Elon's 'minority segregation' not as divided as some think

Jason Pressberg / Columnist

In last week's issue of the Pendulum, opinion columnist Charlie Remy expressed his thoughts on Elon's common experience of having black and white students seem to be somewhat separated. While there is no doubt that Charlie meant well in pointing out the failings of our campus and to truly have minority students feel welcome, he stated some things that are simply wrong.

For example, Charlie discusses the institutions at our school that he believes contribute to this division such as the Greek system. Charlie wrote in his article, "Fraternities and sororities are deeply segregated and the minorities which exist in the white sororities/fraternities are tokens." This just simply isn't true. The fraternity I belong to has black, Jewish and openly gay members, and none of us are tokens for our minority group and are respected as equals within the fraternity. Charlie continues by encouraging that "fraternities and sororities change their attitudes and make it more welcoming for non-whites to want to join their organization." Charlie has completely contradicted himself with these two statements. First, he puts down all minorities involved in Greek life by calling us tokens, and then advocates that more minorities join, following a change in attitude by the Greeks themselves.

Charlie is not involved in Greek life and therefore cannot understand what it is to be Greek. Additionally, each Greek organization is different, and no one can understand them individually unless they are a member. Greek life would benefit from being more open to minorities, but complaining about it and putting down the minorities that are Greek does not help anything, he is simply attacking myself and other minorities within Greek organizations.

Charlie then goes on to express his appreciation for the Gospel Choir having white members, stating that they "set a great example for other groups to follow in the goal of becoming more racially integrated." A friend of mine is one of those white students singing with the historically black Gospel Choir, and she became a member just like everyone else did: she joined. They didn't recruit her because she's white and wanted to make a diversity statement. Gospel Choir is open for any Elon student to join. Even students who are not great singers are allowed to become members and will be worked with to become better singers. The members of the Choir care more about the message of what they are singing than anything else. Whether or not a member is black or white is a complete non-issue. Gospel Choir has white members because white students wanted to sing, not because the Choir wanted white students.

Integration won't come from groups asking minorities to join because they are minorities, it will come the way it always has: from minorities earning their space, the way my friend did by being on the Gospel Choir.

Charlie's final advice is for students from the majority (white Christians) to "reach out," "say hi" and "invite [minorities] to sit with you." This is simply unrealistic. If the white Christians on this campus were to start coming up to random minority students and asking them to sit with them, this would either totally freak out the minority, make them feel like they were being pitied, or both. Charlie has good intentions in suggesting this, but it won't have the desired effect.

Elon is making progress with its minority involvement on campus, and many of us are doing the best we can to make it better. Simply complaining about it, putting down minorities that have been able to break through and coming up with suggestions that are most likely to scare people away is only making things worse. True diversity will come from hard work towards having the campus understand that the stereotypes we hold in our heads are not always true.

Jason Pressberg is writing on behalf of D.E.E.P., Diversity, Emerging Education Program.

Contact Jason Pressberg at pendulum@elon.edu or 278-7247.