I'm sure we all remember what it was like back in middle school - all those annoying kids who made fun of people because of their awkward appearance or "un-coolness." Well, ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to say that those good ol' middle school days are back. Thanks to JuicyCampus.com, you can read all about the latest gossip at Boston College. If you've always wondered who the hottest and ugliest baseball players are, who is a huge tool, who is "good in bed," and who cheats on whom, then JuicyCampus.com is the Web site for you.
In addition to this sort of "juicy" gossip, you can also see exactly how racist, sexist, and prejudiced some of the students here on campus truly are. I first heard about the Web site in one of my classes - the students were talking about how horrendous it was. So I decided to check it out myself, and I discovered that the site was even worse than I had imagined. I was surprised at how many times someone used the N-word, not to mention how many times a girl was called a slut. After reading several entries on the site, I decided I had had enough.
I suppose the most "appealing" aspect of the site is that it is anonymous. Basically anyone can get away with saying whatever they please, even if it reflects poorly on the school and the student body. However, if necessary, the comments can be traced back to the people who wrote them. In some instances, however, some people have used the Web site for more than just bashing others. On Dec. 7 a student at Loyola Marymount University posted a comment saying, "I am going to shoot and kill as many people as I can until which time I am incapacitated or killed by the police." The student was promptly tracked down and arrested, demonstrating that the guarantee of a poster's anonymity is not entirely true. His threats were not real, but the LAPD took it very seriously. But why is it necessary to even foster a site that is used as a forum to offend and threaten others?
Although there have not been any violent threats on BC's thread on JuicyCampus, the hatred and bigotry that exist on the site are, quite honestly, mind-blowing. BC as a university is based on social justice, acceptance of everyone, and the notion that others should not be judged by the color of their skin, their gender, or their sexual preference. However, JuicyCampus.com has proven otherwise. It is simply a site for people to bash others in order to feel better about their own insecurities - whatever those may be.
My question is: Have we returned to middle school? No, this is actually far worse than middle school - this takes insults to a whole new level, a level that is absolutely disgusting. I'm sure that the site is certainly no draw to anyone considering applying here. I know if I had seen it before I applied, I probably would not have completed the application. It makes our school look horrible, and dismisses anything and everything we have been brought up to believe.
I don't understand how anyone who contributes to the Web site can sleep at night. What do they get out of it, anyway? I have never in my life heard anyone express such hatred, especially against minorities and homosexuals.
If you haven't already looked at the site, don't. It will only leave you with a sick feeling in your stomach, and questions about the quality of the student body at the school you attend. Almost any quote, selected at random from the Web site, would illustrate the low quality of its content.
So, the next time you consider looking on JuicyCampus.com, just remember that all it fosters is racism, sexism, and homophobia. Half the gossip isn't even real, but it may end up hurting many more people than even the author might have expected. We need to show others what the true student body at BC consists of, because I know it's not a bunch of ignorant, prejudiced college students who have nothing better to do with their time than write gossip on a juvenile Web site.
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