COLUMN: Bridging the gulf of ignorance

From Eric Goldstein's, "Upon Further Review," Fall '97 From Eric Goldstein's, "Upon Further Review," Fall '97Most of Penn's campus will go about business as usual today, as if it was just another Monday. A few students and faculty may decide to flip on the television to catch a few minutes of Bill Clinton's inauguration ceremonies. More than a few will try to catch up on some reading after already finding themselves a week behind in their classes, just seven days into the semester. That is not to say nothing is being done. A coalition of students, professors, administrators and other University employees have worked tirelessly to put together a program to remember the vision of Dr. King. The series of events, which began last Monday, has included a lecture by a prominent civil rights attorney, a discussion on citizenship and volunteerism and an anti-violence vigil. Today's activities include a breakfast at the W.E.B. DuBois College House, an afternoon program featuring a speech by University chaplain Rev. William Gipson and an evening program headlined with a keynote address by Rev. Calvin Butts from Harlem's Abyssinian Baptist Church. In addition to his work as a national civil rights leader, Butts co-chairs the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS and is an outspoken critic of tobacco and alcohol companies, which he says target minorities with their advertising. Another important area addressed by Penn's Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Planning Committee is what to do on the other 364 days of the year. Realizing that King's fight was not a once-a-year affair, the "Other than Monday" Committee was formed to preserve King's ideals after the attention surrounding the King holiday dies down. Although the list of activities planned for last year's Martin Luther King, Jr. Day program was just as impressive as this year's, the celebration was a major failure in one obvious way. As Julius Chambers, chancellor of North Carolina Central University, pointed out in his keynote address, more than 90 percent of the audience was African American. This is despite the fact that more than 90 percent of our student population is not African American. The lack of attention paid to the King holiday by the non-black community is disturbing. King was not a black rights leader, but a civil rights leader. By ensuring his constituency was provided due process, suffrage and equal access to public facilities, King reaffirmed the values the Constitution is based on. Ms. King was not specifically making reference to race relations here at Penn, but her words are equally appropriate for this community as for society as a whole. Last semester featured a number of debates relating directly to African Americans on campus, including minority permanence and randomized housing. The campus has also reexamined the merits of DuBois House. Although the African-American living-learning program was formed four years after the assassination of King, its existence continues to be a source of controversy. Students who choose to live in DuBois are often accused of segregating themselves from the larger Penn community (i.e. the white community). The truth is, of course, that the majority of those who oppose the existence of DuBois have never stepped inside the building, never actually talked to a resident and never examined the programs offered. It is this type of ignorance to which Ms. King refers. The best way to honor Dr. King's work is to continue it in his absence. So I offer this two-part challenge to the University community. First, don't allow another Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to pass without taking advantage of the wide array of programs, speeches and discussions that have been organized. Second, discard any opinions you have formed about DuBois, and take an hour out of your schedule to visit the house. Then and only then will we be able to bridge " the gulf of mistrust and ignorance that keeps us from learning from each other."