<p>I'm reading reviews of colleges online, and one thing that I've read that greatly surprises me is all these people complaining about a lack of diversity on college campuses? A lack of non-Asian minorities? I think that's what they're talking about.</p>
<p>This has always been a curious thing to me. Now, I believe that all men are inherently equal, and in addition to that I believe there is no genetic lack of intelligence found in either blacks or those of predominantly Native American descent (such as many Latinos). In fact I will go as far as to say there are no differences between the races beyond physical differences. </p>
<p>However, what is shocking to me and something I never realized is just how many people believe that we have to represent a varied smattering of races at colleges. I used to think it was just elitists and self-serving minorities (who I don't blame) that thought this was a good idea, but I realize it's actually a common thought. I don't understand why? Does a variety of hues of skin and facial features to look at somehow improve your learning or social experience? If all the races are equal and inherently the same, how would having a bunch of different ones accomplish anything? </p>
<p>Maybe it's culture you're after. Different culture gennerally associated with different races. </p>
<p>Fine, though I will say you'll find as great diversity within races, regarding culture, than you will between races. White folk can range from prim and proper WASPs to working class Irish folk to overly-studious Pakistani (I don't care what the census says- Indians and Pakistanis are white according to scientists) doctors. Black folk can be poor country folk from the south or brilliant minds from the continent. Latinos can be the children of Mexican illegal immigrants or Argentine lawyers. </p>
<p>But let me play devil's advocate. I'll say that yes I do love the idea of diversity, but one thing I think is the antithesis of diversity is the generic "multi-cultural" school. It's boring and so not varied if every school has the same proportion of everyone. I don't want to have a little bit of every culture. I want a few major cultures I can really sink my teeth into. The best diversity is not a little bit of everyone but a lot of some people and a lot of some people there, so everywhere is a different experience.</p>
<p>I seriously want to have an affirmative action debate.</p>
<p>I think when you've actually gone to a school where you become a minority(and not just for a day), as opposed to being a part of the majority, do you really realize the huge difference in diversity that exists upon many races. That's not to limit races itself, it's the same thing between rich and poor, if the general student population is Upper Class or Upper middlec class, and 10 percent come from lower class or a poor background, that 10 percent alone will ADD Another point of view that people who are from upper middle class or upper class may have not experienced. </p>
<p>In one of my freshman english courses where we were analyzing an experimental anti play, one of the scenes consisted of a BEAR(as in the animal) receiving oral from a human boy. no one in the class had mentioned or thought of the possibility of the BEAR being a reference to gay culture where terms like "bear" are used to described fat older hairy gay men types. I'd like to think that had I not been there to add that diversity people wouldn't have been aware that the author may have been referencing gay culture's use of it.</p>
<p>In addition to that, it's ignorant to think that regardless of our own personal culture we dont generalize other cultures we dont understand, like it or not. Simply choosing to ignore that says a lot. I will admit I have generalized a lot of different cultures, but it took being in classes with people who weren't my skin color to learn about the differences between someone who was korean to someone who was japanese. or someone who was white and grew up in the south, to someone who was white and grew up in LA just like me. </p>
<p>So in general, it's not simply about races, it's about the fact that every single person brings diversity assuming they dont all come from the same culture. And a culture can immediately be local as in people living in LA, or more specific such as a person living in inner city LA(maybe watts/ktown) who is also hispanic, whose parents also didn't go to college, who is the first in his family/ancestors to go to college or to thhe complete opposite which could be a hispanic who grew up in la's brentwood/malibu/beverly hills area, whose parents have MBAs or Doctorates. There's a difference and it's not solely based on race.</p>
<p>you need diversity so you can understand and deal with people of that minority in the future. i moved from an all white / all asian city (irvine if you wanted to know) and i moved to a city that has more mexicans and blacks. although i dont like it, its a good experience for me because i know what to and not to say in front of blacks/mexicans and understand their cultures/behaviors better.</p>
<p>simply stating mexicans is inappropriate. there's a difference between all the cultures of hispanics/latinos. it's not just mexicans. thats like saying all asians are chinese.</p>
<p>at my school its simply just mexicans ; there are no other hispanics. what i said was not inappropriate because what i said was the truth and if the truth is inappropriate then go choke. you dont even know my high school so who the hell are you trying to correct me?</p>
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In one of my freshman english courses where we were analyzing an experimental anti play, one of the scenes consisted of a BEAR(as in the animal) receiving oral from a human boy. no one in the class had mentioned or thought of the possibility of the BEAR being a reference to gay culture where terms like "bear" are used to described fat older hairy gay men types. I'd like to think that had I not been there to add that diversity people wouldn't have been aware that the author may have been referencing gay culture's use of it.
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<p>Am I one of the only people here that would be beyond uncomfortable reading a play such as this in a freshman level course?</p>
<p>^ i think that person meant freshman course in college. But I agree, i dont know what kind of person/people would think about a play involving oral sex, a boy, homosexuality, and an old man.</p>
<p>Who cares if it's freshman level of college? That's only a year out of HS, and probably a general-ed class that a lot of students that aren't really interested in something as...uhhh..."engaging" as that may be. It makes it seem like the course is trying to be edgy for the sake of going "WHOA YOU'RE NOT IN HIGH SCHOOL ANYMORE! HERE IN COLLEGE WE GET TO BE ALL NONCONFORMAL AND DARING!"</p>
<p>^ i am just trying to defend the guy who saw that play lol. ok maybe he was a freshman in graduate school??</p>
<p>We're called first years and not freshmen (since the amount of time it takes to finish grad school is a bit more amorphous than undergrad). :p</p>
<p>ok fine maybe he just made it up.</p>
<p>OP, if you want to have an AA debate, just go to this thread <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/441477-fastest-growing-ethnic-category-great-colleges-race-unknown.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/441477-fastest-growing-ethnic-category-great-colleges-race-unknown.html</a> (though I doubt you or anyone else will have a new argument to bring to the table... AA-talk about your beaten dead horse... :/).
For the record, when I hear people complain about the lack of diversity on college campuses, they are not just pointing out the racial/ethnic "disparities"-quite often, it's more or less an issue of "class".</p>
<p>I didn't make it up.. I was in an honors program at my former school, so I ddin't have to take the general curriculum of freshman level english that most kids do. Look up antiplays and experimental fiction. Anti-plays are the complete opposite of what traditional plays are. FYI the book we used if you guys are so interested is called and can be located at Amazon.com:</a> From the Other Side of the Century II: A New American Drama 1960-1995 (Sun & Moon Classics): Douglas Messerli, Mac Wellman: Books That play of the bear and the human, was one of many plays. Not solely what the class was about. </p>
<p>Westside playa, please inform me of what school it is or what area you moved to. I have lived about one mile north of usc's campus my whole life. So I know it's not all mexicans. To generalize even when there might be someone from el salvador or south america living in that area that you call filled with mexicans is still inappropriate.</p>
<p>There are differences between races of people. That's my thesis.</p>
<p>Speaking of diversity, I'm going to be a minority for the first time in my life next year at UC Riverside, haha. I'm white by the way.</p>
<p>A little intimidating, but I'm sure I'll become a greater person because of it, etc. etc.</p>
<p>Or maybe I'll just become a blatant racist, who knows?</p>