Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

COLUMN: Reflecting on racial tensions and responses
By Vontriece Valentine & Erica Denise Williams
The DePaulia (DePaul U.)
06/19/2006

(U-WIRE) CHICAGO — IN FEMINISM: A TRANSFORMATIONAL POLITIC," Bell Hook states that "feminism, as liberation struggle, must exist from and as a part of the bigger struggle to eradicate domination in all forms. We must understand that patriarchal domination shares an ideological foundation with racism and other forms of group oppression, that there is no hope that it can be eradicated while these systems remain intact." We agree with Hooks and realize that all forms of oppression are interconnected and one cannot hold priority over another. With that being said, we have decided to attack the hatred that has been expressed by some of our cohorts here at DePaul, as well as the lack of response we have observed from the administration, faculty and the staff at this Vincentian institution.

During the last three months, racial tension, homophobia, gender biases and pure ignorance have escalated on campus to the point where all students are questioning their safety; some students of color no longer feel welcome. It is a pity that the DePaul administration has allowed these feelings to intensify without an effective response. As students, we pay tuition, fees and maintain the utmost respect for this university and its administration. This has been clearly illustrated in our patience and respectful response to events such as the racist incidents that have taken place over the last two years, the Anti-Affirmative Action Bake Sale, comments made by the Ultimate Warrior and even the presence of racist newspapers, such as the Statesman, on this campus. It is disturbing to know that the administration, faculty and staff do not recognize the impact these events have had on our lives and our studies. Or worse, perhaps they do understand and simply do not care. Is it possible that some of them share the same racist, sexist and bias biwes that have been expressed by individuals on this campus? It would not be a surprise to discover that this is true, considering the fact that in our experience, several professors have made comments in class that have merely perpetuated the ignorance and hate, while constantly reminding us that they are tenured. Which makes us ask: how many professors of color are tenured at DePaul? How many full professors of color are even on staff? How many professors have claimed and acted upon a commitment to combating racism and hatred in all its explicit and subtle forms on campus?

Indeed, there are some people reading this that may disagree and could name several administrators, faculty and staff members that have spoken out against the hate. To them I would say that this is beautiful; we also know several. However, the events sponsored by the Office of the President, Institional Diversity and Academic Affairs have made us ask where these people are and when they will step up so the entire student body knows that not everyone is attempting to cater to the DePaul Conservative Alliance.

We must say that the Forum on Diversity held May 17 in the Athletic Training Center was quite interesting. The most impressive part was the fact that the administration chose Michael Eric Dyson to speak for those in favor of affirmative action. We can only dismiss this as an issue of availability because Dyson, indeed an exceptional man and scholar, has done very little, if any, work on affirmative action; it is disappointing that he was chosen. If we are wrong, unlike some, we are always open to new and truthful information.

But, to add insult to injury, it is rumored that the administration allowed the DePaul Conservative Alliance to choose Mr. Dinesh D'Souza to speak on behalf of those against affirmative action. This was very effective for them since D'Souza is clearly a person of color; if this is not fact, once again, we are open to truthful conversation. If, in fact, it is true that DCA was able to choose its own representative in the debate, why weren't concerned students consulted about the choice of Dyson, whose work is only tenuously connected to affirmative action?

In addition to the unintelligent and ignorant comments made by our cohorts, certain individuals have decided to take matters further and deface dormitories with swastikas and phrases such as "n*****s go home." However, what really disturbed us were the comments made by the president of the university, stating that he did not know racial tension on campus was so high. How is that true when we had a forum in the Student Center last school year dealing with the same behaviors? We ask what is being done, what has been done and who are the perpetrators? Are we not worthy of this information, or is the administration going to continue to distract us with forums on diversity, affirmative action and free speech?

As a response to this hatred, we have constructed this statement: The racist, sexist and homophobia reflects the hatred of white supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, and the lack of response or action from the DePaul administration only leads us to believe that they either don't care or they share the same hateful opinions. Concerned students have not, and will not, forget what has happened on this campus.

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