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Re: BIg Dave and Color Blindness

On 29 Apr 97 at 12:29, Al Madrid wrote:

> >You should see the race distribution in seating in our cafeteria. 
> >We have an area called L.A. (Little Africa) where almost all of the
> >black students sit.  The rest of the room is lily white.  Are there
> >rules which force this?  No.  Is it "just the way it is?"  Yes.  If
> >that how the social structure works, why should it be changed? Just
> >an observation.

> RE:  Little Africa, I'm not sure if the tuerm which is being used
> does not have some racial pejorative meaning to it.  I will refrain
> from the issue. 

Thanks.  If it matters, I've only heard the term from those who sit 
there.

> However, one of the benefits with AA simply comes
> from diversity in the work place, that is in the intercultural
> undersatnding that comes from differences.  I know from personal
> experience that many of my colleagues have been unaware that I might
> have differing views until they heard thenm from me.  There is an
> enlightening issue that comes into play.  

My position in University Housing has caused me to be involved in 
hiring Resident Assistants.  In one particular case, I openly stated 
that all other things being equal, I wanted a black RA.  The staff 
for which we were hiring had eight white RAs and no minorities.  
Sometimes the fact that someone is black gives them experiences and 
understanding that white individuals lack.  (Okay, it's not a result 
of their skin color.  It's a result of the way our society deals with 
skin color.  Anyway.)

> Where or with whom I
> choose to eat is a differing subject all together.  I might add some
> level of explanation.  Often blacks and other minorities feel that
> in the classroom there is a feeling of not belonging, a feeling that
> many whites would have a problem understanding. THe need for
> connection, for kinship formation often is the reason for the
> creation of seperateness that occurs in many schools.  Many whites
> do not know what it feels like to not have this connection. 
> Understanding this is important in resolving many of the race
> problems that exist in the country,

I agree that a need for connection is a major reason for the example 
I used.  Won't there always be that kind of a bond?  Some things 
don't need to be messed with.  Race relations aren't that great.  
Segregation, however, is sometimes voluntary.  Sure, maybe there are 
underlying reasons for a particular group removing themselves from 
society.  Perhaps they felt forced to do so.  Then again, maybe they 
just wanted to eat together.

Big Dave

David A. Bargatze
President, Calhoun Forensic Society
Director, Department of Student Services
Clemson University Student Senate Parliamentarian
E-mail: dbargat@hubcap.clemson.edu
WWW: In Flux
Archive created by Jonathan Stanton (jonathan@cs.jhu.edu)
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