LETTER: USU not religiously diverse
To the editor:
I joke that I came to USU for the cultural experience. I grew up in Palo Alto, Calif., the heart of Silicon Valley. It is impossible to go a day without seeing someone of a different race of religion – Palo Alto is such a mix of so many different religions and ethnicities that the culture has evolved into one that incorporates the traditions, foods and even sayings from other places.
When I came to USU, I expected there to be less diversity than Palo Alto. I was aware of how fortunate I was, growing up in such a diverse community. However, I found myself to be unprepared for not only the lack of representation of different ethnic or religious groups, but also the accepted stereotypes and negative comments towards people of other backgrounds that people hear and say without blinking an eye.
I am Jewish. I could write a book about some of the responses I’ve gotten when I tell people that. The least of which is, “Really?” I feel, as part of group that is so underrepresented, that I must act “perfectly” in the eyes of others. I am the first Jewish person many people have met, and may be the last. I don’t want to leave anyone with a sour taste of the Jewish faith.
I must respectfully disagree that USU is religiously diverse. The groups described in the recent article on increasing religious diversity are mostly Christian. Yes, there is growing Christian diversity on campus, but Christianity is not the only religion in the world. It saddens me still that the Muslim Student Union was mentioned briefly, but with it a comment on how hard it was to practice Islam after 9/11. It shouldn’t be hard to practice any religion on campus. An accepting and diverse community would prove to be an easy environment to practice whatever religion people choose.
I love USU. I love Logan. I love how people are friendly and generous. Yet, claiming an increase of religious diversity at USU is false. Christian diversity maybe, but the people of Logan, and the people who read The Statesman have the right to be well-informed and aware that religious diversity can go beyond Christian diversity. It can extend to religions from all over the world, like Islam and Judaism.
– Ilana Kornfeld