r! or ots September 26, 2005 The Lion’s Eye ye on Campus Page 3 Racism as Seen in Blue and White Majority Students are Apathetic to Minorities on the Delaware County Campus By Amar Ganti Lion’s Eye staffwriter aegb014@psu.edu PSU-Delco kicks off Racism Awareness Week by hosting Preacher Moss, a comic whose rou- tine is based on the purpose of dis- pelling racism. A sampling of minor- ity students found discrimination to be basically a non-issue here. So why have Preacher Moss come to the campus at all? While most students feel racism does not exist on campus, some do believe that people tend to stereo- type, falsely basing a person's inter- ests on their race or religion. Folake Ojo, a member of the Black Student League, labeled the campus "appearance approachable." She said that students seem to decide who is easy to talk to or has similar interests by their clothing style and overall look. For instance, someone who is a fan of Kanye West and wants to meet someone with similar tastes may be more inclined to approach someone wearing an Ecko shirt, rather than one made by Volcom. On campus, there are a number of clubs geared toward minorities; the Asian American Association, the Black Student League, the Caribbean Student Association, the Jewish Student League, and more. Nida Quadeer, President of the Muslim Student Association, said that one of the goals of her group is to inform students that the Muslim religion is one of peace, and that the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 in no way reflect on the entire culture. "There are extremists In every culture," Quadeer said. "Muslims are good." Just as America is now being referred to as a "tossed salad" rather than a "melting pot," clubs on the PSU-Delco campus were created for people who want to learn about vari- ous cultures. While a few students view the clubs as exclusionary, others like the Black Student League pointed out they are open to anyone who wants to participate. "The titles (of the clubs) indicate segregation," said Ojo. "Many people believe that you have to be part of a culture to join the group. But that just isn't true." Most students polled agreed the clubs are a good way to promote cul- tural exchange. "These clubs are a way to remem- ber the past and take pride in them," said sophomore William Boadie. Quadeer feels there is an uncon- scious competitiveness between clubs. "Oh, the Muslim group did what?" she said. "Well, we can top that." Natalie Delva, a member of the Black Student League, compared the clubs to a soccer team, with their ultimate "goal" to learn. "We may play different positions and do different things," she said, "but in the end, we are all here to do one thing: play soccer." Photo produced by Google Images Catch Preacher Moss’ comedy routine in the Classroom Building during common hour The Power to be Your Best EVERYBODY NEEDS INK Save up to 70% Off Your Printing Cartridges Put More Money Back In Your Pocket Call Toll Free 1-800-832-4754 Web Site www.EverybodyNeedsInk.com
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers