Editor:

The word "racist" invokes very strong feelings in most minorities. I would rank its ability to generate emotions up with other words such as "rapist" or "molester." The one thing all three words have in common is that the people they describe are assumed to "attack" another person for varying reasons. A racist attacks another person through words or action, purely on the basis of cultural differences. Why someone would do this is as big a mystery as why the universe formed, and there are probably as many theories as well, but, of course, none are conclusive. When I read the words "Kappa Sigma" and "racism" together in the Arizona Daily Wildcat ("MEChA protest Kappa Sigma", Jan. 24), my interest in the story was immediately piqued.

I am a brother of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, but am also a Hispanic male who grew up in the small border town of Nogales. My first thought upon seeing the headline was that there must have been a mistake by the Wildcat staff. I couldn't understand why MEChA was protesting in front of Kappa Sigma.

After reading the story, it became clear that there was no mistake, except for the assumption that racism is prevalent in the fraternity. I have been associated with Kappa Sigma since 1992, and have never known racism to ever be a problem among the broth er. I was made aware of the situation in which a member of the fraternity allegedly used the derogatory term "spic" at a soccer game last fall. It was my understanding that no one heard the comment, including referees, and that it was one man's word again st another. I know the brother involved very well, as he is a friend of mine. I am certainly not calling anyone a liar, but I find it very hard to believe that my friend would use such terminology, much less that he is a racist. Perhaps there was a misund erstanding in which what was "heard" was not actually what was "said." In any case, the solution, it seems to me, would be to get the two people involved together to talk, not to stage a huge protest.

Again, don't misunderstand me. If any institution is perpetuating racism on this campus, I want to be the first to line up and hold a sign in protest. But my experiences in Kappa Sigma have been completely positive. In the years I was an undergraduate, th e fraternity provided me with many opportunities I wouldn't have normally had. I became very involved in campus, and even had experience educating against racism within the Greek community. Kappa Sigma has always been a leader in brotherhood development, and would be the last place that racism could get so much as a foothold.

Isaac Martinez
first year medical student