Letters
Disparity remedy
Editor:
I'd just like to mention something that Michael Reardon, ("Three
thousand students don't make a majority," Nov. 3) and many other people
seem to overlook when criticizing affirmative action programs. There is
life BEFORE ADMISSIONS.
When speaking of "fairness," you neglect to mention that the target
population of affirmative action programs doesn't have the same
opportunities. You said it yourself, the majority of blacks still live in
poor neighborhoods. Do you think that inner-city schools are up to par with
middle-class suburban schools (let's not forget that property taxes pay for
your neighborhood school)? Is it fair that inner-city youth have to compete
against students who had better teachers, better facilities, even time to
study? What are the chances that a young black high school student working
30 hours a week is going to pay $600 for the Princeton Review to get that
higher SAT score? Do you see what I'm getting at? Admissions isn't the only
place where race is a factor.
You said it yourself, discrimination exists in the workplace, and
disparity exists between neighborhoods. How can you say that a program to
equalize these disparities is a bad idea unless you support disparity and
discrimination? By taking out affirmative action programs you increase the
gap and empower racists. As long as we feel the effects of race-based
discrimination, we need race-based affirmative action.Joey Gil
Third-year
Micro-Biology
American identity
Editor:
It was encouraging to read Creighton T. Harris' article ("Open mind
required for interracial dating," Nov. 2) and realize that someone else
feels the same way about Aaron Howard's article, ("Interracial dating,
social responsibility collide," Oct. 27) on interracial dating as I
did.
Like Harris, I am able to write this article because, other things
aside, I am the product of an interracial marriage. I can certainly echo
his thoughts: "I am not confused, I am not in denial, and I am not in pain
because of my mixed heritage."
To the contrary, I am filled with pride when I reflect upon my family
history. I am proud to be of Filipino descent, but I am equally proud of my
British heritage. I am as proud of my Filipino grandfather who fought in
the U.S. Army during World War II as I am of my white uncle who flew a jet
in Vietnam. Both of these men were doing their duty for their country,
America, and it is with America that I identify myself.
When people ask me what I am (and I get that question just about every
time I meet someone new), I tell them I am Filipino Caucasian. However,
deep down inside, I just see myself as American.
I dated a variety of girls in high school. Some were Filipino, some were
white, and some were a little of either, but it wasn't their skin color
that made me want to go out with them. I did so because they were fun to be
around. If I had restricted myself to dating only girls of "my race," I
would have driven myself to the brink of insanity. I would have thought,
"Should I go out with Filipino girls because they like my green-brown eyes
or the white girls because they think I have nicelytanned skin? Or should I
look for someone with the exact ethnic makeup as mine? And how exact should
I get? I knew someone who was also half-Filipino, half-white, but her white
heritage was German-based.
Fortunately, I did not get bogged down in petty concerns such as these,
and I had a good time no matter who I was seeing. Like Harris, my
girlfriend is Japanese American, and the funny thing is, there's never a
time when I'm with her and I think, "Hey, she's Japanese and I'm not." That
would be a pretty shallow thing to think, and my feelings for her run a lot
deeper than that.
If I've learned anything from watching my parents interact, and from my
own experiences, it's that true love is blind to race. This world would be
a much better place to live in if other people could see past it, too.Jeffrey T. Thayer
Second-year
Chemical Engineering
True colors
Editor:
Congratulations on the establishment of the new European Studies program
and major! How fortunate that protests, rallies, hunger strikes or arrests
were not necessary for the implementation of this program. It is also
wonderful that the U.S. Department of Education and the UC system support
the program.
We commend the university's expedient response to last year's proposal.
We are so happy that it did not take 25 years of struggle. This
demonstrates that the university administration can and does act quickly
when it wants to.
It's too bad that this standard of efficacy is not applied to other
programs (i.e. Chicana/o Studies, Women's Studies, Gay and Lesbian Studies,
Asian American Studies, African American Studies, American Indian Studies)
which also have the support of students, faculty and the community.
In response to the article ("New Major Focuses on Post-Communist
Europe," Nov. 2), however, we feel some corrections are in order.
This is not the "first major of its kind at a University of California."
For example, the Chicana/o Studies program also "offers students the chance
to abandon their surroundings and explore a new atmosphere."
In terms of the academic framework, we disagree with Professor
Stefanovska that "no other program here uses this approach." Chicana/o
Studies is an interdisciplinary program that has a language requirement,
encourages study abroad (although it can not offer financial support for
tuition, airfare and housing), and has an intensive seminar requirement.
The program goes further by requiring a field studies component which
enhances students' research experience.
Please understand that our criticism is not directed toward the European
Studies program and major. We merely want to expose the unjust treatment by
the administration which legitimizes the study of certain communities and
cultures while marginalizing "others."Estela Ballon
Graduate student
Sociology
This letter was accompanied by six additional names.
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