Controversy over affirmative action
Dear Editor,
I would like to respond to the letter
about the Collegian cartoon. First of
all, it's obvious that the reader read this
cartoon with a closed mind. It's not
about minorities complaining, nor is it
about slavery ending. Instead, it is
about the trials and tribulations we mi
norities had to endure while trying to
get to where we are today. If it were
not for programs such as affirmative
action, and the organization know as
the N.A.A.C.P., can we truly say that
minorities would still have equal op
portunities. From what I see we can't,
because a minority has a bigger chance
at getting overlooked when it comes
to promotions and getting jobs in
today's companies. We minorities are
not looking for handouts, nor do we
expect them. We are just working to
achieve what we well deserve.... the
right to equal opportunity.
Another issue that bothered me was
the fact that this reader is commenting
on two minority organizations with ig
norance. These organizations are not
strictly for minorities, but for anyone
who expresses interest. What this
reader failed to understand was that
these organizations were started by
these minority groups because some
one saw a need for them. No one is
preventing any organization from be
ing developed on this campus. If you
feel a need for a Society of Caucasian
Engineers, then be the one to start it.
I've noticed that many students are
quick to speak before they think, so to
anyone who speaks about a minority
organization with an ignorant mind...
DON'T COMMENT WITH IGNO
RANCE TOWARDS SOMETHING
YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!
Sincerely,
Andrea Carr
Secretary-Association of Black Colic-
Dear Editor,
,This letter is in response fo
week's article about minorities. Tim dot '
offended that the writer voiced his be
liefs, but I feel a need to let you know
the REAL truth about how life as a mi
nority really is. Let me first say that I
would be ignorant to demand you or
any other white male to understand life
as a minority. You cannot. The fact is,
you are white and you are male. I
would, however, like to enlighten you
if you would be open enough to the
challenge.
I am black and I am female. Even
today, this automatically gives two
strikes against me. According to your
article, it seems that you feel minori
ties are lazy and undeserving of any of
the benefits that we have every right to
have. I work a full time job, go to school
part time, and I am raising a child. Is
this lazy in your opinion? I did not share
that to brag on myself, but I shared it
because you draw a very unfair picture
of us. I am neither lazy nor uneducated.
Yes, slavery did end long ago and I
am sure you, along with others, are tired
of hearing some blacks complain about
what happened to them. I am just as
tired of hearing some white people
make the complaints you made. If you
think being looked at as inadequate
because of your gender, color, or sexual
preference does not happen, you are
sadly mistaken. Imagine yourself liv
ing in a world where minorities
GREATLY outnumber you. Would it be
unjust for there to be programs to help
you achieve what every American
wants to achieve? I suppose it would
be all right if the odds were stacked
against you, if you were the minority.
What's wrong with minorities finally
getting a piece of the pie? God knows
it was anything but handed to us. If you
are searching for the truth, the truth is
this; whether black, Hispanic, female,
homosexual, or physically challenged,
we have had to fight to get what we
have today. Look around you. How
many faces, not like yours,'do you see
on this campus? Why can't there be
organizations to support us? Why do
people who share your beliefs protest
at the first sign of any programs or or
ganizations, such as The Society for
Black Engineers, that are set in place
to uplift and inspire us? How many
black engineers do you know compared
to white ones? Are you so disconnected
from reality that you think that we have
it easier that any of you?
Finally, to
. my beautiful minority
family, we have every right to be proud
of any opportunities that benefit us.
Why? Because they have not always
been there. Even with remarks such as
~DII
low:no
what was printed last week, all we need
to do is allow them to add fuel to our
own personal fire. Continue to work
hard, educate yourselves and support
each other. Do not let any remarks of
ignorance cause you to stop. All of us
deserve the very best, whether he or she
is white or not. To any non-minorities
who share the opinions of the writer
from last week, I'm not mad at ya. I
hope that one day, you will realize that
just as we have some opportunities that
benefit us, so do all of you.
Truthfully Speaking,
Sandra L. Smith
Property Protection Guard
Police and Safety
Dear Editor
I am writing this letter in response
to Jonathan Kolbe's letter that com
plains about how "blacks and other
minorities have life [sic] better off than
whites."
I find his attitude very disturbing. I
did not see the comic that he is pro
testing about, but I think that he needs
to take a better look at the real world
before proclaiming his ignorance. Mr.
Kolbe should perhaps take a lesson in
bigotry and discrimination; yes, slavery
in this country did end a long time ago,
but it took a century before Jim Crow
was abolished. And even now, racism,
ignorance, and discrimination are still
embedded in our society. Just because
it's more subtle and insidious, we be
lieve that minorities in this country
have better life opportunities than
white males. It is this mindset that al
lows hatred and ignorance to poison
our society and hold everyone back
from achieving their full potential.
I myself am not a big advocate for
affirmative action, especially in in
stances where people have been dis
criminated (whether or not they are
white) because of so-called racial quo
tas. Reverse discrimination also has no
place in an enlightened society. How
e% ehlhere are a lot of changes that need
to be 'made in this country before all
Americans have equal opportunities for
education, employment, civil rights,
and other areas where minorities have
either been explicitly excluded or his
torically disadvantaged. This may
mean that students front certain groups
are given a break when they apply to
difficult schools or majors. This may
allow persons who were denied oppor
tunities because of racial or socioeco
nomic factors to be given the tools to
better themselves through work or edu
cation. Those who argue that this is
unfair need to consider the disadvan
tages that have been and still are be
stowed upon minorities and women.
I hear a lot of complaints of how
there are educational clubs especially
for women or minority students. Many
students complain that they have to
take diversity classes like "Black His
tory" or "Women's Issues". To be per
fectly fair, perhaps we should have or
ganizations for only white males, or
national associations for the advance
ment of white people. Those who ad
vocate such things forget that most in
stitutions are designed for the white
majority. It would not only be racist but
ridiculous to have a club called the
"National Society for White Engi
neers", because the status quo is for
WASP males. American history as
taught in too many of our schools and
universities should be considered
"White History," because the contribu
tions of Blacks, Hispanics, Asians,
Native Americans, Jews, Muslims, and
even women are ignored or left out.
Kolbe also implies that blacks and
other minorities are more content to
receive special incentives, rather than
earn their fair share or better them
selves. This is the same ignorant ex
cuse that too many politicians use to
justify "reforming" welfare, cutting
school lunch programs, and eliminat
ing waste in health care subsidies.
Using convenient stereotypes to vali
date one's argument only shows lack
of thought and disregard for reason.
And finally, Kolbe criticizes the
Collegian for publishing "an untrue
comic". Even though I highly disagree
with his opinions, I believe in his right
to have them printed. Censorship and
apathy only breed hatred and igno
rance. Since he is a freshman, perhaps
there is still hope that he will learn tol
erance and humility before he embarks
on the real world.
Sincerely,
Robert Higgins
06 MIS
Editorials
E El I 'T CO R
Dear Editor,
Ho hum—two steps forward, one
step backwards I suppose. Just as the
semester is winding down, and I am
feeling pleased with the analytical
progress the students in my writing
classes have made, a Letter to the
Editor in last week's Collegian
reminds me of one of the most
frustrating things about students: some
of them have just enough brains to get
themselves into trouble but not half
enough to get themselves back out.
The letter, titled "Student Responds
to Collegian Cartoon", was written by
a student who is "sick and tired of
hearing minorities complain about
how bad off their lives were. Slavery,"
the student wrote, "ended a long time
ago, so GET OVER IT. if blacks spent
more time working and trying to
succeed in life, instead of dwelling
about how the world is biased, this
world would be a better place!"
I hope all the students on campus
have had a chance to meet this unique
gentleman, who apparently is such an
inspirational figure that blacks have
come to him personally to complain
so much that he has reason to be sick
and tired of it in his less than two
decades of existence. I know I am
looking forward to my opportunity to
catalog for him all of my complaints.
The sheer arrogance of the statement
annoys me. And it reflects negatively
upon the person who said it, not so
much as a racist comment, but as one
which has less to do with reasoning
and more to do self-righteousness.
True, most students (yes, Mr. Sick
and Tired, even the black ones) at
Behrend will be able to tell you that
slavery as an institution is over.
However, slavery was not historically
the true cause of racial tensions, for
the establishment of Jim Crow Laws
and segregation after the abolition of
slavery proved that the problem was
much deeper. The problem then (and
now) lay in the attitude , that some
penple are inherently superior to
others, whether it is because they have
skin that tans or because they have a
penis between their legs. And while
Mr. Sick and Tired may not see it, such
sentiment is present in his own letter.
Let's clear something up right away.
Black people are no more lazy than
anybody else. In fact they may be less
so; after all if blacks were so lazy why
did "intelligent" white men insist upon
keeping them as slaves? I have yet to
see a history book where it was the
white slave doing the work while the
black master was relaxing with a drink
in his parlor. Nor should our esteemed
letter writer take the ability to protest
or disagree with society as a sign that
blacks aren't working hard enough or
that they are "dwelling about how the
world is biased". I am sure he is
working just as hard these last couple
of weeks to successfully complete his
classes, yet he still found time to sit
down and write his letter to the editor.
So our student is "sick and tired"?
Well so am I—of every know-it-all in
America who thinks that they have
come up with The Solution that no one
has ever thought of before them, and
if we all listen to them universal peace
will rain down like manna from
heaven. There are no easy solutions to
the race problems in America. And
most of the time when I hear someone
asking, "Why can't blacks just let the
past go?" what I really hear is a person
who wants the Get Out of Jail Free
card, much like those people in the
Dark Ages who bought pardons in
advance from traveling priests to be
used in the future for when they sinned.
The rest of Mr. S&T's letter is pretty
typical and predictable. He questions
the presence of multicultural groups on
campus like the National Society for
Black Engineers and a Society for
Hispanic Engineers. Why, he asks, is
their no such organizations for whites?
First, if he wants to see such an
organization for the advancement of
whites, he should visit any of the
numerous exclusive golf clubs and
country clubs throughout this country.
If he studies their history, I think he
will find that the deals made behind
those gates are far more lucrative than
anything the Multicultural Council or
any other culture-specific group
produces. Second, if he really feels the
need for such a group for whites to
exist, there is nothing stopping him
from establishing one, but that is not
his goal. What he apparently is more
interested in is pointing fingers at
organizations in an effort to continue
the tension present between groups.
The tensions those groups were
organized to address were here long
before any minority group established
an organization. The question we must
answer now is what can we do to bring
them down.
Look, I agree that affirmative action,
like many other government programs
has its defects and abuses. And I will
be the first to admit that some blacks
will ride the race issue as a scapegoat/
excuse until it takes them off a cliff.
But suggesting that the result of either
of these things has been the
ascendance of blacks and other
minorities to the comprehensive
detriment of white males is ridiculous.
Some of these affirmative action
programs have been around almost
twice as long as you students have. Yet
how many blacks or women do you
see as CEOs in the Fortune 500? How
many do you see in the U.S. Congress?
How many do you see just here on
campus?
If you really want to do something
about the race problem in America, if
you really want to heal the scars, stop
griping about why there is a NAACP
or a Society for Hispanic Engineers. I
suggest you go join them. Become a
member (you will have an easier time
joining I assure you, than I would have
at joining certain clubs around here).
Find out what concerns the group has
that cause it to feel isolated. Prove that
there is no need for such organizations
to exist by actually accomplishing their
goals. That is one of the major
principles behind the 1950 s and 60s
civil rights protests. It wasn't some
"sick and tired" man standing on a
street corner that desegregated the
buses in Montgomery. It was a woman
who decided to stand up by sitting
down in a seat on the bus. Do
something to break down the barriers
you see instead of just being "sick and
tired", all the tifrie.
People who take this "fed-up"
position have always seemed
hypocritical to me. They constantly
rant and rave about how people should
stand up and take responsibility for
their actions, but they are the exact
ones who are doing all they can to
avoid looking in the mirror to see what
is there. Face it; whether you have ever
thought or said a racist or sexist thing
personally is not the point here; the
indisputable fact is that for centuries
white males chopped the economic,
social, and psychological "legs" off of
minorities and women so that they
could get ahead in the race. Now that
they have such a huge lead, they turn
around and actually have the nerve to
blame those crippled minorities
because those groups can't run as fast.
True, no person alive today has any
direct blame for slavery, but to suggest
that minorities should just get over it
is like that freshman in Kentucky who
shot down the members of that student
prayer group and then apologized. His
regretting his actions now may help
him to feel better about himself, but it
doesn't do those dead kids or their
families an iota of good.
It is easy for the oppressor to insist
that all things should be forgiven, and
honestly, there are some crimes in
history that are so great that in the end
the only thing you can do is learn from
them and move on. Many minorities
are struggling to do that. But it only
exacerbates the situation when
someone wants to simply ignore the
past, pretending it never happened
because it never happened to them.
Maybe you had nothing to do directly
with the pain someone else is feeling,
but that doesn't mean their pain does
not exist. Nor does your denying that
pain make it vanish. There are people
all across the country, of both sexes,
all races, religions, and sexual
orientations who are out trying to break
down the walls which have always
been between us. It is not coincidence
that many political leaders, including
President Clinton have focused so
much attention on hate crimes; even
this week, the President is hosting a
conference on building race relations.
While the fishbowl around you may
seem to be utopian, the rest of the
country, including the faculty, staff,
and students right here on this campus,
is dealing with the fact that racism,
sexism, and homophobia do still exist
as serious problems and sources of
T 1 CO
division in American society. If you are
truly "seeking the truth" Mr. Sick and
Tired, stop spending your time
criticizing a cartoon and get out and
learn something about the people you
are so eager to assert already have too
many rights in American society. If
you talk to them instead of about them,
you may even talk them into giving
up some of those "rights" you feel have
been taken from you.
Our innocent, distinguished, ill-and
weary intellectual ends his article
suggesting that perhaps the Collegian
should look more into issues before
publishing untruths. Perhaps he should
look more into some old advice:
Physician, heal thyself.
Candidly,
Gregory W. Fowler
Lecturer of English
Dear Editor,
I was appalled after reading Mr.
Kolbe's editorial, in which he claims
"i am sick and tired of hearing minori
ties complain about how bad their
lives are." This is the same kind of
ignorant and racial sentiments which
perpetuates negative attitudes towards
minorities in society today. Twice this
semester I've been confronted by ra
cial comments made towards African
Americans regarding the issue of sla
very. I've accepted these individuals
rights to freedom of speech, although
I passionately disagree with their com
ments. Albeit the comments were di
rected towards me as an individual ,
they still effected me as if they were.
Mr. Kolbe responds "GET OVER.
IT" in regards to slavery. How can 1
or any other minority which has been
oppressed by the majority simply get
over it, when one is still feeling the
rippling effects of a system which im
parted indignities and degradation
upon a particular race of people. YES,
slavery ended some hundred years ago
but blacks did not get the right to sit
in front of the bus, drink of the same
water fountains and attend school with
other until the late 50's and 60's, or
did Mr. Kolbe just forget about this
time in history when he was too busy
screaming "GET OVER IT."
There would be nothing to complain
about if in all aspects of society,
blacks, white and other people of color
were treated equal. There are huge
disparities in median incomes, educa
tion and poverty and levels between
whites and blacks.
I am not using slavery and segrega
tion as an excuse for these inequities,
yet they are dominant factors which
have influenced and are still influenc
ing black communities today. I cried
but then I got angry when I heard
"GET OVER IT' Myself and many
other black people still feel the emo
tional, mental and social effects of the
constant reminder of our inequality in
the United States in the past and un
fortunately the present. Mr. Kolbe is
not black, has never been black and
can not decidedly say that blacks have
a life better off than whites when hew
has never lived it.
Mr. Kolbe is right in one aspect
when he says the example of racism
hit close to home at Behrend College,
and he exemplified it beautifully when
he submitted his racist editorial to the
Collegian. Racism is still alive and
prevalent in The United States and
even Behrend college as proven to me
by Jonathan Kolbe and a young
woman in my Political Science 123
class. Yet as a young black woman
who does not complain but rather who
is working diligently so that one day
people who have these racist an igno
rant attitudes will not be able to once
again suppress the views of minori
ties in government and society.
We all have (whether we are will
ing to admit) various stereotypes and
criticism about people who are "dif
ferent" from ourselves or the "norm."
Is there a cure for this affliction that
many of us (white, black, yellow or
red) suffer from? YES, it is to WAKE
UP!! WAKE UP! Jonathan Kolbe.
WAKE UP America. WAKE UP
Behrend College and yes I too need
to WAKE UP. Once "WE" realize that
our differences (not only our similari
ties) make us stronger we will truly
be a united people who comprise the
United States
Trying to make a difference,
Ayodele Jones
Political Science 03
The Behrend College Collegian Thursday, December 11, 1997 - Page 5
Greeks defend
reputation
Dear Editor,
On behalf of all Greeks on campus
I would like to thank you for slapping
us in the face yet again. Two issues
back you printed two letters to the edi
tor; one from Theta Phi Alpha and Tau
Kappa Epsilon and the other from Al
pha Sigma Alpha. Both letters ex
pressed sincere concern with the
Collegian's lack of interest in positive
Greek life.
First, you deemed it necessary to
put an editor's note after the letter
from Alpha Sigma Alpha, saying that
the claim that the letter we submitted
was not printed was false and that it
had been printed in the calender sec
tion. We looked the paper over, and
the letter we submitted to you was not
printed in the calendar section. In
stead, it was drastically condensed
and most of the information was re
moved. I understand that you "re
serve the right to edit" anything that
is submitted. However, by doing so,
you took away the identity of that in
dividual article.
Second, the cartoon that you ran
next to the letters was uncalled for.
This was a clear representation of
what your editorial staff sees in Greek
life. The cartoon said something to
the effect of "We don't haze, we build
lasting friendships" and showed a pic
ture of a person standing on a box with
others around him apparently prepar
ing to paddle him. Thank you for this.
Thank you very much for bashing
something that you know •nothing
about. Greeks nationwide are being
criticized and stereotyped, and you,
wjth your yellow journalism, have
jumped right on the bandwagon.
Just for informational purposes I
want to tell everyone that Greek life
is more than pledging. Greek life is
more than wearing letters and drink
ing alcohol. We Greeks, as a whole,
do volunteer work and philanthropic
events for the organizations we help
to sponsor. We provide this campus
with entertainment (one example
would be the concert that Theta Phi
Alpha and Tau Kappa Epsilon spon
sored—which the Collegian failed to
identify 'as sobnsors in the story that
covered it), we clean up highways;
facilitate at Special Olympic events;
roll barrels to raise money for our
philanthropies, and we also fight
against the stereotypic discrimination
that is fueled by incorrect and incom
plete information by papers just like
yours.
I am part of a strong sorority, one
that ranks with the best in the coun
try. We are trying very hard to fight
the stereotypes and to make others see
Greek life in a positive light. We do
NOT haze and we do not appreciate
the Collegian's implications that we
do. You cannot see what we are on
the inside because you only see what
is provided to you on the wire. Why
can't you look right in front of you
and see what good we Greeks do on
this campus and in this community?
All we want is to be seen in an un
biased light and to be represented
fairly. It seems that as a whole, jour
nalists are enjoying this opportunity
to jump on the bandwagon and criti
cize Greeks. Be the responsible one,
please, and get off that bandwagon.
Sincerely,
Doreen Foutz
Alpha Sigma Alpha
Editors Note: The Collegian printed the full
text of the Alpha Sigma Alpha press release
on the Calendar page of the October 30 issue
with the exception of the last sentence of the
press release, which was inappropriate for a
page of calendar notices.
Trigon acknowl-
edges support
Dear Editor,
I would just like to thank the
entire Penn State-Behrend commu
nity for the support Trigon and the
Joint Residence Council have re
ceived concerning the Safer Sex
Cabaret. It is only through educational
programing of this sort where we find
the key to ending ignorance concern
ing safer sex, HIV/AIDS, and ho
mophobia. Trigon has received noth
ing but raves from students, staff, fac
ulty, our sponsors, and community. As
we put a close to this semester, I ask
you to remember what we have
learned and practice it in good health.
Remember... "You paint your own
rainbows".
Sincerely,
Christopher Caraballo
Trigon President