STRANGE WORDS

Dear Stranger,

It has been a while but I am here again. You may think this is a trifling issue that I want to bring up, but quite to the  contrary, it means a lot to me. A little background beforehand though. I am in a school, that is located in a state, that has a lot of white supremacy communities. Luckily the one I find myself in is not as bad as some others. I realize the community members are making a conscious effort to open up to the idea of diversity around them (It’s not like they have a choice!).  Anyway, getting to my point! I have realized a lot of issues in direct relation and connection to RACISM!

I do not consider myself to be racist in the very least. I may occasionally say “white people”, “black people”, “Hispanics” or stereotype once in a while, but hey who does not? To convince you that I am very much not racist I will tell you this. I am in a predominantly white sorority with just three minorities (me inclusive). Over the past two semesters however, along with the increase in the minority population on campus came issues of racism and this is my personal reflection on the issue.

I come from a society where everybody is open, warm and hospitable. I am not going to be naive and say back home no one stereotypes. That would be an outright lie. Personally, I have been labeled all sorts of stereotypes. Some of them not quite pleasant but so what? (I seem to be deviating from my point.) The point is, my exposure to racism quite astounded me.

Considering the fact that the United States prides itself on its state of democracy and freedom even shows how much of a mockery the government can make of its own people. Now I know I should be politically correct but sometimes that kind of restraint and reason flies out of the window in the heat of a passionate outburst and this is one of those times. Am I really to believe that the government has no idea of all the white supremacy communities out there that make it hard for minorities to exercise their legal right of freedom of movement? I will take that as a NO because no one who is educated like I am will believe an ounce of that.

We, as a society; We, as a people; tend to put labels on each individual and categorize them neatly into cute little boxes. We feel safer that way. What is the use of educating the masses and encouraging freedom of expression when we are going to restrict and categorize them anyway? Funny thing is, we are being educated in that fashion in those communities. Take for example my college. It is no secret that some student feel intimidated by the minorities on campus. Every event held has poor attendance from the majority on campus. Participation in events that are not traditionally Caucasian become flops or border-line flops.

Why do so many students boycott the diversity organizations on campus? While a number of us are trying to put the awareness of diversity out there, others blatantly refuse to even keep an open mind to what we are about. We are labeled as the “International kids” or the “Black kids”. Can it ever be the “International club members”  or even the “Diversity club members”?

Is there a point at which the society will be willing to open up and learn from everyone unlike them instead of making us feel like outsiders? Because that is how I personally feel. I have gradually transformed from a social butterfly to a recluse, an anti-social person. I have been made uncomfortable to the point that my usual adventurous and adaptable self is dying to go back home…….To be with people who are open to getting to know each individual and accept them for themselves and also openly express emotionally how they feel about an individual.

I do not know if any of this makes any sense. But as usual, I needed to tell you what was on my mind and now I am done.

Thanks for listening,

MzYayraTay