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Volume CXXXIII, Number 15 |
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After the Pub, now what?
To the Editors:
Last Thursday night at the Pub the Af-Am Society held a campus-wide coffeehouse. Consequently, the Pub was jam-packed; the performances were well put-together and ranged from bits of poetry and song to comedy. It seemed-at least through the first third of the program-that something different was happening this year than in prior years: the Bowdoin campus was actually coming together under the common banner of dignity and equal opportunity for all human beings (specifically across race lines) that Black History Month is supposed to uphold.
However, as the evening progressed, humanity gradually dissipated out of Jack Magee's. Many-or rather, enough-"white" students came drunk or drank at the bar and used the excuse of inebriation to say and do some incredibly harmful, and at times racially prejudiced things. Similarly, many-or rather, enough-"black" students at the coffeehouse did very little to make sure that the "celebration" in the pub maintained an air of dignity and respect for all people of color (and this includes "white" people).
While it is not constructive to go about campus in utter silence or in hiding as I think many "white" people do when it comes to issues of race at Bowdoin, to close one's mind and misname and/or misunderstand people and situations as racist as many "black" people do if there is disagreement with regard to issues of race at Bowdoin is also not conducive to having a dialogue.
How can there ever be comfort at Bowdoin if the vast majority of students, faculty, and staff are too indifferent or afraid or indignant to candidly talk and respectfully LISTEN about issues of race? There is indubitably more potential for diversity at Bowdoin now than ever before in its history- we need only to begin asking questions about things we do not understand instead of letting them fester in our heads until apathy and silent intolerance betray logic.
This is not to say that there will not be resistance on the part of those who seduce themselves with the "blame/guilt game," or that some will not encounter conceptual/emotional limits based upon differences in background and upbringing; but rather, it is to put forth that to sit silently or stand indignantly or sleepwalk indifferently will only continue to stunt the potential for bringing out and celebrating the truly diverse community that Bowdoin can be.
If you've read this far and you're offended, I apologize. I made such sweeping generalizations, because, in general, that is what I see. This is not to say that what has happened and is going on at Bowdoin as far as race relations are concerned (especially at the Pub last Thursday) is not much more complicated than how I have very briefly scripted it; but rather, it is to suggest that for the good and the bad whatever this campus laid witness to last week at Bowdoin, as a community, needs to concentrate on not where we have been, though it is valuable and should not be forgotten, but where we can go.
Sincerely,
Haliday Douglas '05
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