The Proper Means?
(Fred Speaking)

 
 
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Choosing the proper means is crucial to solving the problem. And there is a problem. Despite what Vera says, I can see the hurt that is caused by the jokes on the radio and the graffiti at the physics building. I can perfectly well understand how offensive and painful that can be. My family is Catholic; and years ago I remember my father talking about how upsetting it was when some other groups - I think it was the Jehovah's Witnesses - would say really vicious anti-Catholic things. Sometimes it happened right in the neighborhood where he grew up when the Witnesses went door to door. So don't be so quick to think that I don't understand the pain that words can cause.

My point is that we can't eliminate the conflict and resentment on campus by banning it. We have to look for the underlying causes. I suspect that the cause is not deeply ingrained racist attitudes. I think we can trace the causes to specific policies and I suggest that the university's affirmative action policy is one of the most important.

I am not against vigorous recruitment efforts to get more black students. But the existing policy goes way beyond that. Black students who are not well prepared are being recruited and admitted to the university just to bring up the numbers. Some of the white students resent it. They think there is a double standard in the admissions office - and they're right. It's the double standard that creates the resentment, and the resentment leads to the kind of incidents we've seen lately.

Treat people fairly. Use one standard for black and white alike, and most of these problems will disappear.

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