by Ravi Singh
Racial segregation. Sounds like a dated term, doesn't it? A term that has been drowned out under a tidal wave of civil rights movements, calls for equality and political activism from all fronts. It's a term about a phenomenon that we as undergraduate students think we never have to live through or experience, a phenomenon we think was crusaded against and obliterated in the 1950s and ’60s. Yet it still exists, and in no place is it more visible than on the campus of Vanderbilt University.
To be fair, the racial segregation at Vanderbilt in 2007 is nothing like the segregation in the country prior to the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1967. Still, Vanderbilt is, for the most part, a racially segregated school. There are many reasons why the school is segregated, but there are several social engines on campus that continue to allow the segregation to thrive. One main contributor is the huge Greek scene on campus.
It is no question the Greek scene is racially segregated. For the sake of space this will focus on the two fraternity organizations. Nationally, the Interfraternity Council stands in clear contrast with the National Pan-Hellenic Council. The “historically black” fraternities were created in response to what IFC originally was: historically white. This article is not trying to demean some organizations, but it is no question that fraternities like Sigma Alpha Epsilon or Kappa Alpha (KA prides itself in the ideal of following the traditions of the Southern gentleman; I wonder which racial group they're referencing there?) are de facto white frats, save for a few token minorities. With that in mind, the social “party” scene — and many students take pride in Vanderbilt being a party school — is by default racially skewed. If you're white, go to an IFC party, if you're black, go to an NPHC party. If you're neither, good luck trying to fit in at any of those parties. Some ethnic IFC groups have frats for themselves, but in trying to solve the problem by trying to include the groups left out, it creates more problems by further dividing the campus based on race. While not the only factor, the huge racially segregated Greek scene drives the engine of social division on campus.
Look across the dining hall. How often do you see students of different racial groups eating together? Or go to a club meeting for the Asian-American Student Association, Black Student Alliance or Masala-SACE. Yes, there are some of different ethnic groups that attend the meetings, and more power to them, but in no way do the meetings reflect the 75 percent white population of the campus. That means that of the college's scores of cultural organizations, about three of every four students are absent or not participating. Apparently, the Vanderbilt Community Creed of Discovery (embracing the opportunity to take risks, challenge assumptions and understand disparate experiences at Vanderbilt) doesn't apply if you yourself are not part of the culture or race in question. That is a crying shame.
The segregation found on Vanderbilt's campus today isn't the same kind found during the civil rights era. It’s social segregation — segregation based not on law but on choice. It’s used as a justification for not becoming friends with people of other races. Many feel comfortable with their own race and don't want to move out that comfort zone — white students feel more comfortable with white students, black students with black students. Some students are willing to racially segregate based on “comfort level.”
But welcome to college: a time of self-discovery, a time of pushing the limits, a time of learning in order to understand the world in more dynamic ways. And by the way, no one ever said pushing the limits meant staying in your comfort zone. It just can't be done. The civil rights activists weren't comfortable when they were being beaten on stools for entering segregated sections of a restaurant, when they were being sprayed down by high-pressured fire hoses, or when they were being spat on and cursed at when they tried to go school. They stepped out their comfort zones to annihilate racial segregation and fundamentally changed the dynamics of world, the country and, most of all, themselves. In that sense, we're lucky.
We're lucky all we have to do as Vanderbilt students to annihilate racial segregation here is to talk to another group at a lunch table, attend a religious club even if we're not of that religion or go to a cultural club even if we're not of that culture. We're lucky all we have to do to destroy segregation at Vanderbilt is to go to a party hosted by NPHC or IFC. We're luckywe only need to attend Ghandi Week to learn about nonviolence or a Holocaust lecture to learn about what happens when one stays comfortable and doesn't feel the need to ask for or to want justice. We're lucky in that sense.
Or maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm looking into things too much; maybe things are fine the way they are, and we should just go on with our lives. After all, who cares about blacks? I'm white. Who cares about Islam? I'm a Christian. Who cares about gays? I'm straight. All I am is a Vanderbilt student — I want to get my degree, I want to party hard and I want to leave.
I hope that last paragraph was just a sarcastic way of thinking about it and not someone’s actual line of reasoning. There are plenty of students doing their best to make what I have said here irrelevant, but it’s a tiny fraction, a small minority of the thousands of undergrads on campus. My hope is that in 10 years, this article will be irrelevant and outdated — that after reading it, students step out of their comfort zones and want to end social segregation, making everything I've said part of a Vanderbilt era long gone. Right now it is just a dream. But with the will and spirit of every Vanderbilt student here, we can drive forward and truly make Vanderbilt one of the finest institutions of the world by finally eradicating segregation based on race from our campus.
—Ravi Singh is a freshman in the College of Arts and Science.
Let's not forget....
I think some of us may be forgetting the true purpose and intent of this article. I really doubt it was meant to particularly single out a specific organization or person, even though it obviously has created some controversy. I truly believe it was written so that many of us here at Vanderbilt could step back and truthfully take a look at our surroundings. It doesn't matter what year, race, or gender you are; it's important for us as students in college to realize that we are growing up in a world of different people. It's important for us all to be somewhat willing and interested in the differences of those around us. I'm not saying we should all suddenly convert religions, or proclaim a new race; this would obviously be too ludicrous of a suggestion. Instead, we should maybe start to realize that later on in life, we will be working alongside people of various cultures and backgrounds, and that it would prove to be a wise idea to understand another viewpoint or opinion. I think that sometimes, many of us feel very at ease in our normal social routines and decide to stay within our own personal "bubbles"--I too can even admit to this--but at one point, we should make an effort to break this bubble and go beyond. Maybe we could try meeting someone we typically would not have hung out with in high school or take a class on a culture we know nothing about. Just trying and attempting something new could aid in creating a totally renewed environment. There’s no doubt in my mind that Stompfest was an amazing example of how two different organizations could come together and genuinely display their unity. However, why should it stop there? More can definitely be done to show campus that the student body is united, despite our myriad of differences. Despite whoever we want to blame, it doesn't matter; what's truly important is that we're ready to change the look of Vanderbilt and maybe some of the assumptions that come along with it. So, forget the labels, stereotypes, and excuses and let's just focus on starting fresh this school year. If not for you, at least do it for the future of Vanderbilt as we know it.
For the record, I am neither
For the record, I am neither a racial minority or a member of the Greek system, but all the same I found this article to be incredibly insulting. To imply that a brother of a historically black fraternity is such only because he wants to remain in his "comfort level" is to cut down the integrity of an entire organization that, as a freshman who has not even had the chance to go through rush, you clearly know nothing about. There is a very big difference between racially segregating yourself and choosing to participate in social organizations that celebrate your heritage. I am not a member of a black sorority for the same reason that I do not go to temple or celebrate the Chinese New Year - I have no reason to believe I would be unwelcome at either, it is quite simply not a part of my history, though I have all the respect in the world for those events and the people to whom they are vitally important.
The comparison of fraternity parties and seating arrangements in Rand to the Civil Rights movement in any respect is nothing short of a cheap trick to garner significance for your otherwise unfounded arguments. The next time you get pressure-hosed walking into a hoedown on Greek Row, give me a call. Until then, to parallel the two is incredibly irresponsible, especially considering the legitimate racial conflicts (Jena Six, anyone?) that deserve the attention, as well as the newspaper print space, we are currently giving these misguided cries for attention.
One of the Best articles you've ever read?????
Once again, we receive a diatribe from an individual whose been here just a little over a month and a half. As a "token minority" in a "White Frat" I am both offended and DISGUSTED with such an ignorant examination of Greek Life. I refuse, REFUSE, to believe you know anything about either IFC or the NPCH, and 45% percent of this campus would have to agree. While I agree there are racists here at Vanderbilt, my argument is focused on the fact that you are looking at the wrong "social engines" for this segregation.
One main reason individuals choose to join NPHC fraternities (which IFC supports WHOLEHEARTEDLY with events like Stompfest which we will discuss later) is because they have family legacies and connections with that fraternity. I know individuals in NPHC fraternity that have a legacy going back almost to the founding members of those fraternities. They have every right to join the fraternity of their choice - regardless of what race the majority of individuals are. Secondly, please inform those individuals attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities that they too are being racists for doing so. I'm sure they will appreciate it.
Let's move on to the Fraternities with "token" minorities. Did you ever think that it is individuals like you that are responsible for fewer minorities joining "white" fraternities? People who call students who join a house as a minority "token minorities" are being extremely racist. That statement infuriates me so much, and should any individual - Greek or not. It is reminiscent of "Not Another Teen Movie" where there can only be "one token black guy" at the party, so the other "token black guy" has to leave. There is a reason they made a satire of that behavior - because it's an outdated and completely racist mind set. At least they are the ones closing the gap between whites and minorities on campus. The fact that you perpetuate that vile thought process nothing short of the pot calling the kettle black. PS - NOTHING in the IFC by-laws states "The IFC is a Historically White Organization", once again, thank you, Ravi, for perpetuating stereotypes.
Additionally, while I cannot speak for other organizations, I will defend to the death every fraternity and sorority that worked incredibly hard to perform at Stompfest. If you were looking for integration, this was the event to attend - clearly you must not have gone. To fill you in, every IFC and Pan-Hellenic organization teamed up with an NPHC fraternity to learn a Stomp, and then perform it in a competition. Some teams rehearsed as much as 4 hours a week to prepare, and some learned more than stomp - one team learned the history of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and proudly relayed that knowledge to the entire audience. You are sadly disillusioned if you think a racist IFC or NPHC would spend that much time just to pretend they liked each other.
Good luck fitting in at either party if your a non-white/non-black? That would probably be the most incorrect statement I've ever heard. Primarily because the Latino/Latina fraternity and sorority have hosted joint parties with NPHC houses, so you are in dire need of a fact check. Maybe your personal experience comes from feeling uncomfortable by being a minority at a social event - for that you will have to look to yourself. If you haven't you should attend some IFC or NPHC parties. I can speak for my fraternity when I say I have seen individuals from every minority at our social events. Last year, we had a party at which whites were the minority. And nobody cared. We were pleased the high attendance.
In closing, please do research on the efforts that IFC and NPHC are making to close the gap before you blame them for the racism on campus. Instead, let's look at individuals who are pointing the blame at everyone but themselves. What have you personally been doing to bridge the gap, because writing this poorly researched article was a step in the wrong direction.
Danny Neelon
Social Chair
Phi Kappa Sigma
Well said. One of the better
Well said. One of the better columns I've read. Good job.