Homeless citizens more than thieves, drug addicts

As I opened up the Mailbag section of the Wildcat yesterday and browsed through the letters that were submitted, I couldn't help but stop and lose my lunch over a letter by Mr. Gabriel Leake. He obviously knows nothing about the origins of many of our homeless citizens today.

He quickly denounces them as thieves and drug addicts as though these labels provide an explanation of their situation and a justification for their eradication. If he had actually examined the "facts," as he claims he did, he would realize that many of today's homeless citizens are on the streets because of a movement in the '70s that de-institutionalized mental patients and essentially dumped them out of hospitals and onto the street. Drug addiction and theft are likely byproducts of trying to survive and to cope with a desolate and confusing existence. [Read article]

Question: What did you think of the Tunnel of Oppression?

"It's powerful to go through. There are several smaller, growing issues that they should address, but it's excellent."

"It's really effective. I wish a lot more people who are intolerant would see it, because of how it shows the effects of the victims."

"I've been before, I came here because the first time was a really great experience, and it was again. It's a great learning experience." [Read article]

This week, the sixth-annual Tunnel of Oppression ran "to challenge students to think about stereotypes, oppression and hatred." It featured such issues as racism, homophobia and classism.

Though the program stresses that society has a long way to go, its very existence demonstrates how far we've already come just in the last few decades.

However, while walking around campus, I can't help but wonder if we truly have an "Eye of Diversity," or if we are so caught up in the majority that we've become blind and even hostile toward the minority - this time, not toward demographic minorities, but toward minority opinion. Over this past semester, I've heard students cry out against critical commentary of ethnic groups, speakers against homosexuality on campus, religious bands playing on the Mall and humor based on stereotypes. [Read article]

Last week, the Theta Nu Xi sorority hosted its second annual "Create a Hate-Free Zone" forum. Guided by the spirit of multiculturalism, the forum provided students with the opportunity to confront, among other issues, stereotypes regarding race and ethnicity.

Multiculturalism, as an ideology, maintains that we should accept different cultures under the premise that all are equal and beautiful. Though this seems like an entirely altruistic idea, multiculturalism holds back the improvement of race relations in a number of ways. [Read article]