American University student apologizes for saying the N-word: 'I was dared to say it'

The administration at American University is speaking out against a student who said the N-word on Twitter, then apologized.

According to to the Washington, D.C. student newspaper The Eagle, freshmen Aise O’Neil said the derogatory term into a camera at Anderson Hall on Saturday night because other students “dared” him. O’Neil was bothered by “how censorial the campus environment was” and thus yelled the word loudly.

“I don’t know exactly why I did this, I think I just wanted to do something to feel as if I still had the freedom to express myself,” O’Neil, an economics major, told The Eagle in an email Monday. “My next-door neighbor overheard me then.”

Student Tasneem Osm tweeted the video and wrote, “This is why I don’t feel welcome at American University.”

A woman behind the camera said to O’Neil, “What did you say?” and O’Neil repeated the word, providing his full name — Aise Jacob O’Neil — upon request. “Why do you think it’s OK to say that word?” asked the woman, and O’Neil answered, “I think it’s OK to say any word,” he started to explain, but the video stopped recording.

“I argued that there was nothing inherently wrong with the usage of my words,” O’Neil told The Eagle. “I was dared to say the word on video. Believing that a refusal would in a sense be a betrayal of my principles I obliged.”

According to The Eagle, O’Neil said the word was “more likely than most words to be used in some sort of racist comment,” but is not “inherently racist.”

Calling his usage “somewhat misguided,” O’Neil told the paper, “I did not anticipate the video would reach such wide circulation. I am very sorry to the people I upset. I genuinely regret what I have done.”

An American University spokesperson tells Yahoo Lifestyle, “AU does not condone the use of a racist term associated with discrimination and violence. The word is a racial slur associated with a history of racism, bigotry, violence. Its use in many contexts has a harmful impact, even in a debate about free expression. Our policies and practices regarding bias and discrimination are informed by commitments to both inclusion and freedom of expression. We are working to support those directly affected and to address the harm to our community.”

On Wednesday, university president Sylvia Burwell tweeted a note published to her website that read, “The events from the past few days have left me saddened and disappointed. I understand why members of our community are hurt and angry. Words can wound. We cannot separate a racist word from its context or from the pain it causes members of our community. Racist language does not reflect our values…”

Burwell said, “As an institution of learning committed to the robust exchange of ideas, we’re founded on the idea that education can make a difference. Through recognizing wrongs, calling them out when they occur, and working together, we all can grow and learn together. The burden of education cannot exclusively fall on people of color. It must fall on all of us. We’re founded on the idea that learning matters, that scholarship matters…”

Dr. Fanta Aw, vice president of campus life & inclusive excellence wrote online, “We do not condone the use of racist language. We recognize the harmful impact.” And Professor Ibram X. Kendi, the director of the Antiracist Research & Policy Center, tweeted, “We at @AmericanU & other universities should have zero tolerance for racism. Anything less than a zero tolerance policy is tolerance for racism. We show our zero tolerance—or tolerance for racism—by how we respond. Bottom line: Who & what do we want to feel welcome on our campuses?”

American University sophomore Kèylia Carter tells Yahoo Lifestyle, “During ‘Welcome Week’ in my freshman year, a white student called me the N-word and tried to justify it by saying he has black friends and dates black women,” she says. Carter says she reported the student and switched residence halls to avoid him, however, she doesn’t know whether the boy was disciplined.

“That winter, someone decorated the dining hall with cotton and a Confederate flag, and a girl was told she couldn’t come into a frat party because her skin was ‘too dark,'” Carter tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “I’m trying to switch schools because I don’t feel comfortable here.”

O’Neil told The Eagle that he met with “Residence Life” staff and may change housing. However, student government president Valentina Fernández tells Yahoo Lifestyle, “The Student Government undergraduate senate passed a resolution demanding that the student is removed from university housing, as well as pursue any other relevant actions pursuant to the university’s student conduct code.”

Fernandez added, “This is yet again, another example of why the needs of black students on AU’s campus should be prioritized and taken seriously with concrete action.”

Entertainment agency Asteria Entertainment wrote on Facebook that O’Neil, who performs stand-up comedy, was kicked off an upcoming set for using the word. “…He was immediately removed from the line-up, and Asteria Entertainment will not be working with him at any point in the future. What Aise did was hurtful, disgusting, and absolutely unacceptable. The University should take swift, harsh action, making the protection of black students on this campus the priority. Asteria works to create a place where artists can create in an inclusive and supportive community where everyone can feel safe, happy and excited about what they are doing – we will not stand with this inexcusable behavior. We are genuinely so sorry for everyone this has affected and are here to support you in every way possible…”

O’Neil told The Eagle that people making threats toward him, saying, “I suspect AUx and my women in comedy class will give me some trouble later this week.”

Yahoo Lifestyle reached out to O’Neil over Facebook and contacted a potential family for comment.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

• Florida mayor proclaims Confederate Memorial Day, inciting backlash: ‘I hope somebody runs against you’

• High school students suspended for giving black classmate a tampon with the N-word written on it

• Gas station employee berates customer for speaking Spanish in viral video rant

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.