2 The Compass March, 2000
(Perspective
"^From time to time we
will publish reactions to
topical issues of impor
tance to the campus com
munity. In this first
Perspective column,
writer Rhonda Holmes
gives her Perspective on
race relations on our
campus.
"People have trouble
getting along with peo
ple not like
themselves."
Dr. J. McClenon
ECSU Sociology & Anthropology
Professor
I agree people do have
problems getting along
with people who are dif-
By Rhonda Holmes
ferent from themselves.
Some people just stay
away, some live with it,
and others deal with it.
When I say deal with it, I
mean that they take mat
ters in their own hands
and either try something
negative or positive to
help them cope with that
particular person's dif
ference. The positive way
to handle this situation
would be to get to know
this person, then their dif
ferences would not matter
as much. The negative
way is to commit acts of
racism through racist
words and/or actions.
Many of us have been
subject to racism one or
many times in our lives,
therefore, it is nothing for
eign. Yet, we have
learned to live with it. All
of you who are reading
this article have lived to
graduate from high
school and are now in col
lege therefore it is safe to
say that most of you have
seen or experienced
racism.
The question I would
like to ask is, do you think
racism exists on ECSU's
campus? I asked students
around campus and many
replied that they did not
feel that racism was a real
problem on our campus.
A honors freshman,
Madana Marshall, stated,
"I don't think that there is
racism on campus
because of the fact that
this is a predominately
black college."
Others such as Amy
Morgan, a computer
major, have said that they
have not personally
experienced or seen
racism on ECSU's cam
pus. I have to agree with
both of them Racism is
not a problem that ECSU
has to face on a large
scale.
I feel that because this is
a small university
occupied by blacks, that
there really is not a threat
of any racial tension.
Therefore, in the lue of
months such as Black
History Month, we
should feel proud to have
a campus that cooperates
well with the minorities.
This cooperation is the
reason why racism is not
a huge problem on our
campus.
Had
it to O® ®
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