Protest a reminder of racism's presence

Yvonne Condes
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The protests in front of Kappa Sigma last week made me think a lot about what it means to be Mexican-American.

Many people who do not know me personally can't tell from my appearance that I am Mexican.

Because of this I hear comments and jokes that other Mexicans may not, and it angers me. When this happens - when I speak up and announce I am a Mexican, and that what they have said offends me - I am told, "I wasn't talking about you. What's the big deal ?"

It is a big deal. When someone makes stereotypes, uses racial slurs or discriminates against someone it affects every minority.

At first I had mixed feelings about the way the protests in front of Kappa Sigma were done. Although I strongly agreed with the idea behind the demonstration, I thought that maybe one person's alleged action was resulting in the punishment of an entire gr oup.

Isaac Martinez is a Hispanic and Kappa Sigma member. His letter to the editor Thursday stated he has "been associated with Kappa Sigma since 1992, and ha[s] never known racism to ever be a problem among the brother."

He, along with MEChA and the rest of Kappa Sigma, does not know the goings on of every member of the fraternity.

But all objectivity goes out the window when I think about how I would react if something like this happened to me or one of my friends. Then I know why MEChA would take action.

The protest, I think, is not just about a fraternity member allegedly calling a MEChA member a "spic." It is a vehicle to remind people that racism is alive and well and that terms like these are not acceptable, whether made in the heat of the moment or u sed on a regular basis.

Yvonne Condes is a journalism senior and an assistant news editor at the Arizona Daily Wildcat.

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