Racism comes from ignorance\nI want to start out with a quote that I feel everyone should reflect on and consider: "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." So I would like for Warren Christopher Freiberg to go back to that article he wrote about Black History Month being racist (March 2) and think about these powerful words by Anaïs Nin (of whom I am sure you are totally unaware). Think about reflecting on yourself when you are saying "Black History Month is racist". \nWhen you said that all this celebrating of black people only brings tension, again, think about that quote. Racism only derives from sheer ignorance, and clearly, that is where you are coming from. I am appalled that the IDS even published this article, but then again, it gives the outside readers intelligence to maybe help those who don't know any better. I hope you learn something from this, and I hope to see an apology to the public about this article. You are a white male; that means you are among the privileged. Your skin and gender make life easier; therefore, you would never understand what it feels like to be among the oppressed in this country, would you? You are blinded by your privileges -- you and a lot of other white men in this country. Any oppressed group in this country should celebrate their lives, not only for who they are, but for claiming empowerment and dignity. By saying the things that you have said, whether you know it or not, you are trying to push them down and take that empowerment and dignity away from them. \nBigotry is not something we want lingering around anymore; this is the 21st century, after all. So you can choose to go back and eat your mayonnaise and act as if the world really is a melting pot, or you can choose to no longer be blinded by your privileges and walk outside and open your eyes to what is really there. \nMargaret Belton\nSenior
One month not long enough\nI am writing in response to Mr. Freiberg's claim that "Black History Month is racist" (March 2). Mr. Freiberg seems to view a cultural celebration of African-Americans and their achievements as a burden. While I agree that Black History Month is a sad display, I believe this for different reasons. To place things in perspective, we must look at America's treatment of African-Americans. We speak of a people who were stolen from their homes and stripped of their culture, language and religious practices; in short, everything that was life as they knew it. Then, after 200 years of toil and oppression, they are given freedom only to see it slowly eroded by a series of laws designed to continue their separation and segregation from mainstream society. \nFor me, the most telling story of the history of racism in America is that only 50 years ago, African-American blood was kept separate from Caucasian blood in hospitals. While Mr. Freiberg is right in that we should move forward with a positive attitude toward the future, one must look to the past to get one's bearings. The only problem with Black History Month is that it is only a month long, and people like Mr. Freiberg take it as an opportunity to lament having to hear the achievements of a people who faced the greatest of obstacles and came through, showing a great degree of resilience and fortitude.\nJoshua Henderson\nSenior
Month needed for education\nIn reflection of the article published March 2, Chris Freiberg wrote about a racist month, using hidden racial methods to try to get his point across. However, Freiberg loses the notion that the month is centered on learning history about a certain culture that is widely underrepresented, such as Latino and Asian cultures. This article exclaims the belief that prejudice, racism, as well as hate for darkness of skin color is no longer relevant. \nI feel the article has no merit and proved that the writer has some racial anguish himself. If things were in reverse and this month was called "White History Month," and a minority said the things that this person said, it would have caused a major uproar, and possibly, more racial tension. There is already a "race" problem on this campus with the people objecting to the mural that is in Woodburn Hall. I am just getting sick and tired of people subjecting themselves to bring up notions that this is an "equal" society. Idealistically, things would be equal for every race and color; however, we do not live in an idealistic world.\nThis is 2005 -- less than 200 years of being considered free in this society. On the other hand, only in the 1960s did a lot of the "equality" start to exist. In 40 years, there is no "equality," just people who are afraid to realize what the truth is and that they want to hide behind it. There is no way that one month can honestly replace 365 years of enslavement; it might be a start, but there is a long way to go. \nThis article was just a lack of knowledge, lack of education and shadowed racism. Finishing off, what was his thing with mayo? That entire statement about mayo is a stereotype that black people don't eat mayo; then, he destroys George Washington Carver's name when he did more than just discover a way to make peanut butter, but peanuts are used for medicine and baby food. History is what it is, but time is needed so history that is considered less important isn't forgotten; comments like the one within this article proves that only one Black History Month is not enough. \nGeorge Walker\nSenior
Immigrants exploited\nI am writing in response to the article titled "Immigration nation" by Edward Delp (March 2). I would first like to comment that as a white male in this country, when I hear immigration criticized -- legal or illegal -- I normally hear this criticism from white people. I think the issue that most people in this country have with immigration is not that they are taking away jobs from Americans. I believe that it, instead, is white America's fear that one day, they will wake up and not live in their white America. That they might have to send their child to a school where they are the only white kid in their class, or that they might have to live in a suburban neighborhood where they are the only white family. \nI also must comment on the two statements that illegal immigrants take American jobs and that they are sucking up the social welfare system. First, illegal immigrants tend to work in jobs that Americans will not fill: The meat-packing industry because of its danger; agriculture because of its physical labor; and working in kitchens or cleaning because we feel we are too good for these jobs. If we were to deport every illegal immigrant in this country, many of our industries and businesses that our economy so heavily relies upon would shut down. \nSecondly, I would like to comment on the fact that illegal immigrants cannot be sucking up the welfare system. Illegal immigrants are not allowed to get government financial aid for school, be on TANF (welfare) or section 8 housing. Illegal immigrants do not come into this country to live off the system or to take jobs from Americans. They come here to work, to escape abject poverty and hunger and to make a better life for their families. Who can blame them for this? If anything, we should be passing laws to protect them from exploitation as an expendable labor force, not trying to get rid of a huge portion of the population that contributes to our country and helps our economy to thrive.\nMonte Simonton\nBloomington resident
Black history needs special focus\nI think the idea that "Black History Month is racist" is a very strong statement to be made. The article in the IDS on Wednesday, March 2, actually insulted me as an African-American and others around me. Black history is important because black history is not very well mentioned in the history books in high school. I surely don't get upset that the history books recognize the culture of white people, and only a little part of the history includes history about African-Americans, which talks about the life of slavery. \nI am a freshman in college, and I can't say that in high school my history class talked about the accomplishments of African-Americans. Only the life of slavery was mentioned, and names like Harriet Tubman and George Washington Carver, when there were so many other important African-American cultural events. From my point of view, if some haven't noticed that African-Americans are still undermined and discriminated against and that the little accomplishments made from the culture is important. I don't think at all it is selfish for the young African-American generation to hear and learn about their culture for 28 days, which, I recall, is the shortest month of the year. \nI only don't think that there should be a month for African-Americans, but I feel the same for other cultures such as Latinos. So maybe someone who is not African-American wouldn't understand, but I don't think Black History is racist, and after the shortest month in the year, many African-Americans don't hear about the history of blacks until February arrives again!\nKeira Kimbrough\nFreshman
Column title is harsh\nWhen I read the article titled "Black History Month is racist," I agreed with a lot of the things that Warren Freiberg had to say about black history month. I agree that we shouldn't set a specific time aside to show honor to the blacks who contributed to our nation as we know it today because we would always talk about them in history if they had major accomplishments, just as we do whites. Freiberg stated that "there is no such thing as black history, Latino history, or white history ... there is just history." I agree with this statement strongly because if you are known in history, you usually aren't known for the color of your skin or your ethnic background. I also agree that setting aside a month for black history makes a view that whites are still oppressors of minorities, when in reality, slavery and things of that nature aren't going on in our country today. \nThe one thing that I don't like about the article is the title. "Black History Month is racist" is a harsh title that definitely misleads the onlooker into thinking that the writer is a complete racist who dislikes blacks, when really, he is just trying to get his point across on the subject.\nRyan Waldon\nFreshman
