« Letter to the Editor: Racism and Diversity are more than just words | Main | Letter to the Editor: Hamline's diversity is better than we think »
March 01, 2005
Letter to the Editor: Recognition is the first step for help
During a nice quiet dinner at Sorin Dining Hall, we came across a rather appalling letter in the opinion column of the Oracle entitled “Different races should follow the Golden Rule.” The “Golden Rule,”–being treating others as you wanted to be treated–seems to be quite irrelevant in the subject matter of race and “The Charge” to the Hamline community made by Angela Robertson. The charge was made during Hamline’s celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr., a day when civil rights, acceptance, and diversity are celebrated and upheld. It’s a shame that this holiday can be manipulated to become a source for negative or misguided interpretations of diversity.
To refute the letter, we would to start off by saying that this article is a prime example of white students exercising their white privilege. White privilege is a concept that too few white people recognize within themselves, and people of color face every day. In order to emphasize this perception, we quote from
“White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Peggy McIntosh: “I think whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege.” In this age of supposed equality and “color blindness,” it can be easy for a person to convince themselves that racism no longer exists.
We also want to clear up that when it is implied that we are “just” people and race should not partake a place in the educational system, it is highly offensive when the statement “…students want to see a professor who is like them, who they can relate to…,” is expressed. Just like it was mentioned above, everyone wants to be treated just as they would want to be treated, yet this rule has already been broken when such terminology like “we” and “them,” is interjected into the conversation.
Affirmative action, as you will, is a constantly misconceived notion that is supposed to benefit people of color and people of color only. But people are forgetting that affirmative action in actuality benefits white women more then it does people of color. Now, this is not a personal attack against those who are ignorant on the subject matter, but we are just trying to clear up some oft-mistaken facts. We are both students of color and stating that affirmative action imposes reverse racism and implying that the general misconception of the status quo insults our intelligence and our credentials, minimizing us to our ethnic backgrounds and associated stereotypes. If the “Golden Rule” must be applicable in this situation, then realize that the students of color on campus were chosen because they fit the “best candidate” profile, and were not picked solely on their race.
“There is no harm in realizing people’s racial and ethnic differences, but these differences should be celebrated, not used to make any group better than other.” The inaccuracies that come from this statement suggest ignorance and almost hint at the notion of intolerance. We would like to believe that there is no harm in recognizing differences, but there is harm in disregarding surface differences such as race or ethnicity. The oppression of people of color is a historical fact and presently, when people of color are given a chance to prove themselves to centuries of stereotypes and oppression, we are suddenly denounced and considered “uppity.” The advocacy organizations, the MISA office, and the “white allies” organization serve not to promote separation and exclusiveness, but rather they are established to promote acceptance and awareness of the diversity that is prevalent on campus.
Matrika Bailey-Turner
Ho Nguyen
CLA freshmen
Posted by msveum at March 1, 2005 07:52 PM
Comments
Post a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)