Here's the story of a guy who saw a video of a blond, white classmate saying "I can drive, N-.” Face to the camera, three seconds, freshman year. The video circulated around their high school but no farther.
Jimmy Galligan copied the video and waited for the right moment. When they were both seniors, Amy Groves was accepted to the University of Tennessee, her dream school, because she loved its cheerleading program.
The moment Galligan chose was right after Grove had posted an Instagram message supporting Black Lives Matter. He messaged her, "You have the audacity to post this, after saying the N-word,” and posted the video to several social-media sites.
It went viral immediately. Not only that, but it spurred students across the country to call out fellow students for racist behavior.
Not long afterward, UT's admissions department pressured Groves to give up her spot at its campus. She acquiesced rather than fighting.
Galligan wanted Groves to understand how damaging the slur really was. It certainly did damage Grove in a way that she will live with for a long while, or forever.
Did Galligan do the right thing in revealing Groves's racism? Do you think Galligan is a hero, or that he was just plain vindictive?
Do you think Groves is an oblivious throwback to the days before the Civil Rights movement? A bigot in her own time? A victim? All of these, at different times? Who deserves praise and who deserves blame?
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