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wats up with all asian, all black, and all hispanic greek houses? if ur in america, ur supposed to be in a melting pot. why are those asian, blacks, and hispanics all hanging out with only ppl of their own races? they don't really value diversity or want to be part of the whole campus right?

By sammie on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 01:09 pm: Edit

narrow minded ness

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 02:21 pm: Edit

Watsup -- Did you know that virtually all of the all ethnic Greeks started because students of their race/ethnicity could not be admitted into the other Greek organizations? In fact, when many of the Greek organizations in our country were formed, blacks and possibly other races were not admitted to most of the colleges in this country.

Even at mainstream colleges that would admit blacks, the blacks were not allowed to live in the dorms. Places like U Miss. didn't admit blacks until the 1960s. Princeton didn't admit blacks until about 1945. My great uncle went to Syracuse around 1918, but because he was black, he wasn't allowed to live in the dorm.

To my knowledge now, though, no Greek organizations have rules allowing only people of a certain race/ethnicity to join. However most, including the mainsream ones -- seem to attract mainly people of the same race.

By Fireflower (Fireflower) on Tuesday, February 25, 2003 - 08:15 pm: Edit

Consider this: if there was a white greek house, a White Student Association, or White History Month, etc, there'd be an uproar....

By Svansviek (Svansviek) on Saturday, March 01, 2003 - 12:00 am: Edit

America is a tossed salad, not a melting pot. Give it a few hundred years...

By Autodidact (Autodidact) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 04:47 pm: Edit

Fireflower: Nice train of thought, however, white male history is recorded in every history book read by students throughout the year. Minority or Herstory is another matter.

By Pisces (Pisces) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 10:36 pm: Edit

That is a good point. Kind of hypocritical if these people are the same ones that use the need for diversity as a good reason for AA.

By Mikus (Mikus) on Friday, March 14, 2003 - 09:49 am: Edit

Ethnic themed housing, ethnic themed greek life-- they are all JUST THAT- ethnically themed. If you are Caucasian, you can feel free to apply, or rush. I don't really think it's hypocritical at all...

These are the minorities-- it's only natural that they are a little more internally cohesive. The Jewish community forms clubs, the GLBT's have their own community, why is minority-ethnic themed groups or housing so awkward? They aren't barring access to those outside of their 'group'-- all these groups are designed to increase awareness, and promote their unique differences.

By Tybalt (Tybalt) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 05:21 pm: Edit

Ethnic based greek clubs had their place at a certain time in history, however, now that the Jim Crow and segregation laws have been lifted, these clubs might want to disperse into groups that focus more on interests and not culture. I have many interests outside of my race that naturally bring me in contact with a wide variety of people from diverse backgrounds. This gives people a chance to put their racially based beliefs to the test. If I'm interested in archeology and I join the archeology club, I am able to give people an opportunity to see my ethnic group based on my capabilities and perhaps break a few stereotypes. Perhaps,after a while, people won't even see my race anymore, but a capable human being that can contribute to any team, regardless of my ethic or economic background. This, in turn, could help foster better relations between cultures.

Forming clubs based on any ethnic characteristics does indeed smack of reverse discrimination. I think it also marks the members of the club as being self-segregationalist. Why go to a college where you are in the minority if you are mainly going to stay with your own ethnic group? For all the hassle, you could just go to a historically black college or stay in your homeland.

College should prepare you for the real world where you can't always stay comfortably tucked away with your own ethnic group. It is also a place where you can put to rest any stereotypes about your culture and break a few misconceptions that you may have about others.

By Yourlocalmayor (Yourlocalmayor) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 08:34 pm: Edit

is there a greek house called the KKK? hehe, KA comes close, but i'm just wondering.

By Yourlocalmayor (Yourlocalmayor) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 08:36 pm: Edit

http://chronicles.dickinson.edu/encyclo/k/ed_kkkfraternity.html

By Dwaynehoover (Dwaynehoover) on Wednesday, March 19, 2003 - 05:44 pm: Edit

At my high school, which is pretty diverse for a private school (21%)--half of the diversity mixes in with everybody else, which is cool--i like the diversity...but the other half of the 21% just sit together...they make fun of everybody too, just bitching about everything and making fun of all the teachers and all students. It pisses me off, perhaps if those kids had better attitudes, they wouldn't have to seek solace with their own people. I'm not fronting on minorities, I'm just saying-- if you don't like racism, don't crawl into a corner and just conform to your own kind...be an individual.

By Tybalt (Tybalt) on Thursday, March 20, 2003 - 02:52 pm: Edit

Dwayne,

The issue that you refer to above sounds a lot less cultural and more like plain old ignorance. "Their own people," as you put it, would be any closed-minded person regardless of race that has nothing better to do than sit around whining and judging others. I've seen that combination come in all shapes, sizes, genders, ages and colors. It's a good thing that the other half are there to dispell the idea that all minorities are of the same calibre as the ignorant ones.

It takes an incredible amount of courage to be an individual. For some people, the idea of taking the time to understand others and to be understood by others is just too overwhelming. For the minority that has had a run in with a judgemental/closed-minded/racist non-minority group, there is a certain level of fear and discomfort that arises when confronted with non-minorities. The only way to overcome that fear is to increase their exposure to more civilized and open-minded non-minorities. The college environment should provide ample opportunity for that kind of exposure if minorities join & form interest-based clubs instead of clubs that only serve their culture.

As for the ignorant people of the world regardless of race, gender, age, etc., perhaps they won't even bother to go to college, and quite frankly, we should certainly hope not. The college campus and society in general can certainly do without them.

By Pinkiep083 (Pinkiep083) on Saturday, April 05, 2003 - 10:23 am: Edit

um.... think this is a very dumb issue. people were talking about why there is no "white history month", well there is, white history month is very month besides febuary. When you turn on the television any given day of the year unless you are tuned into BET all the time, who do you see advertising your shampoo and you little T.V dinners? White history is everywhere. and i don't feel that minorites are secluding themselves because they want to act like they are better, or because they don't want to talk to caucassians (sorry bout the spelling) for over a hundred years in this country, a black person would get harrassed if they even looked at a white person, and they couldn't talk to anyone but themselves, or trust anyone but themselves, and even though that time is gone, there are still major backlashes. Would you want to be like the only white person in an all black frat? of course not. That would be wierd, and kinda lonely, that's how minorities feel. They dont want to feel like they are "token" or the only ones of their race. i understand that.

By Fireflower (Fireflower) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 12:18 am: Edit

Did you read that article in The Onion?