Race talk: It's all in the slant

A "slant," as defined by the members of the Baha'i Association at Penn, is an opinion, a certain take on a given issue. And so the members of the fledgling group, which tries to promote the ideals of the Baha'i faith, encouraged the few students who attended their session Wednesday night at Civic House to literally develop their own "slant" -- speak, listen, acquire new thinking. An intimate party of five met in the living room to open discussion on "Bridging America's Racial Divide." The moderator was Shidon Lotfi, a researcher at Penn's School of Medicine. "Is racism a manifestation of a greater problem?" Lotfi asked. "If we want to bridge the racial divide, do we have to recognize each other as brothers and sisters?" To set the appropriate tone for addressing such issues, attendees first read excerpts from a speech given by civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. With the readings in mind, the participants attempted to bite into the tough topic of racism. "The only way racism can be perpetuated is if you choose to submit yourself to it," Wharton junior Brian Kelly said. The Wharton perspective was a definite presence at the event. Second-year Wharton graduate student Justin Greene-Roesel added to the talk her perspective on racism in America, from both personal and business school experience. Topics covered in Greene-Roesel's Urban Fiscal Policy class proved especially pertinent to the event's topic. She incorporated into her comments four links that exist between race and class qualities. According to Greene-Roesel, the American system as a whole, for instance, is often a place to throw blame for minority poverty. "[The system] is racist. People have a taste for racism [because] there's less conflict," Greene-Roesel explained. "The system perpetuates this lack of knowledge because there is this lack of communication." These ideas led to discussion of modern-day situations of segregation. "Voluntary segregation," as sociologists have coined the term, is an issue of interest to members of a college community. Perspectives on voluntary segregation were indeed varied. "Self-segregation, to some extent, is necessary," said Vesal Dini, a Physics graduate student. "Certain groups are at different places with this issue. I look at it as part of a process of integration -- of coming together." Unity is an important aspect of the Baha'i faith. Social goals, including unity of humankind, the spirit of service and fellowship, are also key to Baha'i. "The goal of these discussions is to help promote our common humanity," Lotfi explained. "Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self," Baha'i writings teach. That is precisely the idea that the faith is promoting here at Penn.