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(09/01/15 2:14am)
Allison Bechdel’s “Fun Home” is no stranger to controversy. Since its initial publication in 2006, the graphic memoir has been repeatedly studied, scrutinized and summarily rejected for its unflinching portrayal of harsh subjects. For the same reasons, though, “Fun Home” has been lauded by numerous publications — including The New York Times, Publishers Weekly and Time — as the best nonfiction book of 2006. Relevant to such modern themes as sexual orientation, gender identity, emotional development and complex family dynamics, one might think Bechdel’s story would be a beneficial selection as common reading for Duke University’s incoming freshmen.
(08/26/15 1:08pm)
There are plenty of demands and concerns associated with moving back to college and starting a new semester. It would be nice if acquiring textbooks weren’t one of them.
(05/06/15 4:57pm)
When I think back to my time as an incoming freshman two years ago, I can remember my desire to find activities beyond the classroom in which I could actively participate. One of the first programs I joined here at Elon University was the university’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity, from which I learned both the demands and the benefits of volunteering. But thinking back to my time spent volunteering has also shown me a serious issue among many volunteers: an issue of obligation.
(04/30/15 4:13pm)
At Elon University, the end of each school year is marked by Spring Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF) presentations on what is affectionately referred to as SURF day. Unfortunately, many students treat SURF Day — and its accompanying cancellation of classes — as something meant to only benefit presenters, students who have spent anywhere from months to years doing research.
(04/09/15 4:29pm)
College is demanding of its students academically, socially and emotionally. But the most difficult balancing act is between their physical fitness and academic success. The fact that one can easily take precedence over the other is a problem that Elon should solve by requiring students to take at least one course in physical education as a general education requirement.
Long before I started college life, I heard rumors of the dreaded “freshman 15,” the notion that incoming students often become so lazy and irresponsible that they gain 15 pounds.
Even though the term carried a sense of inevitability back then, I promised myself I wouldn’t be subject to poor nutrition, and that I would live a healthier lifestyle by myself. But there are some promises that just can’t be kept.
The point is not necessarily to tell students how they should live their lives, but to inform them on what exactly healthy living is. Even a single class can help students decide what they want to value in their lifestyles, instead of being left to figure it out for themselves.
While 15 pounds is likely an exaggeration of the average weight gained by freshmen, the message behind the term “freshman 15” is quite clear — many incoming students lack the drive and ability to make quality decisions in the face of the radical freedom provided by college life, especially concerning health.
In my case, though, what kept me from maintaining my physical health was the focus I placed on my studies and maintaining high grades. In the debate between physical health and academic success, I had chosen my side since my first day at Elon.
The fact that there are students who either choose to live an unhealthy lifestyle or don’t know how to live otherwise is problems worth considering for the university. The main issue is that with freedom comes great temptation — temptation to make irresponsible choices.
To be sure, college life is about finding balance between all different kinds of pressure, and this is an issue that affects Elon within both personal and social spheres. But we can find the balance between physical and mental health if we stop dismissing health and fitness as optional. Until then, for better or worse, we are left with whatever choices we make, healthy or not.
(04/02/15 11:00am)
Pedestrian safety is a problem at Elon. When it comes to looking both ways, neither the pedestrian nor the driver are engaging.
Walking around Elon’s campus on an average day, I see that accidents involving pedestrians are not only feasible, but also inevitable. The majority of students at crosswalks rarely, if ever, pay even the slightest mind to the crossing signal.
Instead, many students rely either on their personal judgment or on the group consensus of other pedestrians when determining when it is safe to cross. Such thinking is commonplace, but it represents a constant danger of how pedestrians exist in relation to drivers — not to mention the careless attitudes of some of the drivers at Elon.
What causes this heedless dismissal of safety regulations in favor of one’s personal intuition is the blind assumption that drivers will stop and pedestrians will pay attention. When a pedestrian crosses the road without minding the crossing signal, there is the unspoken assumption that should any vehicles approach, they will stop when the drivers see the pedestrian crossing the road. Conversely, it can be easy for drivers to assume that pedestrians will obey proper safety measures. Unfortunately, these expectations can lead to conflict.
It’s been two weeks since freshman Gabriela Rosales was struck by a vehicle while crossing North Williamson Ave. March 16.
Though the tragic incident is in no way Rosales’s fault, there is much more to take away from these unfortunate circumstances than a greater appreciation for pedestrian safety. This incident allows for a better understanding of the consequences when drivers and pedestrians fail to fully recognize each other.
By acknowledging instances in which drivers and pedestrians appear to disregard each other, we can most assuredly keep incidents like Rosales’ to an absolute minimum.
This incident should be chilling reminders that pedestrian safety is necessary to learn and keep in mind going forward. Merely rejecting these “guidelines” can lead to disastrous, sometimes fatal, results.
While each accident involving a driver and a pedestrian should be judged primarily by context, these assumptions could generally be considered contributing factors. We have been given an opportunity, as grave as the circumstances behind it may be, to examine faults in the relationship between pedestrians and drivers. We can improve this relationship by acknowledging that these faults exist and that there are unspoken s that affect how drivers and pedestrians interact with each other.
Perhaps by allowing safety to play a more active role in how we live, we can prevent further such accidents in the future. Surely there is no better way to honor Rosales and the numerous past victims of our willful oversights.
(03/19/15 12:02pm)
Elon University students use their Phoenix Cards on a daily basis. They’re a gateway to basic aspects of college life like meal plans, printing dollars and buildings on campus.
Recently, the Phoenix Card swipe method was dropped in favor of a faster, more convenient touch method. This method enables students to perform the usual functions with their cards simply by touching them to a receptor.
Although many criticize the university for overspending on major projects like new buildings, it is comforting to see a simple yet effective change being made to pre-existing structures on campus. This change is not being made out of necessity but for the convenience of students.
The change from swipe method to touch method has already been implemented in on-campus dining halls and eateries. It is beneficial in making transactions quick and effortless. If this current integration of touch technology is any indication of its success, its use across campus will streamline day-to-day activities on a broader scale.
Touch technology allows Phoenix Cards to be used without being removed from a wallet or bag, something previously impossible with the swipe technology.
The benefits of implementing touch technology and its planned integration on campus are obvious. Since swipe technology is less convenient than touch, this new technology should be installed wherever possible.
The collaborative efforts of Campus Safety and Police, the Phoenix Card Office and Instructional & Campus Technologies have allowed the implementation of the new touch cards. Touch access will be progressively added to academic buildings this semester, with plans to implement the new technology in residence halls this summer.
This new measure of convenience for students is a step forward in on-campus technology integration, and for that, we should be thankful. Although the actual conversion from swipe to touch is simple, it raises the question of what other ways new technology can be used to help students live and learn.
Beyond further changes in how Phoenix Cards are used, there are numerous possibilities of on-campus technology integration that could be explored.
There is still much potential for how technology is used in the classroom to enhance learning. Perhaps we could see more instances of mobile devices and social media in course curriculums or further developments programs meant to aid in student collaboration like Google Docs.
These are a few examples of technology integration that aims for convenience because they take advantage of devices and services that are nearly universal among students.
The new Phoenix Card touch system isn’t Elon’s first major technological advancement, and it certainly won’t be the last. Nevertheless, it’s important that we support Elon’s programs for campus technology, whether it’s pioneering newer technology or developing entirely new methods of integration. We should accept that these kinds of change are important and beneficial in terms of their immediate and long-term applications.
(03/06/15 8:00pm)
Overconsumption of alcohol, drugs and other dangerous substances is a long-standing issue in college environments. I came to Elon University with the perception that substance culture is not an accurate reflection of Elon’s standards. Rather, I thought it persisted as the unfortunate minority.
But what I found when I arrived at Elon is that issues of alcohol and drugs were apparent in the broader social spectrum of the campus. Recently, Elon’s local bar and coffee shop The Oak House was exposed for selling an alcoholic drink to a minor on at least one occasion.
Since, owner Phil Smith has confirmed staffing changes and plans to better educate staff on serving alcohol in order to prevent future mistakes.
Still, this indicates that underage drinking quite prevalent on campus and off.
There may be some who are ready to dismiss the issue as a singular occurrence, a case of poor judgment on the part of the bartender.
But by refusing to tackle the subject of substance abuse potential head-on, we encourage the same sort of behavior, only with offenders taking more care not to get caught.
Collegiate substance abuse is a serious problem and one that is not strictly confined to Elon.
Wesleyan University of Middletown, Connecticut made news during the past two weeks as 11 students were hospitalized for drug overdose. Although most of these students have since been treated, four students were charged with providing access to various mixtures of narcotics and prescription drugs the students took.
While it may seem rash to draw a direct comparison between a single instance of selling alcohol to a minor and the hospitalization of 11 students, the possibility exists that substance culture at Elon could someday become as prevalent a threat as it is at Wesleyan.
Of course, Elon has taken numerous measures during the past few years to curb the issue of substance abuse on campus. One of the most prevalent is AlcoholEdu, a training program for alcohol safety that has been a requirement for incoming freshmen and transfer students since 2007.
In addition, the program BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students) is an option for students to examine the role of alcohol in their lives in order to reduce risk of abuse. The university’s “Substance Education” page has many other important facts and resources on the various types of substance abuse and how to prevent them. Clearly, there are services that are available to students that are there to educate us on safe behavior. Still, what matters is how we apply what is taught by these services in our everyday lives.
It’s the equal responsibility of all Elon citizens to maintain public safety for everyone, and as such, we are all to blame for the persistence of substance culture, especially among minors. While it may be easy to let the university handle substance education, those programs are practically meaningless if we treat even a single breach of the rules as if it were nothing.
(02/27/15 3:30pm)
Since its launch in 2013, social media app Yik Yak has managed to secure a position as one of the most popular sources of mobile information sharing today, especially within college communities.
The formula of Yik Yak is simple yet, effective: users can share posts (called “yaks”) that can be viewed and commented on by others.
Yik Yak will only show yaks within a 10-mile radius of the user’s device, ensuring that shared information will be relevant to each user. Its users are relatively anonymous in their posts.
The problem with Yik Yak is the basic concept is not tailored for people to simply throw statements of biting sarcasm into the void. Rather, like a virtual bulletin board, it was for the sharing of comedic random thoughts, perhaps in some way to foster community without explicitly giving names.
In an interview with The Huffington Post, Yik Yak co-creator Brooks Buffington discussed his and fellow co-creator Tyler Droll’s original concept for the app as well as the progressive corruption of their idea.
“We were naive… Using the app the way we intended it to be used requires a certain amount of maturity and responsibility. We were idealistic about who possessed that,” said Droll.
I’d like to highlight the word “idealistic,” because it embodies the main issue with Yik Yak. In the realm of the Internet, there is no such thing as the “ideal” user. Given a forum with a certain level of anonymity, users will be more tempted to write about what upsets them, even if it defies popular opinion. There is no immediate threat of consequence.
Naturally, Yik Yak’s policy on anonymity has been met with much criticism, particularly accusations that people have been using the app to promote the ever-present issue of cyberbully culture. Scrolling through lists of yaks written by students, updated with new posts practically by the second, I found the lack of an identity to associate with one’s post resulted in many yaks with aggressive, inflammatory and even downright offensive material.
Students use Yik Yak in order to express themselves in ways that they could never accomplish in real life. Although this form of expression can be pleasurable to the original poster, Yik Yak has indeed been linked to implications of verbal, emotional and sexual abuse across college campuses nationwide.
Despite the issues presented by Yik Yak’s legion of invisible users, the app isn’t all bad. The anonymity allows for the sharing of deep or personal problems that could not be shared otherwise. Yik Yak can often become a place of genuine encouragement from fellow students, likely absolute strangers.
The creators seem to be aware of the dangers surrounding their app and its users. They have implemented numerous changes in an attempt to curb cyberbullying. The most recent update enhanced the requirements for reporting yaks with inappropriate content for deletion in order to counter trolls who would remove innocent posts.
Buffington and Droll have more work to do to fix what they have created, but it is reassuring to know
they have dedicated themselves to the task of making the environment as safe and productive as possible.
It cannot be denied the fundamentals of Yik Yak are flawed, and the majority of posters exploit those flaws as a means of self-expression. In spite of our anonymity we should be aware of what information we make public, and how this information could possibly be used against us. While we may find it convenient to blame the creators for all the app’s problems, we are the ones responsible for how the app is used on a daily basis, and how it will be used going forward.
(02/06/15 5:30pm)
As Elon University students venture into the beginning of spring semester, it is time for the excruciating first-day traditions: flipping through the course syllabus. With this tradition, we see the familiar phrase — “class participation.” This portion of the grade can apply to how often a student contributes to class discussion or a student’s attendance record.
How professors quantify class participation has always been frustrating. Although it often accounts for up to 20 percent of a student’s final grade, participation can’t be measured objectively like a quiz, homework assignment or project.
With the exception of the number of absences, the grade often subjective. Of course, some classes are more discussion-based than others and will have higher standards in terms of what is considered an appropriate level of participation.
Basing a grade on how often students speak is not effective because it favors more outgoing students over those who are either shy or unaccustomed to speaking in a classroom environment.
One solution is to do away with participation grades by focusing only on a student’s attendance. This approach is simple and unbiased to a student’s personality or learning style, but it removes the incentive for good classroom discussion. While a focus on attendance is good for classes that offer little to no exchange, it could be considered the inferior option in other cases.
Basing the grade on quality of participation could be much more beneficial. Students are rewarded for providing relevant insight and discussion, while those who offer distractions or unrelated tangents are penalized. The age-old maxim “quality over quantity” should be the primary basis of determining participation grades.
This issue deserves more attention than it receives. There are likely more solutions to the problem than those suggested here, but they are clearly not being developed and implemented by professors. To provide the best possible learning environment for students, the guidelines for what are considered good and bad measures of participation should be clear and concise.
After all, in college, there can surely be no greater lesson than when to speak and when to listen.
(02/04/15 6:32pm)
After months of deliberation, the congregation of Elon Community Church made the decision last week to adopt Open and Affirming policies. The Decision means the church will now accept those who identify as LGBTQIA for full membership.
In fact, the church’s website, now proudly touting the Open and Affirming Statement, states that the church will strive to promote love and compassion amongst its members, “regardless of their color, gender, age, ability, economic situation, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.” This statement marks a massive change in practice for a congregation that historically shied away from promoting or acknowledging support for the LGBTQIA community.
The idea to hold a vote for Open and Affirming was introduced in the church almost two years ago with the goal of changing how the church regards membership for members of the LGBTQIA community. Until the legalization of same-sex marriage in North Carolina last October, the discussion was temporarily suspended.
Though the congregation needed to consider multiple sides of the argument and discuss the issue thoroughly in making such a momentous decision. these proceedings took a remarkably long time. The end result, though, is more important than the timeline through which it was carried out. By affirming the decision to accept those identifying as LGBTQIA, the Elon Community Church demonstrates a renewed commitment to supporting all of those who call the Elon community home.
The church’s decision is a positive change for Elon and the surrounding areas because it works to make our community more inclusive at the local level. Injustice and inequality are often discussed on a larger societal scale, but should not be considered strictly national or international affairs. In fact, as college students, these social injustices often manifest themselves as primarily local issues felt not only on campus but in surrounding towns and cities as well. Elon Community Church shows it is capable of changing views on a topic that has widely been considered contrary to its fundamental beliefs.
Elon Community Church should be applauded for making the decision, though it surely might be an unpopular resolution for some members of the church. Small changes at the local level help to support larger societal changes, which will undoubtedly foster more accepting and inclusive policies in various aspects of campus and community life. The church’s decision should serve as inspiration for improving the way we treat those on campus, putting differences aside in order to strengthen the university community as a whole.
“We see differences not as barriers,” reads the church’s statement, “but as blessings.”
(11/20/14 4:14am)
We all know the familiar red and blue flashing lights on the side of the highway, but our reactions vary. For some, the police are necessary enforcers of the?law, without whom society would certainly struggle. For others, the enormous responsibility and power we entrust in our police force is not well-placed.
(11/12/14 3:24pm)
Over the past few weeks, the debate surrounding physician-assisted suicide has seen a significant revival, both in political and public opinion. The spark reigniting the fire was the death of 29-year-old Death with Dignity advocate Brittany May- nard on Nov. 1.
(10/30/14 2:07am)
For the past five years, rumors have circulated about a conspiracy concerning the academic integrity of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In the past, these issues seemed relatively mi- nor, which helped to keep the university’s prestigious reputation intact.
(10/22/14 2:48pm)
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the majority of today’s generation is at least a little addicted to technology. It’s become an integral aspect of our everyday lives, from hours spent staring at a laptop screen to the subconscious downward glance to check a cell phone. It doesn’t really matter how we use technology. The point is, we’re hooked.
As with nearly any addiction, our dependence on technology is stimulated by accessibility — how easily we can use and weave it into our everyday activities. This brings us to Google Glass.
While Google Glass is not a new product, it has seen only limited consumer use. Google Glass is essentially a high-tech pair of eyeglasses, but rather than standard lenses, the device uses a heads-up display interface. The primary focus of Google Glass is on hands-free interaction. It is primarily used through voice commands and a small touchpad next to the users temple.
This summer, a 31-year-old man was admitted to the U.S. Navy’s Substance Abuse and Recovery Program for treatment of alcoholism. During treatment, though, it was discovered the man was also plagued with withdrawal from his Google Glass device. For two months, he had been wearing Google Glass up to 18 hours a day for his Navy service, taking it off only to sleep and bathe. The patient would display signs of irritation and frustration at not being able to use Google Glass.
“He said he felt his reliance on the Google Glass was much more intense than what he noticed when he came off alcohol,” said Kathryn Yung, an addiction psychologist for the Navy.
While this may be the first documented case of Internet addiction through the use of the Google Glass device, it has remained a contentious point amongst psychiatrists. The addiction has a technical name — Internet Addiction Disorder — it does not yet have an entry in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the go-to standard for the diagnosis and treatment methods of certain mental disorders.
Specifically regarding addiction to Google Glass, it seems unlikely at this point that the product will ever be available to the general consumer market. At the same time, we cannot expect technology to simply stop. It is a constantly changing entity, striving for greater innovation in the name of convenience.
Even if Google Glass fails and fades away, eventually some company will figure out how best to advertise their product, and the end result will likely remain the same: Internet addiction.
An addiction to technology is similar to many other kinds of addiction because it is becoming increasingly easy to integrate into our everyday lives. But one way it differs from other addictions is that technology is, to a degree, almost mandatory.
We’re usually given a choice in whether or not to drink alcohol, to smoke or to gamble, but in today’s age, it becomes harder and harder to simply “refuse” technology, in part because of the many ways it can improve our lives.
Technology can’t stop, and we shouldn’t want it to stop. But it is appropriate for us to take this one man’s diagnosis to decide exactly how central technology is in our lives. No matter how we use it, it shouldn’t ever become a serious problem until it reaches dependence — when we cannot perform our everyday activities without the use of some man-made machine.
(10/20/14 8:53pm)
It’s hard to believe that it has only been two weeks since hundreds of parents, grandparents and siblings poured onto campus for Elon University’s annual Family Weekend. As we return to the rigor of college life, it is appropriate to reflect on Family Weekend and what we can take from such an event.
To many students, especially first years, Family Weekend provides a crucial period of levity after weeks of relatively independent living.
To me, Family Weekend is about strengthening connections. For many students, the weekend is about reconnecting with loved ones, sharing stories, detailing progress in classes and more.
Although the university hosted many wonderful events to keep students and families occupied, I found the most rewarding moments to be the honest, face-to-face conversations with my family.
In short, the value of Family Weekend is derived from time spent together, no matter the circumstances.
I realize that the time is not just spent on re-establishing familial connections, but also on preserving them. I’m sure the majority of students have had their parents give them the standard assurance to “feel free to call if you ever have any problems.” Some have probably heard it a million times.
Family Weekend is a special time when these assurances are put in motion — when loved ones from all over the country come to Elon with the express purpose of seeing us.
We are children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, brothers, sisters. These are the roles which we inherit and which we should accept. Family Weekend only reminds us of the strength of those bonds.
As such, even those who didn’t have family visiting should take from Family Weekend that college should not be seen as an opportunity to isolate yourself from your family. It’s no secret that college life is difficult.
In this transitional period from dependent to independent, we are so often faced with moments of stress and indecision.
We like to think that we can overcome all the challenges of college living by ourselves, but the simple reality is that everyone has a breaking point. It is when we reach this point that it becomes more important than ever that we have people to depend upon — our families.
Of course, there’s always the risk of becoming over-attached to one’s family, which is counterintuitive to the aim of independence.
But what makes Family Weekend so effective is that it allows us to regain the feel for living independently before having the family come back into the picture. It represents what I think is a necessity for our development — balance between dependent and independent living.
Whether we choose to include our loved ones in the experience of growing up as a college student, the point is that we’re given the choice.
As children, relatives were naturally a major aspect of our lives, but now we are given much more freedom to decide whether we still want that.
As we continue forward from Family Weekend to the stress of midterms, take the time to think about your relationship with your family.
The occasional call or text can be enough to strengthen that relationship.
(10/20/14 8:49pm)
The Ebola virus has reached the United States but it may not be as bad as it seems.
Since its initial outbreak in Africa last March, there have been more than 7,000 documented cases of fever caused by the Ebola virus, with 3,349 being classified as fatal. While these numbers are certainly staggering, and the implications are terrible, the virus has always managed to stay localized to Africa, especially in countries like Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. That is, until now.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced the first diagnosis of Ebola had been made in a Dallas hospital. The patient in question is Liberian citizen Thomas Eric Duncan, who flew into Dallas from his home country to visit family members and friends living in the country.
At the time of his departure, Duncan showed no symptoms of Ebola. It was only after a couple days of being in the United States that his sickness became apparent. Currently he is in serious condition at at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital at Dallas.
We live in an age where global transportation of various diseases is common. Therefore, it is only natural that Ebola would make across the Atlantic.
It is unfortunate that those most often infected are the selfless missionaries and medical personnel trying to cure the disease in the first place.
For as long as Ebola has been discussed, it’s continually been regarded as a problem specific to the African continent. Perhaps we can use the unfortunate circumstances of Duncan’s case to broaden our perspective on Ebola. This biological threat is no longer just an African problem, but an American one as well. In time, we may even see Ebola evolve into a global pandemic.
Medical professionals within the United States have expressed they are not as familiar with the nature of Ebola, which makes it harder in some ways to treat the disease in America. The government, though, seems confident the Ebola virus can be contained and eradicated.
“The United States has the most capable health infrastructure and the most capable doctors in the world, bar none,” said Chief Homeland Security Adviser Lisa Monaco in a recent briefing, “The United States is prepared to deal with this crisis, both at home and in the region.”
Monaco brings up a good point about how we should view Ebola in the United States — as a problem to take seriously as our own.
Rather than panicking at the smallest hint of adversity, we should consider how we can be a productive part of the solution. We can only do so, though, when we perceive the problem as something that can be solved.
(09/09/14 11:06am)
There are some who would claim we have come a long way in the name of racial equality in the United States, and they would not be entirely wrong. After all, the very notion of having an African-American as the president was once considered radical. It’s been nearly six years since Barack Obama took the oath of office. Still, the events that transpired in Ferguson, Missouri. only last month, in which an unarmed black teenager was killed by a white police officer, show that we are still placing too much emphasis on what makes us different.
National Geographic recently published an article entitled “The Changing Face of America,” in which data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau on multiracial people and multiracial marriages were used to predict the look of the average American citizen by the year 2050. The results showed that because of the increasing number of interracial marriages, the majority of Americans in 2050 would have light to dark brown skin.
Before discussing the implications of the study’s results, we must consider whether or not the Bureau’s data is reliable. Although the Bureau has been gathering information on multiracial Americans since 2000, there have been indications of some mixed people choosing to identify themselves differently, perhaps to avoid unfair discrimination.
This is yet another deprecating result of racial divisions in America: the flat-out rejection of one’s heritage in order to maintain the idea of the “perfect American.” In addition, familial and geographical influences can also become factors in how one identifies.
Still, just as there are those who deny their lineage, there are just as many who openly embrace their multiracial status. There certainly must be some pride in identifying oneself as the result of social progress.
If the U.S. Census Bureau’s information is legitimate, and the future of America relies on equality for all races, what kind of implications does this open to how we’ll see race in the future? The author of the National Geographic article, Lise Funderburg, theorizes “if we can’t slot people into familiar categories, perhaps we’ll be forced to reconsider existing definitions of race and identity.” Considering how this change is expected to slowly take place over the next four decades, could we see something as socially rooted today as racism simply fade away?
If prejudice survives in the future, it will likely not be based on the color of one’s skin, but there is the distinct possibility that we will still search for a way to distinguish one group of people from another. The more I hear about cases similar to Michael Brown, the more I believe that we are inherently discriminating people. We keep talking about how much progress we’ve made in mending racial scars, and how we can do even more, and yet it never feels like anything is really accomplished. This is not to diminish the truly amazing strides we’ve made in breaking down the walls between different peoples. But it just feels like we sometimes fall a few steps back.
As hard as it is for me to find common ground in the midst of the issue, all is not lost. Perhaps the notion of darkening skin colors is in the distant future, but what matters today is our choice to acknowledge what’s different. By valuing what keeps us together, we don’t have to wait for our physical appearances to catch up. This is not to say that we should attempt to forget or deny history - rather, we should embrace it and use it to change the present for the better. Perhaps we can more easily accept a future without black and white.
(09/08/14 8:20pm)