As a black senior here, I must express how frustrated I am with the entire Tufts community, especially students of color and specifically African Americans, the group targeted in the Christmas carol.
After assessing what the community as a whole is doing (and, more specifically, not doing) in response to The Primary Source publishing offensive and racist material, I have spoken to several individuals who share the same sentiment.
Why is it that members of the faculty and staff are sounding off more than the students? Why is it that so many seem apathetic towards dealing with this issue since the rally (that, in the eyes of many, was seen as sub-par)? Did we not mention on the following Saturday afternoon we would return to this campus with energy and drive that would materialize into plans of action?
Well, where is everybody?
I began this Viewpoint by saying I'm upset. To be honest, I am more than upset - I am ashamed to say I will be a Tufts alum in a few months. I have several reasons for simply not liking this university, but seeing the inaction and apathy that permeate this campus is the straw that broke the camel's back.
African Americans and other students of color, what are you doing about this? For most of you, the answer is nothing. But if you insist that you are doing something, then you are part of a very small group on this campus. As a graduating senior, I understand what others like myself are going through. We are tackling a lot right now: classes, applying to graduate and professional schools, jobs, graduation and our future. I understand that we are limited to how much time we can spend on many things.
Yet to simply ignore this matter is ridiculous. Just because we are not members of the freshman class that was specifically discriminated against, does that make us exempt from firing back? I'm sure those who wrote the carol (and I still do not understand why this institution will not have them come forward) were not just thinking about African Americans of the freshman class.
And I am not only frustrated with these groups. I can no longer look to the administration for help with such matters either. The entire Tufts community needs to do something about this. Furthermore, is having meetings all the time the best solution? Can't we be more creative than that? We all know that often times the discourse that takes place at such gatherings leads nowhere and I am tired of it.
And why is The Primary Source still skating with no problem? Members of their organization claim that what they wrote and printed was not racist. Does racism always show its ugly face through overt and blatant acts? Is it only racism when someone is physically attacked? And if we as a community decide that this Christmas carol is not a racist act, then we have a lot of discussing to do.
What many at Tufts fail to realize is that this issue would not arise and be swept under the rug so quickly at many other institutions. So why is it happening here?
I could go on and on about this issue that keeps me upset on a daily basis, but I will not. Now, I want to challenge both the administration and the student body to make changes THIS semester. Let's see what you can do, what we can do, to create a better atmosphere at Tufts. I hope Tufts can step up to the plate. Sadly, it has failed and disappointed so many thus far.
Marchaun Morrison is a senior majoring in sociology.
