PAGE 9
GREENSBORO,NC
Letter to the editor
Guilford's Witch Hunt
During the last week of my recent
political campaign in Carrboro, this
message was posted in an online
discussion group.
Now let's turn to the question of
Guilford College. In my opinion,
you are barely avoiding being fined
from Guilford because of your dis
ruptive opposition to the Anti-
Racism Curriculum at Guilford.
Which of your 'progressive ideals'
are you advancing by opposing an
Anti-Racism Curriculum?
I know neither this author's iden
tity, nor the author's link to Guilford
College. What is going on with an
Anti-Racism Initiative that gener
ates such behavior?
First, let's clarify one point. When
the faculty endorsed the Anti-
Racism Initiative in spring 2002, I
did not oppose it. That is because
three months earlier, when speak
ing on a related issue, I was intimi
dated into silence by anonymous
faculty detractors who sent two col
leagues to tell me to be careful
about what I said.
A second point of clarification:
When my history courses cover
racism and other hate, I explicitly
deplore it and encourage my stu
dents to draw historical under
standings to prevent it in the future.
The problem I've seen with the
Anti-Racism Initiative is that it iden
tifies racism as being everywhere,
with little distinction of truly egre
gious racism from underlying per
petuation of differences in opportu
nity. The United States has serious
ongoing problems with racism.
A 20-year-long self-examination
of Guilford's race issues not only
blurs the distinctions between
injustices and broader inequalities,
but also creates an atmosphere for
hunting down heretics.
By all means, when racism rears
its ugly head, we need to confront it
head-on.
But when someone, like myself,
insists on evidence - either for spe
cific incidents of discrimination or
so-called "institutional racism" -
and then gets dubbed an anti-anti
racist, the whole anti-racism cause
is undermined.
Guilford needs to make a distinc
tion between offering a "safe" place
for students to discuss their feel
ings and beliefs, and offering a
place for employees to analyze
other employees in terms of racial
predilection or even prejudice. I
know that colleagues at one or
more Anti-Racism Initiative meet
ings have scrutinized me in these
terms. That is unjustifiable, and it is
wrong.
I have a right to be treated as an
individual, without prejudice to my
sex or ethnicity.
I have a right to have my words
analyzed on their own merits.
I have a right to speak out for
transparency and evidence, without
having my job threatened, without
having my co-workers cair for my
dismissal.
I have a right not to be harassed
by my co-workers, in person or
behind my back.
I have a right to be informed
immediately and in writing when
any such offenses take place.
I have a right to be anti-racist,
without professing this Anti-Racist
Initiative.
And I have a right not to have to
attend forums and meetings after
voicing these observations and
concerns.
The atmosphere at Guilford
sometimes feels like a witch-hunt,
and in the interests of transparency
and openness, I would rather field
written responses, preferably pub
lished. Fair and open treatment is a
fundamental guardian of progres
sivism. Racism will not be stamped
out by backroom backstabbing.
That kind of behavior needs to stop
now.
Working together, we can combat
prejudice, and promote harmony.
We can resist inequity, and
increase opportunity. We can cele
brate diversity, and cultivate our
shared humanity.
Jeff Vanke
FORUM
Staff Compilation
Guilford students frequently strut
their stuff around campus in the buff.
But whether sunbathing or streaking,
community members have varying
opinions regarding how much is too
much to expose. We asked students
to sound off on campus nudity.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with
being naked. You are born naked, you
die naked, bathe naked, and make
love naked. If you can't be comfortable
with a naked body, that's a bad thing.
James Cliff is a Sophomore
"There are only a few streakers on
campus, but Guilford gets the reputa
tion for being full of naked people."
Amalie Malochee is a Senior
"I feel strongly that nudity is 0.K."
Max Scott is a First-Year
Sound Off
SEPT 5, 2003
WWW.GUILFORDIAN.COM
"People have the right to do what
they want with their bodies, but peo
ple should be respectful of the feel
ings of those around them."
Ricky Gandhi is a Senior
a|H|
"I like being naked!"
Annie Erbsen is a sophomore
jffe.
"People do it all the time, but I don't
pay attention to it. Seeing a bunch of
guys naked all the time would make
me uncomfortable, but it doesn't real
ly matter."
Chris Gammon is a Sophomore