I believe other articles in this Poly edition have discussed why organizations like BSA exist, but I would like to address this notion of “true equality” that Ken Girardin ’06 speaks of. How you even have the audacity to speak of true equality when it is so evident that it doesn’t exist as of yet baffles me. You don’t have to look very far to find evidence that racial minority groups are still victims of racism and discrimination on many levels. The only difference between now and years ago is that it has become ubiquitously covert. I have yet to witness a monumental event in history or present where whites have been oppressed because they were simply that—white. Maybe, when this does occur, the need to educate the masses of your cultural obstacles is essential.

News flash: To all of those who feel that we are all created equal—as is communicated through our wonderfully articulated Declaration of Independence some 89 years before the ending of slavery—it is simply untrue. In an ideal world, we are all born with the same opportunities, but a quick glance at American history books and today’s media displays that this is simply not the case. If you argue that it is, either you are just socially unaware and need to make it your business to become more aware, or you are just refusing to deal with the situation by ignoring that it exists. FYI, neither of these methods are effective.

To the newly Facebooked “White Students Alliance” seeking “the same treatment as other Union-funded organizations in its celebration of culture … ” by all means, make your point. However, had you done your research you would know that on May 14, 1979, the request to form a Union-funded and recognized White Students Alliance was denied because it was being organized only as a direct negation of the Black Students Alliance, among other reasons. You talk of mirroring BSA, but a mirror by definition is a pattern for imitation or mimicking accurately. Thus, should the events leading up to your formation not accurately reflect those events witnessed by the members who founded the Black Students Alliance? To Ken—who I will acknowledge as WSA “president”—you talk of openly discussing these issues, but when we made you an offer to attend our BSA General Body Meeting to see what we are all about, you declined. You also lift our mission statement, but refuse to pay special attention to the portion of it that says “The Alliance shall exist to allow participation of all people in the promotion of Black cultural, intellectual, and social interests at RPI and in the surrounding community.” If you look at the other cultural organizations, they all have similar mission statements. This is not a means of separating ourselves from the Rensselaer community as a whole. It is a way for anyone who appreciates, or wants to learn about, culture to have a venue to be able to do that. How many of you went to Cultural Pride Night last Friday? This was open to the entire Rensselaer community. How many of you are going to the National Society of Black Engineers and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Career Fair this weekend? This is open to the entire Rensselaer community. How many of you have ever attended the International Food Festival? This is open to the entire Rensselaer community. There are many more where these came from. So, to you, I make this request. Please, do not bring arguments to Poly articles unless you have been thoroughly educated on the facts. Please, do not attack the diversity initiatives of this Institute until you have made it your business to see what we are all about. Please, don’t ever compare the NAACP and Dr. Jackson’s cabinet to the Ku Klux Klan because it is highly offensive and very disrespectful!

In conclusion, I want to say that it is by no means my assumption that this problem will be solved once you read the many articles that will circle this issue. The intention through all of these articles, however, is to clarify some of the misinterpretations that have clouded the perceptions of the cultural clubs on this campus. I think there is one thing that Ken and I are in agreement about. An open forum about this topic should be held because this is absolutely the wrong way to go about discussing this issue. Ken, are you willing to assist BSA and all the other cultural clubs in making this happen? To those of you who share a lot of the same feelings Ken has, are you willing to attend? I am not interested in going back and forth in the Poly about this because it is a waste of time. Until we all step up to the plate and make an effort to change, we can either feast in our ignorance or we can do something about it. Hey, what’s the worst thing that can happen? Another ten years pass, and we have another “Ken Girardin” Poly article, right?

Lamaar Walker