Although it is common practice for a staff editorial to be authored anonymously, last Friday’s editorial “Race and hope” should mark the outing of and end of a career for the student who wrote it. Never have I seen an article with more logical fallacies, outright racism and blanket generalizations than the commentary on Friday’s opinion page.
To start with, the article never describes what percentage of the national pool of professors is of each race. Although we may have disproportionately few Hispanic professors compared to the overall national population, we may have a disproportionately high number compared to the number of Hispanic professors looking for a job. Likewise, I would hope the university is hiring the best professors, not necessarily the most racially diverse. There is no problem with a 1 percent annual increase in minority professors at the university as long as all the professors being hired are the best we can afford.
The second part of the editorial is extremely patronizing to minority students. Does the author seriously contend that a black student needs a black professor as a role model or else the student won’t succeed? Does that mean white students will fail without white professors? That was one of the theories behind segregation – that each race should be taught by its own kind. Not only has that theory been proven wrong, but such thought is as outdated as Plessy v. Ferguson.
The author also contends students are troubled that the university is not racially balanced. If this is the case (and I find it hard to believe this to be true), then said students need some important advice: Get over it. When you graduate, your workplace will not be racially balanced, especially not if you work primarily with other college graduates. Your co-workers will not represent the overall racial proportions of America. Neither will your apartment building, your street or even your city. Life is not racially balanced. While it may be a laudable goal to try to change this situation, for right now, this is the situation that exists.
What is more disturbing is that the author clearly thinks it matters. I have had plenty of professors not of my race, gender or sexual persuasion; that didn’t seem to matter when it came to writing me recommendations, giving me advice in a class or just generally teaching the course. I don’t need a professor of my own race to show me college is worth it – there are plenty of examples of public figures, businessmen and other highly regarded individuals who show all of us the value of a college education. The theory that blacks need black examples and Asians need Asian examples assumes minority students only look up to and respect those of their own skin color.
The third section of the article, regarding the plight of the minority students, is almost laughable in its lack of basis and thought. Assuming minority students have the unique problems of holding down a job, commuting to school and paying back student loans is simply absurd. Students of all races face these problems, yet for some reason, minority students need special help from someone of their own race to stay in school? Does the author really mean to imply that white students are somehow more able to succeed in stressful situations than Hispanics or Native Americans are?
There are very few times I, as a white student, have been offended by racial comments or judgments. Today, however, I am offended not as a white individual, but as an American, a student at this university and a human being. I hope the patronizing racism of “Race and hope” never again plagues the pages of an otherwise respectable newspaper.
Benjamin Kubic is a sophomore government and politics and operations management major. He can be reached at bkubic@umd.edu.
