2008 Woodie Awards
Please clarify 'diversity'
J. Harry Painter
Issue date: 11/14/06 Section: Opinion
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Your party meets up beside the odd-looking sacred edifice of worship. You find strange documents speaking of "diversity." You are confused by what can only be deemed illogical self-praise, and assume that excessive pride in one's background is a staple of human nature.
Perhaps you are confused by the sheer ambiguity of the term because it is never used twice in the same way. Your bewilderment might be justified, considering that the word is misused and overused every day here at Saint Mary's.
Are you still diverse if you're not brown or black? If I didn't know any better, I'd assume not.
The College's diversity requirement states: "Students shall complete one course focused on the history, traditions, and/or culture(s) of a people or peoples of non-European origin." The courses that meet the requirement: Introduction to Islam, Minority Politics, Modern Japan-you get the idea; nothing related to white people.
This diversity requirement makes two poor assumptions about diversity. The first is that diversity cannot be found in European culture. There are vast differences between the cultures that the majority of students have been raised in and the myriad cultures that can be found in Europe.
The second assumption is that all students at Saint Mary's are well-versed in European culture and oblivious to non-European matters. The fact is that most Americans, let alone most students, are oblivious to everything outside the American bubble, not just the black, yellow, and brown regions.
Saint Mary's also has an odd stance on deciding which student organizations are diverse. At least the German Club is given credit as a Diversity Club, but so is Pulses.
I realize the majority of Pulses members are black, but so what? The club's primary purpose is to perform dances, and as far as I know that is their only purpose. In fact, doesn't having predominantly black members by definition make them non-diverse?
I contend that diversity is something that can be found even in the majority. I contend true diversity is not something we have to go out of our way to create with useless programs like the Campus Diversity Initiative.
Let's clarify the term diversity and let all races be a part of it. Think of the futuristic alien explorers.