... Dead on Arrival

by Amol Parulekar

Ah yes, there’s nothing like a little protest now and again to stir things up on campus. Last Wednesday, October 21st, the University once again honored “Don’t let your child go to class day,” also known as the “Day of Action.” This groundbreaking, Chicago-Sevenesque demonstration brought in close to 200 people (I’m pretty sure that Roxbury movie brought in more people) to support the defense of affirmative action on campus. Now although it might sound as if I’m mocking these people, I must say that I do have a certain level of respect for them. Their crusade, for those of you have haven’t had their wares thrust upon you as you go through the Diag, is to level the playing field in “Amerikan” education, and they have accomplished just that. By skipping class to protest for something the school supports, they didn’t learn anything that day, and by trouncing around campus yelling and screaming, they disrupted the classes in their path, so nobody could learn anything. Ignorance for all. Congratulations, mission accomplished!

How is skipping class supposed to defend equality in education? Wouldn’t the cause be better served if you studied and became a lawyer, politician or educator so you could support your cause with some deliverable results, instead of forcing reading material on passers-by that contains little more than misrepresentations of facts in black and white, albeit with all of the c’s replaced by k’s(Amerika, Lloyd Karr, etc.). This accomplishes little more than aggravating the entire issue of affirmative action.

The opposing sides can never resolve their differences because they are so far apart on the political spectrum that neither can hear the other side shouting how they are right.

I agree that America isn’t a Norman Rockwell painting of country-goodness and happiness, but I think that it’s getting there. My views on affirmative action are as follows (angry, nitpicking letter-to-the-editor writers power up your word processors): I don’t believe that people should be given any type of special treatment based on race. However, I also believe that in the land of free, things aren’t as equal as those episodes of Friends where the entire crew goes down to a place with some black people and resolve most race and ethnicity issues in 22 minutes while spewing off racially charged witticisms.

Just being a minority shouldn’t qualify you for anything special. I thought our common goal was equality throughout. Maybe it’s just the tiny bit of goodness in my body (I think it’s called a soul) that makes me think that our country is more tolerant than racist and that two people of different economic status would have a greater divide amongst them than two people of different races.

The modern day racist isn’t wearing an easily recognizable white sheet or anything like that; it’s a fellow in an expensive suit that hides behind righteousness and preys on the misconceptions of others. If we avoid the concept of racism and discriminate against people in others way (lack of intelligence, dress funny, from Jersey) and not even think about race, racism will go away. Now this ostrich-like approach to the ills of the world might sound stupid and unrealistic, but think about it. If you simply avoid the racists and let them have their little marches and their demonstrations, you’ll take away the air that fans their flames.

As for debating the issue, it won’t get you anywhere. Any type of civil debate doesn’t work, because neither of the debaters will give in, leaving everyone infuriated, nobody converted, and the issue unresolved. I’d happily sit down and debate anyone on affirmative action, however the lunatics at BAMN turn every civilized debate/discussion on the subject into a loud, angry screaming match where the password is “racism.” Ahem, Ward Connerly.

The world is filled with racists and bigots. You can either hate them (which is kinda ironic because...now you’re the hate-monger ... however you’ll argue how you have righteousness on your side...which not-so-surprisingly is what they also say) or ignore them. All we can do is live our life avoiding them and enjoying our world. MR

This article was published in the 28 October 1998 edition of The Michigan Review (Volume 17, Number 3).
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