LETTERS: Preserving one's own culture

To the Editor: I know the benefits of being able to spend time with people who share your culture. Especially during our first year in Australia, my family and I often sought the company of other Americans to discuss things we missed about home and to share our thoughts about the aspects of Australian culture that seemed strange to us. By associating with other Americans, we were not rejecting Australians or their culture. These gatherings just helped us to come to terms with it. Being part of a group of Americans also gave us the opportunity to celebrate our own culture, whether we were sharing Thanksgiving dinner or throwing Super Bowl parties. Is it not possible that the presence of DuBois offers African Americans similar opportunities to strengthen their own culture while exploring others? Spending time with people of your own culture is an essential part of discovering what that culture constitutes -- of what makes it different from, as well as similar to, other cultures. I was not looked down upon for choosing to spend time with other Americans while in Australia. The same should apply to African Americans and all groups of different backgrounds who choose to associate together at Penn. If certain people choose to live, eat, play, sleep or watch the Super Bowl together, that is their business. Rather than wasting time contemplating ways to "dilute" the presence of racial groups on campus, we should be focusing our efforts on improving their opportunities to thrive in Penn's community. If that means providing specialized housing, so be it. Katrin Fraser College '00 Living together To the Editor: White people! Where are you? I can't see you. Why must you separate yourselves? I need to see more white faces in the East Asia House and the Latin-American Living-Learning program in High Rise East. And heaven knows I can't find you in W. E.B. Du Bois College House. Isn't it evident that by isolating yourselves in the Quad and in Hill you are not taking full advantage of the diversity we have on campus? Expand your horizons. You've been emersed in European culture all your life. How about a new experience? Come live with us. We won't bite. Mayhaps we'd all get along and everything would be happy, happy, joy, joy! Imagine! Don't be afraid. Come on. Mingle. Cornelius Adetiba Engineering '99