Problems or Possibilities?

Since the commentary in the Cowl, I've thought about how people continue to frame diversity. It made me recall a professor that I knew who asked, “Can we see diversity more as possibilities than problems?” It was refreshing to be reminded of the inherent goodness and value of diversity. In truth  don’t believe anyone would really argue against the value of diversity. All we have to do is to walk around our own campus and anticipate the beauty of spring in the flora and fauna. Indeed, the possibilities are truly endless when we consider the breadth and depth of the diversity that surrounds us and is in us whether we "see" it or not.I
Yet I’ll speak more directly about the most common definition for diversity, which is about race. The “problem” isn't diversity in itself; rather it’s about ascribed power and privilege based on race, the daily barrage of images and stories in our media, and the weight of our common history as citizens of this nation that continues to perpetuate these stereotypes. If we are honest, we truly believe these “stories” we tell about each other and about ourselves. The common refrain is “stereotypes must have a grain of truth to exist.” Maybe so but it doesn't take much to bust a stereotype or reinforce one for that matter.

In a film I showed last semester, "Race: The Power of An Illusion," we learn that race is a social construct and not biological but it’s still the most salient characteristic of our society. That is, it’s real and, yes, it really makes a difference in our relationships, in our workplaces, in our neighborhoods, in our businesses, in our schools and in our churches whether we realize it or not.

Racial diversity and racism are the most difficult and controversial issues for us in the United States as well as for our campus. We don’t talk about it or preach about it. When was the last time you heard a homily or sermon about the sin of racism? In the racial justice study class that I used to teach, the students’ fear of being misunderstood and of being judged was so great that those fears became the great divide. Th e silence was nearly deafening at times. Even in a class intended to talk about race, students and me realized how very difficult, painful and even (and often) personal it is to broach these issues. We were (and are) indeed a microcosm of our society.

So why talk about it if it’s so hard? Who really benefits? I suppose it would be easier to focus on the celebration of diversity or as Tim Wise, author and white anti-racist commentator, sardonically describes as “food, festival and fabric.” But for me to get beyond my own racial prejudices, I need to listen to other stories: stories that counteract my stereotypes, and stories that belie my beliefs about “the other.” It’s imperative for me to discover and accept the complexities of racial/ethnic/cultural identity, to share my own story, and to have the courage to lovingly confront when I encounter racially biased attitudes, misinformed opinions and discriminatory action however unintentional they may be.

So, problems or possibilities? For me it’s “and/both.” It’s talk and action. It’s you the individual and it’s you the system. It’s me and it’s you. It’s despair and hope. Gandhi once said, “Be the change you want to see.” With God’s help, wisdom, and perseverance let us take on the challenge of bringing about the fullness of the promise of our nation, “life, liberty and justice for all.”