COLUMN: Diversity is not just a ‘buzz-word’
I’d first of all like to offer my earnest admiration and thanks to Tagg Archibald as well as his committee, for their most civil dedication to registering the vote; that there won’t be actualized social equity for our country’s citizens until we each take individual onus to become educated voters who vote. And, I implore of all who read this today: Employ your suffrage that’s been sought at the costs of freedom and death, and vote Tuesday!
I had a professor who once said he thought diversity and multiculturalism were really just “buzz terms” – and for the apathetic among us they might be, but my point of discussion regards the context with which we consider these terms. Surely, when one speaks of diversity they could be speaking of diversity among fruit – apples, oranges, etc. – but to bring definition to terms we should discuss diversity in terms of multiculturalism: the celebration of all cultures. By considering diversity in terms of culture we consider diversity not among fruit but among people, and moreover, diversity within cultural context.
Similarly, one of the most integral portions of any introductory art class pertains to perspective and the value of depth – where, by enhancing our individual perspectives, specific attention to terminology reveals both our apathies and concerns. Are we to elevate our frames of mind, we’d begin using words like ethnicity in place of race, as race is merely a socially constructed term intended to have been a divisive distinction. There is only one race – the human race – and as mentioned in Race: The Power of An Illusion, two penguins have more genetic difference than any two humans do (this three-part documentary that will show in the TSC Sunburst Lounge this Wednesday: Part I at 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., Part II at 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. and Part III at 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.).
Another commonly used word is acceptance, as referring to differences among people, although such a word counter-poses poorly against a principle of appreciation; where the former term doesn’t effort to quell stereotypes but moves rather to merely “accept” someone, and the latter term requires relating with someone and allows us to “appreciate” one another regardless of whether we agree or not. We can learn so much from each other, but the difference between how and how much we learn is directly affected by whether we walk through life accepting or appreciating each other. And with enhancing our individual perspectives, rather than inhabiting narrow frames of mind, we’ll be able to better realize how cultural diversity will always be crucial to the vitality of our communities.
I encourage everyone to check out the Diversity Week 2004 activities listed in the Up Front of today’s Utah Statesman, come appreciate the richness of diversity we have at our university and most importantly to cultivate an open-minded perspective with regard to life.
Gabe Carter is the ASUSU diversity vice president. Comments can be sent to carterdh@yahoo.com.