Does blackface worn by Montreal students warrant a human rights complaint?

Update Sept 21: Anthony Morgan, the McGill law student who filmed the students in blackface is filing a complaint with the Quebec Human Rights Commission.

The school, Hautes Études Commerciales, has formally apologized, and acknowledged the incident demonstrated ignorance.

Originally posted Sept. 16:

Students at the University of Montreal's business school dressed up as Jamaican sprinters, with black paint covering their skin, for a frosh week event Wednesday.

Several students painted their faces black and dressed up as Jamaican sprinters for a frosh week event. (YouTube)One witness, who is of Jamaican descent, said he felt uncomfortable and was shocked to hear some students chanting, "Smoke more weed."

"They had reduced all of who I am and the history of Jamaica and culture of Jamaica to these negative connotations of weed smoking, black skin, rastas," said McGill law student Anthony Morgan, who happened to be on the campus at the time and filmed the group.

"In this instance, it was meant to be ridiculed and seen as something that was fun and acceptable," he said.

Morgan says he is considering filing a human rights complaint.

The comments on the story were divided on whether the students' actions warrant such a complaint.

"I want to preface this with the fact that I am Jamaican. I did not see anything wrong with what the kids were doing," said Simon Shaw.

"The world's fastest man and just about every other fastest man in the world for the past 25 years has been from Jamaica. If you want to be a winner you should dress the part," said Shaw.

"Regardless of the intent someone there should have been aware of the offensive history associated with blackface," said ozexpat.

"History lesson: White people wore blackface to demean people of African descent and make them appear less than human. There is a racist history to this form of makeup. Perhaps these university kids didn't have bad intentions, but they really should have known better. This event presumably was planned for weeks. Didn't ANYONE think this might have been offensive and racist?" wrote Justice Canada.

"In poor taste? No question. But a human rights complaint isn't the way to go - these immature young adults are entitled to their freedom of expression, no matter how distasteful thinking people may find it," said DavidJorgensen.

Do you think the students' actions warrant a human rights complaint? Let us know in the comments below.



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