...speaks of deeper issues.

The students’ actions were racist. As soon as they showed up, someone from the university should have shut it down. These are not elementary school students. They have some life experience & access to more information than any other group of students in history. More than not knowing, I believe that they didn't care. To 'blacksheep' about the left crying racism; people reacted to the boy crying wolf because the wolf could come for any of them. Racism doesn't directly affect everyone so some people will never care. To Hetneo, I believe this is about provoking racial hatred. The Jamaican track team is currently the best at what they do, the best in the world. If not for the false start at World's, Usain Bolt would likely have continued to be the best at what he does. What does that have to do with smoking weed? He doesn't have dreadlocks. What purpose did the monkey serve? The whole thing was meant to mock, & demean, and to attach negative stereotypes to elite Olympians simply because of where they're from. If these students admire Usain Bolt, why not organize a track event, invite the elementary schools from the neighbourhood, and crown "Montreal's Bolt". Give the kids some t-shirts & call it a day. That would have promoted fitness & honoured Usain Bolt. What they did warrants disciplinary action, condemnation from the university & dubious looks at students from HEC by the business community. Clearly, their "misinterpretation of the theme" speaks of

I think we're finally there! we're at the point where the left cries "Racist" and nobody even blinks an eye anymore.....

They should all be kicked out of school. Claiming ignorance is just as ignorant as the act itself. They didn't know it would offend anyone? Really? It's 2011, you cannot tell me that they haven't seen anything in the US media (or Canadian for that matter) when outrage was sparked during Obama's campaign when blackface and racially insensitive images were used.

I would have 2 questions for them...Would you do this in Jamaica? Of course they would say no. Then I would ask...Why not? If it's tongue and cheek here why wouldn't it be in jamaica also?

People need to take accountability for their actions, there is no excuse for this especially at a school of "higher learning".

Colin, as a Canadian I can assure you that the issue is definitely taboo here too, but it is a much bigger issue than just a bunch of spoiled frat kids pulling a Jim Crow.

Quebec has long strived to preserve its French Canadian culture. Initially this was completely justified, as English Canada sought to marginalize French Canadians as much as possible. In many circumstances these efforts are still justified, but there's an argument that it's creating an insular culture that sometimes borders on the ignorant.

These kids didn't mean any harm. There's no hate here, just stupidity. It's like telling a Japanese person 'oh I love Japan! I've seen every Jackie Chan movie there is'. It's not hateful, just dumb. I should also mention that this behaviour isn't exclusive to French-Canadians, but you already knew that. The point is, it happened. And it happened in Quebec, where, in certain cirlces, the debate over preservation vs. xenophobia rages on.

So it's relevant, and not just relevant because America wants it to be. The question is: will the US represent the issue fairly? Probably not, so read the Canadian press.

It depends. Is blackface a taboo in French-Canadian culture as it is in America?

Or are Americans trying once again to transplant their racial issues to other cultures, as if everybody in the world should be concerned about what an American would think about it?