- Report: #632947
Complaint Review: Grand Valley State University - Allendale Michigan
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Grand Valley State University
1 campus drive Allendale, 49401 Michigan, United States of America
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Grand Valley State University Conservatie and Prejuidced culture: Allendale, Michigan
At a very minimum the surrounding community can be called conservative, perhaps utilitarian. There is a suburban culture that believes they are greater than the city and much more advanced than communities like Detroit. Some believe it is important to do good for all and keep their popululs clean. To some minoirities, that ideology will transfer to discrimination, and if you have an attribute that would bring stigma back in a year like 1950, I would reconsider and go to a university that better respects diversity.
I attended the university for a year or so. I did well at the school, and I openly disclosed what made me different with an amount of pride. Then I started getting "polite" conversations from staff who warned me that my difference cannot be tolerated. Some explained some stigmatic concerns and said that the idea won't change. Another pulled me aside off of campus and explained a collective opinion that I was seen as a danger by the community. Some other professors mentioned some strong beliefs about what made me different, and while they were wayyy off, they affirmed that I would never graduate and they were only trying to help. They were all "friendly" messages until someone I still don't know approached me off campus and was a little more aggressive. I was punched in the stomach, and more aggressively asked to leave the school; all because I was different.
The surrounding commmunity is like a step back in time and it is not yet ready to respect diversity. Some believe they are doing good for all when they ensure that certain people are to be expelled from the academic community. If you can get through without any labels or stigma, you will do fine. However, if there is something that can be identified as "wrong with you" and you can't quite hide it, it might become a problem just because the community is immature.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Ramjet
Somewhere,Michigan,
U.S.A.
Not far off
#2Consumer Comment
Fri, September 03, 2010
Actually the area the OP is describing is pretty accurately described.
I live about 60 miles away and am familiar with the Grand Rapids area. Certainly not everyone in the area is this bad but it's not hard to believe.
I know a family that transferred to the area due to a job transfer and when it was found out they were not Dutch Reformed, they were ostracized to the point that the wife was in tears everyday when her husband came home and they ended up having to move to a different area of the country.
I certainly would not live in the Grand Rapids area under any circumstances.
Keith
grand rapids,Michigan,
U.S.A.
Anna, your response makes me think you work there
#3Author of original report
Thu, September 02, 2010
Anna, I could care less what you think. This message is more for the person who bears a questionable status and might run into the same problem. No vengance, just a warning for someone who might share a similar circumstance to avoid disclosure.
How do I know I wasn't getting mugged? Usually someone taking such an action would be interested in something from me rather than demonstrating a strong interest in message delivery. He didn't take anything. Rather, he delivered enough information to let me know where the message was coming from and what was expected of me. Prior to the event, the expectation to leave also came from some more polite sources in 'friendly' personal conversations. When it got aggressive, he made sure to disclose the connection.
My expereince had demonstrated a lesson called toooooo much information. I disclosed information with the expectation that newer federal laws would respect diversity and protect me. However, I learned a hard lesson that federal laws are seperate from mezzo norms and cultural mores. In some outdated communities, many will still fight to protect what is considered "clean." Someone stereotyped my circumstance, jumped to a false conclusion and decided that I was the dirt of the community. When I didn't listen to the personal warnings to leave, someone did a favor for someone else and delivered a stronger message with a signature that made the connection.
You go do your best to blame me. If you have never experienced an applied minority status, you may never see this part of our culture. Some communities are not yet ready for diversity and without exposure to a questionable status you just wont see it.
Anna
Brandon,Florida,
USA
This is all rather shady....
#4Consumer Comment
Thu, August 19, 2010
You don't give the reader any idea what was so "wrong" with you that the community couldn't deal with it. The way it's written sounds terribly paranoid and hard to confirm with solid evidence. Vague, shadowy threats along such an overdone plot line are the hallmark of someone who needs to get out more. I love the strangers approaching you off campus, nice touch - how the hell did they know who you were and why you were different, if you claim you didn't know them?
And why do you know that you weren't just getting mugged?
And what's up with judging them as an entire community? Doesn't that make you as bad as they are?
