To begin with, I'm not certain which "deviant sexual proclivities" you're referring to, so perhaps you could clarify a little more of what you meant by this.
Multiculturalism and Diversity are both tough issues, but not the same thing as you defined at the beginning of your post. And while it can be frustrating try to climb this slippery slope, I think you've possibly understated the similar goals of Diversity and Multiculturalism and their impacts. While most of us would like to live in a world where race, culture, gender et. al. were not important, we don't. And you don't get there faster by simply acting as if there isn't a problem. Racism is not simply looking at the world through colored lenses. As with sexism and other forms of institutionalized prejudice it has to do with power and access. Racism has to do with systematic oppression and marginalization. Multiculturalism is an attempt to provide equal footing for all cultures, to insure that when we talk about matters of importance, education and policy, etc. everyone has a seat at the table. It is by no means perfect, but it is the best until people don't have to be taught. When you figure out how to do this successfully, I will support the discarding of such initiatives. Case in point, we're in the beginning of Black History month. Now from a sociological point of view, we shouldn't have it. It should be done away with, because it isn't really Black History, it's History, period. It doesn't just belong to or impact Black people only, it affects everyone. But most classes and textbooks don't teach about SNCC, Scientific Colonialism, and the origins of HBCUs among other things, and so they have to be compelled to do it in the shortest month of the year. And then we put those textbooks back away on March 1st for another 11months. Our society is already segmented into color and culture boxes. The only way to move outside of these boxes is to teach people, especially children, that race and culture and other characteristics should not be the defining criteria in making decisions, choosing policy, etc.; which is part of what you're saying. The part you're missing from the argument and solution is that they are already used, and to a disadvantage of people of color and different ethnic and cultural groups. The only way to truly eradicate the problem is to first have an accurate assessment of negative situation and second to place equal weight on the input and understanding of all cultures so that none are sidelined or marginalized. Only then can you realistically talk about eliminating the sociological construct that is race. This is what multiculturialism is about. Racial and cultural identities do exist, not because someone wants to glorify race and institutionalize separatism, but because we are all different and we come from different groups and cultures with different traditions, and because a long time ago one group decided it was better than another and systematically oppressed another. We still are impacted by this decision today. It is unfair to celebrate only some of those traditions and allow the others to be marginalized. As Americans we celebrate Thanksgiving and take a couple of days off, but approach it from a Native American perspective and it's a different remembrance. July 4th is Independence Day, but in 1776 African Americans were 3/5ths a person and still considered property, and women little better. On March 17th people fill the bars and sing songs to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but how many really know who he was and what he did to deserve the recognition. This is what multiculturalism is, educating about the differences between cultures, discarding and correcting the misrepresentation of facts, and pulling people together under a banner of their similarities while showing that this is not hampered by the differences that exist. If you truly want to eliminate the racial and cultural barriers that exist, you have to begin by teaching the value that each culture and group brings to the table. This has not been the case to date. And there is no better place to do this than in the school system. Integrating this education will go a long way to bringing about understanding and helping our children and society to succeed. Jonathan Palmer Stevens Square-Loring Heights _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
