December 8, 2018

USA: Another Hate Crime Hoax. In Des Moines, Iowa, A Drake University Student Claimed She Received Racist Notes. Guess Who Sent Them. Geesh! 😐 AstroTurf Activism.


KCCI8 News reports Police: Drake student faked racist note, charges expected.
The Daily Wire
written by Ashe Schow
Saturday December 1, 2018

In mid-November, a Drake University student told school officials she had received four racist notes in one of the residence halls, at least one of which was addressed to her.

After a police and school investigation, the student, who has not been charged or named, admitted to writing one of the notes. The Des Moines Register reports that Drake officials “are confident the four notes reported by the female student were hoaxes.”

The student who sent the four hoax notes now faces harassment charges, according to Sgt. Paul Parizek, a Des Moines, IA, police spokesman (whether she will actually be charged remains to be seen and is unlikely). Drake spokesman Jarad Bernstein told the Register that the student also faces a campus discipline procedure which could result in her expulsion. Again, this is unlikely, as most hoaxers claim they were trying to “start a dialogue” and get a pass.

On Friday, Drake University President Marty Martin sent a statement to students and faculty saying the notes reported by the student on November 13 and 15 were "copycat hoaxes of an initial campus incident."

The original note — separate from the four hoaxes — was found in early November by freshman Keith Walker. Walker wrote about the note in a now-deleted Facebook post, saying he was going to leave Drake on November 9 for “mental health reasons” but would return. Drake sent a statement to the Register saying after Walker reported the note, he was offered a new place to live, academic support, counseling, and security. Bernstein at the time couldn’t tell the Register if Walker accepted any of this.

The Register also reported Walker did not return multiple interview requests and police have said the student is not cooperating with the investigation.

“Right now, we don’t have a suspect we can charge,” Sgt. Parizek said.

Parizek told the Register on Friday that they’re still investigating the note Walker found, even after the other notes were proven to be hoaxes. Based on how these investigations always seem to go, it’s probably safe to assume we already know who sent the note to Walker.

Despite the fact that every incident of racist or sexist notes turns out to be false, about 3,000 Drake students still took the opportunity to get out of class and hold a rally. One speaker, according to the Register, claimed she “felt her life was in danger” at the university.

Drake President Martin addressed the rally in his statement on Friday, standing up for the students who claim to feel threatened despite no actual threat existing.

"The fact that the actions of the student who has admitted guilt were propelled by motives other than hate does not minimize the worry and emotional harm they caused, but should temper fears," Martin wrote.

Martin said 250 students, faculty, and staff received robo calls containing white supremacist language after the notes were reported. So, a non-hate incident masquerading as a hate incident, rather than leading to an actual conversation, led to an actual hate incident. So much for “starting a dialogue.”

WHOtv13 NBC Local News
written by Staff
Friday December 7, 2018

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Drake University police say security camera footage helped them discover that two racist notes sent to students were a hoax.

Drake freshman Kissie Ram reported receiving a threatening note in her dorm room last month. It was the second time a Drake student had reported getting such a letter.

Police say they placed cameras near Ram's room after she reported the first note. Those cameras never saw anyone place the second letter.

Ram is charged with filing a false report and could face expulsion from Drake University.
Breitbart News
written by Alana Mastrangelo
Thursday December 6, 2018

A Drake University student is facing charges and possible expulsion after it was discovered she sent racist notes to herself and others, in what turned out to be an elaborate hate crime hoax.

The student, identified as Kissie Ram by the Des Moines police, has been charged with making false police reports regarding the racist notes found by students on campus in November, according to the Des Moines Register.

Student Keith Walker found the first racist note on November 7, which had been slid under his dorm-room door, demanding that the student leave the school due to the color of his skin.

In the following weeks, four additional racist notes had surfaced around campus, accelerating a widespread concern among students and staff across the university. On November 12, the university announced that white supremacist robocalls had been made throughout the campus community.

“We still have a lot of work to do to create the welcoming and supportive community” stated the university president, Marty Martin, in a memo, “The forces of hate are mobilized, but they don’t control us or what happens on our campus.”

The following day, thousands of concerned Drake University students, staff, and alumni rallied against racism on campus.
One day after the rally, more racist notes were discovered on campus.

“Two more racist notes have been slipped under students’ doors,” announced the university, “The person behind these acts continues to show us the corruptness of his or her soul. The individual’s goal is to sow fear and anguish, and to then sit back and watch us flight among ourselves over what he or she has done.”

On November 16, the university held a “Paint it Black” event on campus, in response to the white supremacist robocalls made earlier that week.

The purpose of the event was to “demonstrate shared commitment to Drake University’s students of color,” according to the event description on Facebook.

“The campus community will join together to paint the Painted Street black, a powerful statement of solidarity and anti-racism.”
“This historic action is to demonstrate a shared commitment to Drake University’s students of color in a powerful statement of solidarity. Together, campus united to fight racism and say, ‘You will not win,'” tweeted the university.

Then, on November 30, the university announced that a student, later announced as Kissie Ram, had been identified and confirmed to be the sender of the racist notes, one of which was sent to herself.

The university added that the additional notes were likely “copycat hoaxes” of the first racist note that was found on November 7, and that an investigation into who sent the first note was still being conducted.
It has not yet been confirmed as to who made the November 12 robocalls, although the university does not believe the calls came from within the campus community.

Ram, the student who admitted to sending four out of the five racist notes, could face a fine and be jailed for up to one year if found guilty, as reported by The Des Moines Register.

Drake University student body president, Jose Garcia-Fuerte added that concerns for safety should not be dismissed, despite most of the notes having been discovered were hoaxes.

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