Campus diversification not clear case of “us and them”; diversity is tricky

Posted 03-06-2002 at 6:30PM

I am writing in response to the “Month exposes racial tensions” article by Nievalyn Cummings. Diversity has several different meanings to different people. To the school, having a diversified student body means one that is made up of all different people. The article pointed out that the school is not diversified because, “whites in one place and blacks and Latinos in another.” To me, diversity is living with our differences but finding a common oneness as well. By the article’s definition one can argue that any city or the country for that matter is not diversified. It is quite easy to point out the neighborhoods of any city where the white people live or another where the black people live.

“The black culture is not usually advertised and remembered… people know, but rarely stop to think about it.” Who are these “people?” Surely I know as much as any other person, but I think about the black culture in a very different way. I am a white guy with a black girlfriend. I love her deeply and she loves me. We have been together for almost a year and a half now. (Do not believe I’m sharing this so people can say “oh how cute” or “that’s doing the diversified thing.” I am sharing in a hope to give more credence to what I believe.) The relationship has been difficult at times. Often I have received the response, “you’re going out with a black girl?” and she has endured likewise. So many times, she has told me how she could feel the stares of other black girls looking down on her. Are these occasions just her being paranoid, or are they true? I hardly stop to think about where I came from. Is that ok because I am white? Would it be different if I was black?

As stated in the article, black culture is diverse and wonderful and should be celebrated just as much as any other culture. I was, however, surprised by the article and by its own contradiction. “Every month of the year black history should be acknowledged, but February is set aside specifically for those who are clueless to the culture, so that they have the opportunity to learn more.” That is just how I feel. However, earlier in the article, it states that the Black History Month activities are “geared towards minorities first and everyone one else second.” Who would be more likely to know less about the culture? This appears to be a huge contradiction. In the article, it openly says, “While the chairs … have also found it difficult to attract others who do not usually attend ‘black functions.’” You’ve answered your own question without even knowing it.

We have to think about another reason why it is hard to attract people who don’t usually attend “black” functions. The very idea of racially labeling a function is a reason. Does anyone ever think of anything as a “white” function? No. Anybody doing that would immediately be named a racist. I am not complaining about that though; I point it out because there is a rift in our community. If you think about it, you will agree with me. In no way am I racist, but I see the rift without any trouble. That may be because of my situation, though. If you don’t know what I am talking about, it is what I call an “us and them” rift. This is not a racist idea, but it is the reason that the “whites [are] in one place and the blacks and Latinos in another.” My girlfriend and I have both seen it and felt its affect on our relationship.

What am I trying to say? Diversity is a tricky subject. Race relations are an even trickier subject. The country has progressed far in the last 200 years, but we all know that we are far from being there. I found myself getting angry while reading over the article.

I feel that we need to celebrate how far everyone has come, together, as one people. I am not saying forget your culture or abandon it for my idea. But is that not the beauty of the American culture—that it is a country where many cultures are all valued and celebrated along with one another? That out of many there can be one.

Damien Pinto-Martin

ENGR ’05