[243] in Discussion of MIT-community interests
Re: Richard's comments
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (rax)
Fri Apr 27 13:37:34 2001
Message-Id: <200104271731.NAA07040@department-of-alchemy.mit.edu>
To: Zhelinrentice L Scott <zlscott@MIT.EDU>
cc: mit-talk@MIT.EDU, iguanatw@MIT.EDU, marilee@MIT.EDU, larryben@MIT.EDU,
paulp@MIT.EDU, rax@MIT.EDU
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Fri, 27 Apr 2001 12:04:54 EDT."
<200104271604.MAA16816@scrubbing-bubbles.mit.edu>
Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2001 13:31:40 -0400
From: rax <rax@MIT.EDU>
Zhe - I don't know you, so I may be completely off base, but here's what
I think about this. You raise some good points, but also say a couple of things
that sadden me somewhat.
>I agree with Richard. I am an african american woman who came from
>a high school where I was the top in my class. I had a perfect
>GPA with AP Chemistry, Biology, History, and other AP's under my belt.
>I was Long Beach's Young Woman of the Year, and I competed on the State
>level for California's Junior Miss(An intellectual version of the
>Ms. America pageants), I was an accomplished violinist, and track athelete.
>I also was very active in my community.
I was a white homosexual male who played freshman football twice because he
was so unathletic :) We know you're spiffy; there's no need to defend yourself
here. Remember that - it becomes important later.
>Professors and students here at MIT have said many things during my
>MIT career that was racist and sexist. I find it offensive that my
>presence here at MIT is constantly questioned directly and indirectly.
>Especially after I am a double major, about to graduate successfully
>with 2 BS from MIT. This racist feeling and talk makes me upset,
>and drives me to work even harder. My mother was not lying when she
>said that, "A Black person has to work 10X harder than a white person
>to make it in this world". I have met white students who
>have a 3.0 average who feel that they have more right to be here than
>I do, a black woman with a B+ average at MIT. I find that although
>I love MIT and the opportunities it has afforded me, I find it dissappointing
>that even individuals in the faith community feel that I, and others
>like me are "less motivated, and less qualified to be here".
I am intensely disappointed tha you have felt this way, and that there are
students and professors who make you feel this way.
I may travel in different social circles - (EC, ESG, Senior House, etc) but I
have found my peers and professros in the great majority supportive of all
those around me - whether it be that I regularly wear women's clothing to
classes and MIT events, or that my friend down the hall is African-American.
Your experiences confuse me - not that I don't believe you - because they don't
line up with the MIT I have seen in my first year here.
>YES I have taken this crap for 4 years, and life has lots more of it.
>I know that the shit that life dishes out if inevitable.
>However I believe in every ounce of my being that MIT(students, admins, profs)
>have to take leadership roles in debunking the racist, sexist, and homophobic
>attitudes that individuals here hold based on LIES.
>You shall know the truth, and the truth shall and will set you free.
Ok... here's _*The Point*_ that I'm trying to work up to.
For me personally, when I got here, I would have been offended and hurt if
I felt that peers or professors were acting homophobic toward me. Now, I
would just say "Their loss."
Since coming here, I have become comfortable with who I am. It's a great
feeling. From the way you - and others on this list - have felt the need to
vocally and repeatedly defend what you are ("I am a Christian," "I am an
Objectivist," whatever) I would suggest you might not fully - inside yourself -
believe that this doesn't make you worse than other people.
If this is the case, I suggest you work at finding this place, because it's
a lot more fun to live this way. It's a great feeling to be badmouthed, hated
and lambasted, and then just shrug, smile and walk off. Completely not caring.
Knowing "the truth" that you reference - You are no less than any other.
(Or, I might be totally wrong. But maybe it'l be useful to someone.)
rax
"Always as near as makes no matter to being brainless...
no past, no traditions and no memories" (O'Faolain 144)
