The animated video depicts a fake conversation between a Latino female student and a white male student who is questioning why she wants Chicano Studies on campus. The creator calls it satire, but those pushing for the Chicano Studies Minor call it offensive.
The short cartoon appeared on the "Animated Videos about U.C. Merced" Facebook page shortly after students began holding teach-ins to promote a Chicano Studies Minor on campus.
U.C. Merced Student Rafael Maravilla said, "This to me is just an attack by certain individuals who are ignorant of what we're trying to do."
One of the moderators of the Facebook page sent us a statement that says quote, "None of the videos are meant to be offensive, but they are simply meant to poke fun at current events happening at U.C. Merced." However Assistant Professor Simon Weffer, who teaches classes that include discussions on race, says the video missed that mark.
"I think fundamentally it's just not funny, and the problem is any time you try to do something funny and satirical about race, if you don't succeed as being funny, it just comes across as being offensive and denigrating, and I think that's what happened here," said Professor Weffer.
However the creator of the video doesn't seem to see it that way. Another video by the person using the name "Frederick Kinsington" appeared on the same page late Wednesday afternoon.
Students behind the Chicano Studies teach-ins say they also plan to continue with their project.
U.C. Merced Student Sean Lambert-Diaz said, "No matter what you do, no matter what you say, we are going to keep doing what we're doing, because we are doing it for a right cause, and we're not going to stop."
Assistant Professor Simon Weffer did tell us that the video has created a teaching moment and that he hopes it will lead to more open dialogue in the future.
