(no subject)
I learned for the first time a week or two ago that there’s a serious situation on this campus in regards to race. In all honesty, these statements shocked me and at first and I disregarded them as completely irrational and illogical arguments because why, on a campus filled with liberals of every shape and affiliation, would there be a situation regarding RACE?
After some discussions, some talking, some debating and a few more of all of the aforementioned I’ve realized that there IS a serious problem on this campus but that this problem stretches far beyond blatant racism and rather rests on the subconscious underpinnings that dominate American society and most definitely a large proportion of students on this campus who come from lofty communities and rarely ever interacted with “students of color” before coming to the largely white Sarah Lawrence.
Beyond the statistical problems regarding the low percentage of black students on this campus, Sarah Lawrence seems to be disabled when a discussion regarding race arises - because we’re all liberals at a historically liberal school so, of course, there’s no way we could have such a backwards problem. The thing is is that we DON’T have a backwards problem but a problem that has come to ignite a generation following blatant racism. Most definitely, racism exists across this country and probably on this campus, but Sarah Lawrence suffers from something completely different - that we’re beyond racism and trying to cut subliminal messages and unintended beliefs that have built our identities as Americans in a white, capitalist dominated world.
I will admit that as a white student I will never understand exactly how students of color on this campus feel but in talking with many of them I believe I’ve received a brief understanding of the situation unique to this campus.
The answer, in addition to bringing in outside resources which is being done and providing student forums and debates, is to talk about this situation. NOT in a “race at Sarah Lawrence” meeting in some godforsaken lecture hall with the president of the college but on campus, with friends, in the fucking dining halls and on the lawn that will be filled with students studying with the arrival of spring. I’ve realized that this is a wonderful place that encourages and inspires discussion - so take it to race, take it to ignorance and just fucking talk. Because that’s all this campus and this country needs to do but it’s the only thing that we haven’t done yet.
I refuse to sit here and watch students give up. I refuse to sit here and watch people leave this school because they find it to be an uncomfortable environment. This is my fucking community and I refuse to watch it fall apart when it can be solved with something as simple as discussing an issue we rarely discuss outside of the classroom. These forums - where students stand up, talk about their past, and then make some argument - won't solve anything. All we have to do is discuss these issues as friends and people interested in learning about our friends and other people.
After some discussions, some talking, some debating and a few more of all of the aforementioned I’ve realized that there IS a serious problem on this campus but that this problem stretches far beyond blatant racism and rather rests on the subconscious underpinnings that dominate American society and most definitely a large proportion of students on this campus who come from lofty communities and rarely ever interacted with “students of color” before coming to the largely white Sarah Lawrence.
Beyond the statistical problems regarding the low percentage of black students on this campus, Sarah Lawrence seems to be disabled when a discussion regarding race arises - because we’re all liberals at a historically liberal school so, of course, there’s no way we could have such a backwards problem. The thing is is that we DON’T have a backwards problem but a problem that has come to ignite a generation following blatant racism. Most definitely, racism exists across this country and probably on this campus, but Sarah Lawrence suffers from something completely different - that we’re beyond racism and trying to cut subliminal messages and unintended beliefs that have built our identities as Americans in a white, capitalist dominated world.
I will admit that as a white student I will never understand exactly how students of color on this campus feel but in talking with many of them I believe I’ve received a brief understanding of the situation unique to this campus.
The answer, in addition to bringing in outside resources which is being done and providing student forums and debates, is to talk about this situation. NOT in a “race at Sarah Lawrence” meeting in some godforsaken lecture hall with the president of the college but on campus, with friends, in the fucking dining halls and on the lawn that will be filled with students studying with the arrival of spring. I’ve realized that this is a wonderful place that encourages and inspires discussion - so take it to race, take it to ignorance and just fucking talk. Because that’s all this campus and this country needs to do but it’s the only thing that we haven’t done yet.
I refuse to sit here and watch students give up. I refuse to sit here and watch people leave this school because they find it to be an uncomfortable environment. This is my fucking community and I refuse to watch it fall apart when it can be solved with something as simple as discussing an issue we rarely discuss outside of the classroom. These forums - where students stand up, talk about their past, and then make some argument - won't solve anything. All we have to do is discuss these issues as friends and people interested in learning about our friends and other people.