The question was posed as to why it is OK for organizations such as Black Student Union and Latino Student Union to exist. I want to first answer this question by looking at the word “minority.”

Groups such as Blacks, Latinos and Asians are minorities in a “white America” therefore it is necessary for them to unite in order to feel part of a larger community. These organizations are in place to allow students of the same ethnic background to bond and share their culture. With this in mind Caucasian students should feel free to form organizations such as a German Club or French Club in order to share their common culture.

However, to call it a Caucasian Club is absurd and ignorant. Whites have no merits to bond with one another based solely on their race, because, to me, that is racist.

However, there is nothing wrong with people of common European ancestry unifying. But calling it a White Student Union is not only degrading and a mockery of organizations such as BSU and LSU but it is simply wrong.

Blacks, Latinos and other minority groups had to struggle and fight against racial discrimination and continue to do so everyday. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that they form organizations and communities that work to fight against discriminatory practices.

Do slavery, Jim Crow Laws, and “block busting” sound familiar? Organizations and communities were formed to fight against these discriminatory practices which is partly why they were eradicated. While these practices have been deemed unacceptable, minorities still continue to experience discrimination and unequal treatment.

So, until we are truly all equal not only in the eyes of the law but in each others eyes then it is vital that minority groups unite based solely on their race.

Look at groups which represent women or homosexuals, their purpose in uniting is to fight against discrimination, which they face as the minority.

Dr. Martin Luther King did indeed dream of a society where people were judged not on the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Therefore, don’t you think he would have supported organizations and communities such as BSU and LSU which worked to achieve this goal?

Meheret Kassa

STUDENT