LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Randomized Injustice

To the Editor: Human nature is human nature, and we will always seek out those who are like ourselves, and those we feel comfortable with. This cannot be changed with one sweeping structural change to the residential structure on campus. The campus community itself is not prepared for such a move. The current campus social climate does not encourage cross-cultural experiences, nor does it sufficiently support students who seek out different friends or social groups. White and Black students, alike, who chose to socialize with, and/or learn about other groups are often ostracized or criticized by their peers in both communities, having to explain themselves and their choices. Forcing us to live together will not solve this. It is important to remember that desegregation only works by choice. In addition, the administration cannot force minority students to live with white students, anymore than they can force white students to take a "Racism 101." Who is the University to say that, "if you are a minority and you come to Penn, you will have to spend 12 hours a week in class, with all of your additional free time outside the classroom spent educating misinformed and ignorant white students about racism and your culture, because it is too expensive and controversial for us to do it." Mandating randomized housing is an abuse of power. The Commission talked to lots of students to see how they feel about randomized housing, but has used its power to ignore the voice of the minority students who were opposed to the plan. Even if the University chooses to implement this program against the will of a significant portion of students, it will create more problems than it is seeking to alleviate. Before we are randomized, we must all be on some sort of common ground. Currently, there is too much ignorance, apathy and intolerance within the student body for an experiment like this to work. At present, people do not want to live with different racial groups. Just look at the homogeneity of upper class community-living programs, and also the low number of white freshmen still living in DuBois House after they were randomly assigned there in the fall. How can we force blacks to live with whites, when whites will not take comparable steps to live with blacks? How would the majority of white students feel if the University all of a sudden told them that they would be randomly assigned to the DuBois College House, or East Asia House? It doesn't sound as fair when the tables are turned, does it? It's hard enough to get along with a roommate you have a lot in common with, let alone one with whom the only thing you share is being assigned to become best friends and solve the world's racial problems. Randomized Housing will not work at this point on Penn's campus, because the climate is not right. We must first have the skills to fight racism, before we are sent into battle. We need to be armed with education and supportive social and academic environments. At present, we lack these vital weapons. It is true that given a chance to act for change, the community should seize it. However, we cannot let this act be misguided and presumptuous. We cannot let a program that is incomplete and imbalanced be implemented in place of other structural changes. We must first take some alternate steps to bring us all closer to that common ground, or we will all lose in that leap of faith. JOANNA PAUL College '95 (Currently Abroad) Member, Commission On Strengthening the Community Working Group