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Internet Rant Causes Uproar at US University

   Ira Mellman | Washington  March 27, 2011
   UCLA student Alexandra Wallace

   UCLA  student  Alexandra Wallace caused an uproar with an online video
   rant against Asian students

   An  online  rant against Asian students at UCLA causes a major uproar.
   The  video  was  posted  by earlier this month by third year political
   science student Alexandra Wallace.
   She  prefaced  her  rant  against  Asians  on her California campus by
   saying  she  knew  she was not being politically correct. âThe problem
   is,  these  hordes of Asian students that UCLA accepts into our school
   every  single  year,  which is fine, but if youâre gonna come to UCLA,
   then use American manners," she said.
   Particularly,  Wallace  took  issue  with  what  she  said  were Asian
   students speaking loudly on their mobile phones while she was studying
   in the school library.
   Wallace  also ranted about how many calls were being made by the Asian
   students following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

   âI  swear theyâre going through their whole families, just checking on
   everyone  about  the Tsunami thing. OK, I know thatâs horrible, a feel
   bad for all people affected by the tsunami but if youâre gonna go call
   your  address  book, you might as well go outside because if something
   is  wrong, you might really freak out in the library where everybodyâs
   quiet.  Like you should seriously go outside if youâre gonna do that,"
   she said.
   Wallace  also took issue with Asian studentâs families coming to their
   campus  apartments  over  the  weekends to cook and clean and shop for
   their  student  children  and relatives. She accused Asian families of
   not teaching their children to fend for themselves.
   Although  Wallace  took her video offline, it had already become viral
   with over a million views.
   It quickly drew a response from the chancellor of the University, Gene
   Block.
   âThis  has  been  a  sad  day for UCLA, and a disappointing one for me
   personally. The student in the video referred to, I quote, our school.
   The  university  described  in the video is not the university I know.
   Students,  staff  and  faculty that I speak to every day take pride in
   having  one  of  the  most  diverse campuses in the nation. Our campus
   reflects  the  many  communities of California and our world. And this
   greatly enriches the UCLA campus experience," he said.
   However,  no  action  was  taken  against  Wallace.  The  UCLA student
   newspaper  quoted  Janina  Montero,  the  vice  chancellor  of student
   affairs,  as  saying  the  video  did  not violate the student code of
   conduct and that the university does not punish free speech.

   Speech  that  many find disagreeable is usually legal in the U.S.. The
   U.S.  Supreme Court recently ruled that members of a U.S. church could
   continue  anti-gay demonstrations at military funerals. The court said
   they  were  protected  under  the  First Amendment to the Constitution
   detailing the right of free speech.
   Alexandra  Wallaceâs  rant drew thousands upon thousands of responses.
   Some  were  earnest in their disgust of what she had done while others
   were bigoted and some were funny.
   Actor  and  songwriter Jimmy Wong posted his response on the internet,
   saying,  "Hello  Alexandra  Wallace.  I  am  not  the most politically
   correct person, so please, do no not find offensive. Thank you!"
   Alexandra  Wallace issued an apology for her posting. Through a family
   freind,  she  told  the   student newspaper that she had offended the
   UCLA  community  and  Asian  culture. She recently withdrew from UCLA,
   citing death threats.

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