[423] in Discussion of MIT-community interests
Re: Segregation on Campus
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Zhelinrentice L Scott)
Tue May 1 11:15:10 2001
Message-Id: <200105011514.LAA17255@ten-thousand-dollar-bill.mit.edu>
To: Alex Coventry <alex_c@MIT.EDU>, mit-talk@MIT.EDU
In-Reply-To: Your message of "01 May 2001 10:40:29 EDT."
<etd3dap6ski.fsf@cutter-john.mit.edu>
Date: Tue, 01 May 2001 11:14:36 -0400
From: Zhelinrentice L Scott <zlscott@MIT.EDU>
Let's get something clear here: I am a proud black woman.
I also am a firm believer in the salad bowl view of the world.
Not a melting pot, but a salad bowl. Everyone has their culture and
whatever that they define that to be. I must confess that there
are things that I don't like about being black, but there
are things that I do like as well. I have chosen to take
my fill from the buffet of african american culture and leave
the rest for someone else to partake of.
My point about Sourav's attitude is that he hasn't found 1 thing he
likes about being South East Asian and so he had decided to reject
it all and be bitter. I think that is a wrong thing to do an it
isn't too humanitarian at that.
So let me give you an example of what I don't like about african American
culture that I chose to reject.
When I grew up in Jr. High and High School I desperately wanted straight hair.
I thought that if I had straight hair like all the other black girls
then the guys would like me.
However, my hair when it was pressed or permed would not act right and
my senior year in High School I cut it ALL off. I know have a head full
of nearly shoulder length locs.
Now you see, some black people would be and are alarmed by me wearing my
head natural in locs like Lauryn Hill. However, I reject the african american
cultural norm that says that black women have to straighten their hair to
be beautiful.
Oh, another thing. I have a girlfriend who was raised by parents that
weren't her race. However she has decided how she will accept herself
her heritage and others. She is a wonderful person.
So Sourav:
Why can't you reject the music and embrace the dancing style or
the food? Please don't hate on your anscestors or your culture. That's
just not cool, and I am offended.
So that was that,
Zhe
An optimist who thinks different cultures can be preserved and have
a harmonious world too.
