Allow me to introduce myself; I am currently the most hated man on campus, and while I currently hold that title my duties are most ceremonial. So with that out of the way, let’s move onto my article from the other week and the ensuing fallout.
I apologize if this has become a black and white issue. It was intended to be about all races, I chose my examples poorly and will attempt to remedy that in the future except when specifically addressing comments directed to my previous article. Blacks are viewed as simply the majority of the minority and when citing examples, particularly to people I feel are biased, I thought necessary to choose an example they could relate to. I have no idea if that view is accurate or not, because I don’t care, black, white, red, blue or other, I see you as people, not your race. My opinion was not that racism doesn’t exist, but rather that racism exists, just not the same place it has historically.
Although, I’ve been called an “ignorant white boy” and an “angry white person”, I am in fact a minority. Which one? It doesn’t matter. My race does not determine the validity of my opinion. Let me address the question asked by the Editor-in-Chief of the Obsidian, which was why would I suggest “White History Month” if I weren’t white? Other than mentioning that, even after it being pointed out to you my race had not been identified, you still insisted I was white, I won’t address how racist that question was, but I will answer it. I suggested it because it’s a bad idea, so is black history month, Eskimo History month and every other “History Month” if every race doesn’t have it’s own month, which I see as numerically impossible. Why does White History Month sound racist and Black History Month not? Aren’t all people created equal?
To Elizabeth Franklin, I will agree with you. I had no idea who Alexander Miles (inventor of the elevator) was, nor did I know who Elizabeth Browning (Writer) was, I did know who Edison and Twain were. There are at least eight light bulbs in the room I’m currently in, and no elevators, not to mention Edison had countless patents.
Alexander Miles invented the electric elevator, although Elisha G. Otis, Sir William Armstrong, and Werner von Siemens invented three other elevators prior to that. So that would provide reasonable explanation of why I know Edison over Miles. I have no idea what races those people were nor does it matter to me.
Elizabeth Browning may have been a black writer around the time of Twain, but I think the average American would be challenged to name a contemporary of Twain of any race. Actually the average American may be challenged to define the word contemporary.
B.E.T. is “Black Entertainment Television,” and as claimed on Sept. 4 in this very space, all the other channels are white channels. First let me say one word: Telemundo. Past that, I don’t recall the names being “White ABC” or “White CBS”. I will concede one point in that day’s reply; there are fewer minorities on TV than there are people of the majority. It stands to reason; that’s why the term is minority.
Allow me to attempt to follow the logic of two different letters. February is Black History month, and most of the rest are white history months by default. B.E.T. is black television, and most of the rest are white television by default. So then this is the black drinking fountain, and most of the rest are white by default? So then this is the black lunch counter, and the most of the rest are white by default? Yes, I am equating segregation in the South to modern day America. I see the difference, and that difference is that instead of forced segregation, it’s now by choice. But today like then, it still shows a racist attitude and that’s wrong.
In closing I’d like to admit all the writers did point out my fault, with my original article. They are right, there is more racism out there than I previously thought, but I still stand by my statements of where to find it, no matter what quantity it is in.
