

I read the "As a black female academic, I know what it’s like to have people look right through you" article by Cherise Smith  and felt I had to respond. This is a perfect example of someone blaming their own personal failings on racism just because it's easier and politically correct. I rest my case on this quaint revelation -

"I approached the podium of the lecture hall at the university at which I am a tenured professor. It was the first day of class and the instructor of the previous course was still around, talking informally with her students. Looking around the podium, I noticed that the classroom was not equipped with a computer.

I asked my colleague, whom I did not know, if there was a computer hidden in the cabinet. She proceeded to instruct me: “faculty are provided computers, they bring their computers, and use a dongle to project on the screen.'" (see https://theconversation.com/reflections-of-a-black-female... )

So Cherise approaches an instructor, that has no idea who she is, and asks her in third person if there is a computer "hidden" in the cabinet. Who the hell introduces themselves like that? There are plenty of times when I have had to ask a person where the A/V set-up is or what it consists of. Every time, I introduce myself, not only by name but that I am the designated next speaker, so whomever I'm talking to understands not only who I am but that I am entitled not only to access the the equipment but that I'm entitled to whatever assistance that they may afford me. Besides, if she's the tenured professor, why doesn't she know the computer arrangement already? It is clear that Cherise has self-esteem issues, a fact that is confirmed in her next statement -

"Her words told me she didn’t recognize me as faculty; she did not see me as professor.

So, I responded: “This faculty was provided a computer which she has brought. This faculty has not taught in a classroom that is not equipped with a computer before today.”

Without missing a beat, she said, “When the professor arrives, she’ll have the right set up. Are you the teaching assistant?” “I’m the professor,” I told her emphatically. She gave me a confused and befuddled look, before saying 'Oh."'

So Cherise still can't assert herself as an individual. Oh, no, she's a "faculty", not "Professor Cherise Smith". So of course, the woman has to ask who Cherise is since Cherise is incapable of providing that information on her own. Now, we're supposed to blame all of this on racism when it is clear, by Cherise's own account, that this is a blatant example of someone who must hide behind group identities - whether its faculty or black, female academic, because she can't assert herself as her own identity.

Even Cherise's own husband could see this obvious fact -

“Sweetie, you referred to yourself in the third person rather than in the first person,” he reasoned. “You confused her. Besides,” he continued, “you look young. Maybe you should take it as a compliment,” he suggested.
But of course her husband's opinion was swept aside because of his "Anglo-Saxon background". Never mind that it made perfect sense.

If most black academics assert themselves with the skill and depth as Cherise did, no wonder they're "almost invisible". But  most of the black academics I know, or even professionals, don't behave like this. So, this account is dubious on more levels than one.

Pathetic. Truly pitiful.

- Marshall Barnes, R&D Eng
http://lanyrd.com/profile/paranovation/bio/

"When I saw the article I just felt it was one of the most asinine and intellectually stupid things I had read in recent memory", Marshall stated. "It's stupid she would behave in that fashion and then blame the confused response she received on racism. Sometimes you need to state some common sense to people who aren't used to getting an honest reality check, ever. At least her husband tried - but he was ignored because he's white. Wow".

Marshall doesn't deny that racism can happen in academia but there was nothing that Dr. Cherise Smith described in her own account that he deemed as racist.

"This kind of nonsense just cheapens and dilutes real charges of racism because it's the same as the boy who cried wolf".

Marshall rarely gets involved in controversies involving racism although he is exposing the facts behind a racist cartoon created at the behest of Stephen Hawking that was officially defended the legal department of Cal Tech with a statement that he claims is "pure malarky". The full account of the incident will be in his book on Stephen Hawking, Space Warps and Time Tunnels: The Infamous Legacy of One Stephen W. Hawking, which is available at Blurb.com - http://www.blurb.com/b/6300206-space-warps-and-time-tunnels-the-infamous-legacy-o .