Word: racists
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...University has a responsibility to try to educate and change and discipline the old-fashioned bigots among the student body who are responsible for the blatant racist incidents," Waters writes. She argues that students should be required to take at least one academic course that examines "racial and ethnic dynamics...
...light of the recent incidents of racist graffiti in Mather House as well as the racially polarizing rhetoric of minority student activists, it seems that many Harvard students--white and non-white alike--could benefit from greater knowledge about race relations. Professor Waters' call for a new requirement possesses strong intuitive appeal. What better weapon for fighting racial prejudice than the light of knowledge...
Forcing students to take a course on race relations presumes that prejudice can be fought with rationality. But is racism itself rational? Are racist views based on fact and supported by evidence? Clearly they are not. Attempting to fight an irrational reaction such as racism with responses anchored in reason can have limited success at best...
...Racists develop their views after years and years of being inculcated with prejudice. Racist messages are often communicated to people through their families, their communities or even society as a whole. One semester-long course, or even two or three such courses, will not succeed in erasing or even making a dent in racism...
Furthermore, the imposition of a new requirement may provoke a backlash from students--including those students who are not racist--who may see the policy as an attempt at "brainwashing." Many students at the College have reacted unfavorably to being forced to sit through the lengthy and platitudinous presentations of peer group outreaches. Being compelled to take an entire course on race relations would make these students even happier...