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You know, if we’re complaining about the media wrecking teens’ lives, we should maybe add “putting them on national television and encouraging them to defend blackface” to the list of questionable practices. thedailybeast.com/covington-cath…
Got a bunch of conservatives in my mentions saying I clearly know nothing about American Sports Culture, because blackout makeup and blackface makeup have nothing in common. Couple quick things about that.
First: Welp. Okay. 
Second, even if we assume the tradition was entirely innocent in every way, there's still room to wonder whether corking up is the best way for an all-white basketball team's supporters to greet their opponents. Just placing that idea gingerly on the table.
Finally, and this is the crucial bit: EVEN IF YOU'RE RIGHT IT'S A BAD IDEA TO PLACE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING THAT ARGUMENT ON NATIONAL TELEVISION IN THE HANDS OF A TENTH GRADER WHO NEVER PARTICIPATED IN THE TRADITION HIMSELF.
Fox could have found any number of people to make that argument—a couple dozen of them are in this thread right now. They should have chosen someone who wasn't going to be applying to colleges in ten months.
Note: "It's not blackface, it's just a white kid with black paint all over his face" is not the unassailable argument a lot of folks seem to think it is.
Part of the thing about putting black paint all over your face is that whatever your intentions are, other people are going to see it and think "Wow. Blackface. Gross." And if you know that, and you do it anyway, because you're okay with that response? Guess what? It's blackface.
