2008 Woodie Awards
Cultural ignorance a problem
Guest column
Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: Opinion
Last Thursday, many students within the SIUE community demonstrated a powerful message by wearing black in protest of the racial injustice surrounding the Jena Six case. Those students and SIUE organizations that commemorated the Thursday protest should be commended for taking a stance against injustice, but also for increasing community awareness of it.
Now, a new message must be advocated - tolerance.
According to a recent news article "Colleges See Flare in Racial Incidents," college communities are witnessing issues of racial intolerance.
According to a Washington Post article, "A couple of weeks into classes at the University of Maryland, a rope tied into what looked like a noose was found hanging outside the campus's African American cultural center."
Considering that college campuses are among the most diverse populations in the United States, the existence of intolerance seems ironic. But then, after taking a closer look at many college communities throughout America, one may be able to understand why the cultural education that is supposed to take place in college does not. Different cultures don't really interact.
Evidence of this phenomenon is visible when strolling through school cafeterias and seeing ethnicities divided into something similar to ethnic neighborhoods. For example, at the Center Court in the Morris University Center, ethnic groups usually have particular sections of the cafeteria where they congregate; with the exception of there being one or two "mixed" sections in the cafeteria.
Students at SIUE should become an example of higher thinking to universities across America by embracing diversity within its community.
The first step is simple: become familiar with diversity within your community. The second step: interact with others from different cultures. And, finally: understand and learn from the experiences of others.
These simple steps could make a great difference in dissolving cultural ignorance, which the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said is the root of hatred.
Britney Barr
Junior
Now, a new message must be advocated - tolerance.
According to a recent news article "Colleges See Flare in Racial Incidents," college communities are witnessing issues of racial intolerance.
According to a Washington Post article, "A couple of weeks into classes at the University of Maryland, a rope tied into what looked like a noose was found hanging outside the campus's African American cultural center."
Considering that college campuses are among the most diverse populations in the United States, the existence of intolerance seems ironic. But then, after taking a closer look at many college communities throughout America, one may be able to understand why the cultural education that is supposed to take place in college does not. Different cultures don't really interact.
Evidence of this phenomenon is visible when strolling through school cafeterias and seeing ethnicities divided into something similar to ethnic neighborhoods. For example, at the Center Court in the Morris University Center, ethnic groups usually have particular sections of the cafeteria where they congregate; with the exception of there being one or two "mixed" sections in the cafeteria.
Students at SIUE should become an example of higher thinking to universities across America by embracing diversity within its community.
The first step is simple: become familiar with diversity within your community. The second step: interact with others from different cultures. And, finally: understand and learn from the experiences of others.
These simple steps could make a great difference in dissolving cultural ignorance, which the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said is the root of hatred.
Britney Barr
Junior
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
mfrost
Maggie
posted 9/28/07 @ 11:33 AM CST
I totally agree Britney.
I would also remind people, however, that there are other racial tension besides black/white in this country. Although the Jena 6 incident has brought race relations to the forefront of our minds, we must concentrate on every injustice. (Continued…)
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