This is what happens when you mix racism and texting. A Georgia Southern University student, identified as Courtney Schaefer, sent a text message with the word, “niggerish” in it to a new roommate in a big moment of whooops! She claims she meant “triggerish.”
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Schaefer had been paired with a new roommate and ended up sending a text about the new roommate to the new roommate. The text message read: “Her insta looks pretty normal not too niggerish.”
Schaefer must have noticed that she sent the horrifically racist text to the wrong person and tried to clean it up with her next text. She said: “OMG! I am so sorry! Holy crap. Damn spell check I did NOT mean to say that. I was texting (someone’s name) and I meant to say triggerish meaning like you seemed really cool nothing that triggered a red flag! I’m so embarrassed. I apologize.”
But that didn’t stop the new roommate from screenshotting the text conversation and sharing it with her friends. According to reports, the screenshots were posted on Facebook and Twitter and many people are weighing in on the “mistake,” including one person who claims to know the roommate who received the racist text.
WSAV spoke with Georgia Southern University senior, Dajah Morrison and she said she was sent the text and it angered her so much, she began perspiring. “I was sweating,” Morrison said.
She continued, “Triggerish is not a word at all either. The closest word to that is triggerfish. So for her to cover those things up, it just didn’t add up.”
Listen, I have an iPhone and I am always using autocorrect to help save my spelling, but there are many times it changes words to something completely different and I’m tap send before I notice. I get it.
But here’s something I’ve noticed about autocorrect: it usually doesn’t allow you to type, nor will it even correct you to something profane. You know how many times I’ve tried to type “fuck” in all conjugations and end up with “duck?” More than I can count. So nice try, Schaefer. You texted what you texted and what you texted was some bull.
I have to wear my skin, so for me to just walk around in something I can’t control and people pre-judge us for it, that’s the most hurtful part,” Morrison told WSAV.
Many Georgia Southern students are shocked, but there’s just as many who view this text mess as no surprise.
“I think I speak for the entire African-American population of Georgia Southern when I say that while I am not surprised, I am angry and disappointed. The text itself was cause enough for outrage, but the pathetic attempt at an excuse and apology, was a flippant insult to her intelligence,” Leon Bowles, a senior mechanical engineering major told the George-Anne.
Morrison is actually hopeful that the university will do something to address this issue, adding “Georgia Southern should definitely—I’m not getting in their business, hopefully, they’ll be professional and handle everything correctly, but I’m just hoping they shut that down and show other students we don’t play that. We’re here to learn.”
Georgia Southern University put out a statement and in it, university President Shelley Nickel said: “The use of such racist comments is offensive and unacceptable and in no way reflects the attitudes or values of Georgia Southern University. To be clear, there is no place for bigotry or racism on our campuses.”
So far, it is unknown whether or not Schaefer will face any disciplinary action.
In reality, she likely won’t, but what message does that send the students? The world? I don’t know about y’all, but I need more examples of Courtney using the word “triggerish” on a normal basis. Do you think she meant triggerish and autocorrect came in all crazy or nah?
Maybe we all try and type “triggerish” in our phones and see what happens? I’m gonna try it and see.