You know what bothers me a lot? Being stereotyped, or randomly grouped with the actions of one or two people. It really pisses me off.
In fact, if I could find the people who hung the noose outside of the Nyumburu Cultural Center or drew the swastikas on the parked cars, I’d like to ask them: seriously, what the f—?
I’ve heard a ton of people comment recently that this is a racist university, that things like this happen all the time and everyone on the campus harbors these racist feelngs. How incredibly dumb are the people who think this way?
Here’s the deal: Whether you go here or not, stop grouping me in with several people who were total morons. There are almost 35,000 students here at the university. You’re going to judge us all and assume every one of us hates other’s because someone showed those opinions in a negative, public way? What is wrong with you?
My best friend in the entire world is Jewish, and not only do I value our friendship more than anything, I have the upmost respect for her religious beliefs, and am very interested in her practices. And never once have I felt the desire to intimidate a black person (or any person in general) with the threat of physical harm or historical insults. I don’t know anyone who has, or wants to. So why is the university suddenly being defined by two acts of hate and stupidity? A better question: Why am I, as a student, being defined by two acts of hate and stupidity?
Racism is obviously a force to be reckoned with. And it’s a hard battle to fight, because the opposing side is generally comprised of complete and total idiots who have chips on their shoulders. They choose to blame their short comings in life on a group of people different from them, a group of people that generally by no means has any kind of direct impact on their life, or how good it is. It’s not just a white thing, and it’s not just a Christian thing. Every race and religion has members who really taint the rest of the group. Muslim extremists who blow themselves up. Christian fundamentalists who protest at the funerals of soldiers. Racial groups that show up at events to spew venom about black people or white people. No group, whether religious or racial, is immune to idiots. It’s a sad fact, but a fact nonetheless.
However, what is possibly even more ridiculous than these minority groups of hate, are the people who allow the minority to represent the majority. Sure, the Ku Klux Klan still exists. However, grand total, there might be a few thousand in the country that belong to the KKK. So imagine using the KKK as an adequate representation of all white people in the U.S. Who would do that? A few thousand is far too many people to be thinking that way, but it is a long way off of “all white people in general.”
I don’t hang nooses, I don’t draw swastikas, I don’t talk about people who are racially, culturally or religiously different from me in a negative way. And I am sick of hearing how racist people at our university are, and, how racist I am by association.
So to the morons who hung the noose and drew the swastikas, all I have to say is thanks. Thanks for making me look like a moron, too, just because I attend the university at which you committed your acts. Thanks for making white people and Christian people look like jack asses. Did you think by doing these things, you were somehow furthering your cause (whatever cause that is)? Do you think you’re going to scare Jewish students away, or suddenly black students will stop coming to class? Great plan, really.
And even more importantly, to those of you who are encouraging this type of behavior by allowing these morons to think they’re winning, by making them believe that yes, they DO in fact represent the majority of students at this university, or the majority of white people, or Christian people, just stop already. You’re only making it worse. These idiots want to be the center of attention, and you’re giving it to them. You’re agreeing with them, you’re agreeing that most white people on the campus would be okay hanging a noose and encouraging the notion that most white people think like them and hate black people. This is not okay. I understand the anger and disgust, but direct it in an appropriate direction.
I, as one person, can never stop racism. I wish I could, because that’d be fabulous, but I’m not going to get ahead of myself. The world will always have morons, too many for me to take on alone. But I will not allow myself to be grouped in with these people simply because I live on the campus where the hate incident or crime occurred. I am not guilty by association, nor am I racist by association. So please, stop telling me I am a racist attending a racist university. I never was, and I never will be.
Stefanie Williams is The Diamondback’s opinion editor. She can be reached at swills25@umd.edu
