The civil rights movements of the 60’s and 70’s are unique and historical landmarks. They were progressive times showing unique testament to the transcendental and civilized evolution of mankind promoting mass equality for first time in history, through non-violent means.PCC’s student body is unique, being reflecting the Los Angeles area in not having any ethnic majority. Our student body is 33 percent Latino, 34 percent Asian, 20 percent white and a small minority of others.
PCC is an ethnically diverse community located in the most diverse metropolitan area in the U.S.. Racism, though seemingly a thing of the past, thanks to the Jena 6 is suddenly brought back to the present.
The absurd treatment of the six black students from Jena, Louisiana, for conviction of attempted murder over a fist-fight-has brought us into a bit of a time warp.
How does PCC deal with racism? Is it even an issue?
It is, but in a different way.
Racism is simply, the ignorance of preconception. Treating someone differently because of the way they look.
No, PCC is not a victim of racism perse, but a new recently evolved form of it, class-ism. Students at PCC are individuals evolved beyond race, but are ignorant due to something else – materialism and high school style “cliques.”
Most PCC students, if under the affliction of, are not openly racist.
“Everyone already knows where they fit in,” said Kristopher Ealy, 26, a political science major who took part in the Jena 6 demonstration on the PCC campus Sept 20.
All across the Quad, groups of Asian students talk to other Asian students in their native languages while black and white students wearing basketball jerseys talk to other students with basketball jerseys.
“Things are a lot more liberal here though,” said Ealy, comparing PCC to where he grew up as an African American in Memphis, Tennessee.
With no overlaying oppressive group to openly discriminate against another, clothing styles or trends that tell us how to look and think, in combination with race, have left PCC with fractured sets of alpha-style sub-groups.
Acculturation is also a primary factor. Immigrants coming to America who are apprehensive with combining their cultural background with new surroundings, are left in a struggle losing recognition from teachers thanks to the language barrier.
With an ASB voter turnout of less than one percent, class-ist forms of racism are a definite cause of the lack of unity across the PCC campus.
- EDITORIAL: Apologize about the real problem - April 23, 2014
- STATEMENT: District apologizes to Oscar winning alum - April 21, 2014
- EDITORIAL: The Forgotten Students - March 26, 2014
