Assault may not have been race-related

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The recent assault of a man on Main Street is raising questions about race relations on campus.

In a Central Michigan Life article Monday, witnesses said Jacob Showalter
was tackled to the ground by another man after Showalter allegedly uttered
a racial slur.

One man sat on top of Showalter, an 18-year-old Sanford resident, and
punched him in the face repeatedly, while another man kicked him in the ribs
before stomping on his face several times, she said.

“Clearly it’s puzzling because we’re not sure if it’s a race issue at
all,” said Sterling Johnson, political science associate professor. “I’d
be reluctant to convert this into a race-related incident before getting
all the facts.”

Showalter said he was just having a good time with friends when they entered
the Sigma Chi house near campus and does not remember saying any racial slurs.

Janet Showalter, his mother, was told the assailants opened her son’s
mouth, put it on the curb and stomped the back of his head five or six times.

Dean of Students Bruce Roscoe said he has not received any reaction from
students regarding race being a potential issue in the attacks.

“The only reactions I’ve had from students is about the violent behavior,” he said.

Students were upset that someone would do this to anyone and said they
don’t expect this type of violence in Mount Pleasant, Roscoe said. He said
the students reacted by saying, ‘We don’t want this to happen; it’s not who
we are.’

Roscoe said it might be too early to tell what students’ reactions will be to the possible race issues involved with the crime.

“Until more details are disclosed as to what prompted the incident and
what people’s roles were, we can’t tell what the reaction will be,” he said.

He said the issue of diversity and race relations still should be addressed.

“I hope this is an opportunity to affirm this isn’t who we are, that we value one another,” he said.

In his time at CMU, Johnson said he has never heard of a physical assault caused by race related issues.

“I’ve only been witness to verbal racial assaults,” he said.

Johnson said he might discuss the incident in his PSC 125: African-American Politics class.

“Some of the students may bring it up in class and we’ll have to deal with it,” he said. “This is always a topic for class.”

Johnson said the campus attitude towards race relations is “apathetic.”

Johnson said more changes are needed for campus race relations.

“The people with power to do that are not likely to do it. It’s beyond
their comfort level,” he said. “It may take more incidents to get a real
dialogue about race relations started on campus. That’s the tragedy of it.”

Maureen Eke, associate vice president for Institutional Diversity and International Education, said the assault was appalling.

“Do we have to wait until somebody dies or gets hurt before we have a conversation about diversity or race relations?” she said.

She said she hopes the incident can be used to start conversation not only on campus, but also in Mount Pleasant.

“We do need to address race relations and other diversity issues, and
I mean diversity of all types,” she said. “I’m saddened that the community
is not proactive about that.”

Eke said there is a level of silence and a “deliberate ignoring of hurtful
issues” and it is everyone’s responsibility to address race relations.

“No community should let something like this happen,” Eke said. “I hope
this really creates an opportunity for people to start talking.”