Racial issues provoke thought

editorial cartoon by Natalie Fowle
editorial cartoon by Natalie Fowle

When students begin college, the word “diversity” is immediately upon them in every brochure and every college picture, showing students of different ethnicities smiling and enjoying the institution of higher learning. At the University of La Verne, a wide canvas is used to display our diversity, and it is advertised to the point at which the University becomes more like a generic Disneyland full of happiness and fun rather than reality.

College is supposed to be a time of opening minds to different views, thoughts and experiences. It is the responsibility of the University to educate its students regarding controversial issues and leave them open for discussion.

On Sept. 28, Haunani-Kay Trask, a professor of Hawaiian studies at the University of Hawaii, offended some students when she spoke on campus about Hawaiian sovereignty. The activist told students that Hawaii had far too many tourists already and not to visit for spring break. Some students felt the woman behind the podium was racist and overbearing. Regardless of what she may or may not be, she created a stir of conversation on campus, which is exactly what a speaker is supposed to do.

There are far too many instances in which a speaker comes to ULV and tells audience members of the greatness of higher learning benefits. Students are told how wonderful it is to attend school and, in many instances, the speaker does nothing more than tell the students what they already know. A person on a stage behind a podium raving about how great schooling is creates no thinking whatsoever-and no learning as a result. Trask, on the other hand, made students uncomfortable as she talked about the United States raping Hawaii away from its native people. She stepped where many are afraid to venture — she talked about racial issues and racism.

Racial issues are a sensitive topic, yet the reason why remains blurred. Society knows racism is out there. However, in a close-knit community like La Verne, the fact that it may not be constantly visible can lead people to believe it does not exist.

At the college level, racism is even more disturbing. It may be comforting to think that all racists are ignorant and unsuccessful rather than people striving for bachelor’s degrees. The hypocritical white-supremacist theory that minorities, for instance, should go back to where they came from is an absurd statement to make on the soil of a nation founded by immigrants from various cultures. The idea of racism on college campuses is damaging to the hope that equality will prevail.

Instead of shielding students with the word “diversity” and handing out brochures on how happy things are at this small, private school, the University should express a concern for racial issues immediately. Pushing uncomfortable issues to the back burner does not help our future. Speakers like Trask do. Trask opened the minds of ULV students to the true history of our 50th state, and made sure to emphasize that it was not pretty — which is OK. Sometimes a little controversy can do a lot of good.

Last Friday’s incident in which a ULV freshman was subjected to racial slurs by an unknown man served as a wake up call to our campus. Racism is alive and well. With that in mind, racial issues should be discussed in classrooms and by students. There should be no fear in communicating our differences if we ever expect to get past them.

Until then, racial incidents that occur within the La Verne community will continue to “shock” the faculty and students at ULV. After all, are we not all brainwashed to believe that nothing bad ever happens in this city?

The victims of racism will remain on the receiving end and will not be shocked. Racism will not go away and neither will its human targets; both are here to stay, and both exist in La Verne. The University and its students must face this fact. If we do not, and focus on uncomfortable issues only when they arise, the words of the Mission Statement — “The University, therefore, encourages students to understand and appreciate the diversity of cultures which exist locally, nationally, and internationally” — will never ring true.

Other Stories

Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Campus Times Editorial Board.

Natalie Fowle, Photography Editor
Natalie Fowle

Latest Stories

Related articles

More Than an Athlete: Faith and resilience guide Kaitlyn Patterson’s journey in volleyball

In a packed gym in the SuperTents, Kaitlyn Patterson crouches low, her eyes scanning the opposing team’s hitters. As a libero—a defensive specialist in volleyball—Patterson is the team’s anchor, diving for digs and turning impossible saves into opportunities.

Lecture highlights worldwide issues

Placido Gomez, associate dean of academic affairs, highlighted ongoing problems in the world and the lack of time to think about solutions in a lecture titled “We Don’t Have Time to Rub Elbows and Sip Tea” at noon Tuesday in the Quay Davis Boardroom. 

There is no room for bias in war reporting

The media has no place for bias or harmful language, but the Ukraine-Russian war has highlighted instances of just that, with racist comments made by news reporters.

Installation art shows history of ‘Blackbirding’

Chuck Fe’essago, instructor of art, talked about the process of installation art and a recent installation called “Blackbirding,” which was on display at Cerritos College in 2020, on Tuesday at the weekly faculty lecture in the Executive Dining Room.