A white student is suing Howard University, an HBCU, for discrimination after being expelled in September 2022. Michael Newman, a white dude, is suing the university for $2 million dollars for “pain, suffering, emotional anguish and damage to his reputation.” While it seems like a lost cause for a white guy to sue on the grounds of racial discrimination, Newman, also known as the “Mayo King” as he alleges he was labeled while at Howard, might actually have a solid case. Will it matter? Check this out.
The lawsuit claims the student suffered from “depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts” as a result of “public ostracism, vilification and humiliation” during his time on campus.
What caused the university and the black student body to turn on their fellow student? Perhaps a misunderstanding.
Following discussions of Newman’s purported racial insensitivity, students learned of a tweet from Newman’s private Twitter account that included a picture of a slave baring his badly scarred back with the caption, “But we don’t know what he did before the picture was taken,” according to the lawsuit.
Newman claimed the tweet was mocking commentators who “attempt to explain away videos of police brutality by claiming the victim must have committed wrongdoing before the video started.” He alleged that students responded with references to his race, gender, sexual preference, age and personal appearance.
An expelled white student, whom the students called "Mayo King," sues historically black college over racial discrimination.https://t.co/fMGGmCtrQJ
— OutKick (@Outkick) March 1, 2023
That would appear to be a credible defense. It is standard practice for commentators to ask, and rightfully so, what the full context of alleged police brutality videos are. The Mayo King actually bypassed that while making a point, yet was attacked by his classmates.
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Problems between Newman and the university began during Covid, when classes shifted to remote learning.
“After a symposium featuring an African American speaker in the run-up to the 2020 election, Newman said he posted on a professor’s forum page asking if further dialogue could be had on “whether: (1) black voters didn’t question turning to government for solutions, and (2) reliably voting for the same party every election disincentivized both parties from responding to the needs of the black communities,” the Fox report adds.
“Some students responded negatively to Newman’s post and reached out to school administrators, prompting Newman’s removal from one of his group chats for the class, according to the allegations.”
Again, these are fair questions. We all know Democrats want black people kept in poverty, and they want them to vote Democrat, so they can keep them subservient. Why is it wrong to posit a question whether it benefits black people to vote for one party? Clearly, anyone that is viewing the issue from a non-partisan angle can answer this question easily.
Newman repeatedly apologized for offending anyone, according to the lawsuit. He stressed he was seeking to “learn, not just law, but to learn the thoughts and experiences of people of color.”
However, his apology did not suffice. He says the racial hostility heightened from there. Black students began to call him the “Mayo King” for his whiteness.
“Mayo King” may be the most delicious, least offensive racial slur ever coined. Mayonnaise is delicious, versatile, and makes nearly everything better. Newman should embrace this weak slur and flip it into advertising opportunities. Then he wouldn’t need a degree from Howard and could capitalize on the racism of his peers. Forget the lawsuit, his own brand of Mayo would be huge.
The Mayo King learned a hard lesson. Even if you have good intentions, you better watch every word you say in regard to race relations, even if your goal is a shared experience. Better stick with American cheese and white bread. Throw a little mayo on that and it’s delicious!