Online threats against blacks lead to arrest at Missouri campus

A white college student suspected of posting online threats to shoot black students and faculty at the University of Missouri was charged Wednesday with making a terrorist threat, adding to the racial tension at the heart of the protests that led two top administrators to resign earlier this week.

Hunter M. Park, a 19-year-old sophomore studying computer science at a sister campus in Rolla, was arrested shortly before 2 a.m. at a residence hall, authorities said. The school said no weapons were found. Boone County prosecutors announced the criminal charge later Wednesday and recommended that he be held without bond.

The author of the posts, which showed up Tuesday on the anonymous location-based messaging app YikYak and other social media, threatened to "shoot every black person I see." The posts followed the resignations on Monday of the University of Missouri system president and the chancellor of its flagship campus in Columbia.

Another threat said: "Some of you are alright. Don't go to campus tomorrow." The message seemed to echo one that appeared on the website 4chan — a forum where racist and misogynistic comments are common — ahead of the deadly campus shooting at an Oregon community college last month.

Read more: Online threats against blacks net arrest at Missouri campus

Missouri President Tim Wolfe had to go.

Today University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe resigned. He resigned due to the pressure coming at him from many groups over his handling of racial incidents on campus. Now many are whining that he should not have resigned as he didn't commit any of those alleged incidents. That may be true, but he did nothing to change the environment in which they occurred and continued to occur. There was no institutional control and if there had been any at all things would not have gotten to the point they did. As president he had a duty and an obligation to set the tone for what would be acceptable on campus. He failed at that.

Groups had been protesting for months about his lack of action and or lack of communication. It's clear from a discussion with a group of ten black members of Legion of Black Collegians about systematic racism that their issues were not taken seriously at all by him.

Oh really @UMPrez this is what you think Systematic oppression is?!? @umcurators @CNN @Oprah pic.twitter.com/eSuOqPfT2b

— QianaJade (@Qiana_Jade) November 7, 2015

Even in his own statement on November 6, 20125 before the players threatened to boycott Wolfe admitted that there was racism on campus:

Racism does exist at our university and it is unacceptable. It is a long-standing, systemic problem which daily affects our family of students, faculty and staff. I am sorry this is the case. I truly want all members of our university community to feel included, valued and safe.

The question is why didn't he do ANYTHING about that long-standing racism? Wolfe's job is to set up an environment which is conducive for ALL students to learn. He failed to due that for black students affected by on campus racism and he failed the rest of the student body by allowing this to become a major distraction.

It should not have taken the threat of a boycott from football players from upcoming games for the racial situation on campus to be addressed. If Wolfe had shown just an ounce of empathy he would still be president today.

Now this story does not end with Wolfe's resignation and there is much hard work to be done on campus, but his resignation hopefully signals a new beginning. a new beginning that's not possible with Wolfe there.

Tim Wolfe had to go.

George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.com< EMAIL/p>

Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel backs striking players

The Mizzou Family stands as one. We are united. We are behind our players. #ConcernedStudent1950 GP pic.twitter.com/fMHbPPTTKl

— Coach Gary Pinkel (@GaryPinkel) November 8, 2015

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon statement on Missouri players boycotting games

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has released a statement on Missouri players boycotting games and practice. Read that statement below.

"Racism and intolerance have no place at the University of Missouri or anywhere in our state," he said. "Our colleges and universities must be havens of trust and understanding. These concerns must be addressed to ensure the University of Missouri is a place where all students can pursue their dreams in an environment of respect, tolerance and inclusion."

Black Missouri football players to boycott until president Tim Wolfe resigns

This is a great story. All too often we accuse our black athletes of being selfish and not being socially conscious . These young men are doing the right thing and taking a stand against racism on their campus. This is not an symbolic gesture either, while some may go the NFL many others will not so some are legitimate risking their education and their spot on the team. I am so proud of these young men right now. George Cook AfricanAmericanReports.com.

More than 30 football players at the University of Missouri will not participate in any practices or games until Missouri System president Tim Wolfe resigns or is terminated. Several black team members announced their decision to strike on social media Saturday night and Missouri's Legion of Black Collegians posted a statement on behalf of the team with a picture of players unified in support of the boycott.

Wolfe's response to a series of racist incidents has been considered inadequate by many students who believe racism has poisoned the campus. A graduate student, Jonathan Butler, announced earlier in the week he was going on a hunger strike until Wolfe was removed. The most recent racist incident came Oct. 24 when a swastika was drawn with human feces on a college dorm's white wall.

Missouri's athletic department issued a statement saying it's "aware of the declarations made tonight by many of our student-athletes. We all must come together with leaders from across our campus to tackle these challenging issues and we support our student-athletes right to do so."

Read more: Missouri football players to boycott until president Tim Wolfe resigns