Ah, yes. The perpetual cries of the chronically offended.

*Blackfacepalm*

Most importantly, I'm so sorry you never had a slumber party, Amy.

*Blackfacepalm*

THAT is just so perfect, Stephan!

And thanks -- but i've made it pay off in the long run. Didn't have friends growing up. Sucked then, bigtime, but I'm getting my next book out of that -- applied science explaining how to get over and get beyond that sort of thing, which I did. Working on it now.

It's so amazing how there's just this leap to assume it's racism. If you're wondering about whether it could be -- the stance of a person who doesn't have their hurt feelz set to auto -- you look at the attitude of the people. The peace sign the girl's giving. The calm stance. They don't appear to be mocking anything -- just looking sort of sad clown in their mud masks.

I'm amazed a 20-year-old would think she needs a facial.

You are spot on Amy. Anything posted that has the slightest bit of color to it must be racist. But then any thing that doesn't have color is also racist for omitting color.

By the way most people using the term don't have the slightest knowledge what the definition of racism is. What they really mean to say is everything they see is obvious bigotry.

I don't know why anyone would think that's blackface. I would expect blackface to look neat, because it's makeup. And at age 20, these girls are probably quite adept at putting on makeup. These are clearly mudpacks because it obviously doesn't go on evenly.

Amy: "sad clown"

Yes, I actually find the picture depressing, which is about as far away from hostile as one can imagine.

Your analysis of it is smart, too. Check out the screen; it's likely that the video is part of a guide that they used. Guides for facials (... the word doesn't stop distracting me) make sense; I'm not aware of any guide for racist face- and warpainting.

That being said, in normals times one would have found the dean's interpretation and reaction hilariously ridiculous. But now it's missing humor's element of novelty. This kind of behavior is way to common, not really strange/odd/funny anymore.

Nice to hear about your book. Consider it "antifragile" behavior. Tough girl.

"I would expect blackface to look neat, because it's makeup. And at age 20, these girls are probably quite adept at putting on makeup."

Even a forest troll uninitiated in the arts of make-up would do better than this.

Cute picture.

In addition to those calling this "racist" I would also question the intelligence or thoroughness of the Chancellor.

Any quick look at this photo and anyone with half a brain cell can see it isn't mean to be racist; so, why was the Chancellor issuing a statement condemning it?

Initially, I'm tempted to say that making a judgment before getting all the facts isn't smart; rather, it is just sloppy. That doesn't reflect well on a school's chancellor.

But, in reality though, what I think the Chancellor's action of releasing a statement does show is how powerful the race-baiters have become.

The race-baiters are on the prowl for anything that they can use as an excuse to stir up racial animosity. That gives them more power because it will give them more money to hold "learning seminars" about race.

Which is exactly what is now going to happen at that school - more "learning" sessions about how racial incidents can hurt people. Even though such sessions don't seem to be needed.

So, even if this wasn't even remotely about race; the race-baiters have won another battle. They've learned their lessons well from the Chinese Cultural Revolution and Mao's Red Guards.

P.S. I also think we need to stop calling the two in the photo girls. The one of the left looks more like a guy to me. Which just goes to show: some guys will do anything to get sex.

Racism must be pretty rare if the racial justice warriors have to resort to misconstruing something as innocent as this picture to find it.

I first looked at the picture before reading the article and took it to be black face - the one on the right flashing a FU symbol feels like it supports that conclusion. I agree it looks clownish -- which I think also points away from facials. When I have seen facial masks they have been more covering. And why would people be posting selfie's of themselves in facial masks? Maybe if it was connected to a spa or something.

In looking closer...I agree the TV looks like it is showing a how-to video so the mud mask is probably what is going on.

If you showed the students who complained certain episodes of The Goodies their heads would explode.

Let's be honest. No one thinks these girls intended to be seen as wearing black face. They've probably never even seen a depiction of authentic black face.

And no one believes they've acted out of malice, or is truly aggrieved by their picture.

Rather someone saw the opportunity exploit this picture to throw the race card to further their agenda.

And the chancellor probably knows fully well what's happening. But she also knows that if she doesn't play along she's going to be cast as the racist chancellor from racist U.

So to save herself, and her school, she has to pay fealty to the vengeful gods of anti-racism.

As an aside: Snapchat works hard to create the impression that it is an archive-free zone, and there's a widespread belief among its users (mostly teenagers and college students) that they can do pretty much anything on Snapchat and not be called out because the evidence won't be preserved. Here we have Exhibit A as to the falseness of that belief.

About race-baiting -- who is the bait?

Lasttango - I gave myself facials when I was 12! Babysitting. Some of the moms had different facial applications so while the kids slept, I would do a peel or a mud pack. Omg I looked so much better when I finished. I didn't look a day over 11. : )

I remember seeing a pic of a teenage Princess Diana and her friends in mud packs and towels. Or the album cover of beauty and the beat by the GoGos. I still miss my B.Kamins mud. Can't find it anywhere. Mud packs/facial packs are fun!

How people jumped to conclusions on this is nuts.