April 5, 2002

By Emily deAyora

 There are many reasons why Conor’s letter upset me and other students of
color who attend Pomona College. His request that we point out specific
incidents of racism at Pomona is problematic. Conor says that without
accusations of rascist acts or instances of white male privilege, anyone
claiming that racism exists at Pomona is, to use his words, "righteous."
However it seems inherently unfair to me that the victims of the systems of
oppression that control both our school and this country should be required
to prove that the oppression exists. Especially at a place like Pomona,
where as students we are supposed to be learning how to be analytical of
ourselves and of others – why should it be my responsibility as a student of
color to take you by the hand and point out to you how I feel oppressed?
Conor, after four years here you should have the skills to look around you
and see how this school works – and to realize the privilege you carry as a
white male. You should be able to acknowledge inequalities, and use your
position as editor of this paper to try and better the Pomona community.
Instead, your letter hurt many students, and proved to us that the battle
for equality is far from over if our own peers still refuse to see things
for how they are.

I could sit here and write up a list up things that hurt students of color
at Pomona, but that would be like a professor giving you all the answers to
a test that you had not studied for. Instead, I am asking all students here
to look around them and at themselves. Look at the trustees who govern this
school, at the makeup of the faculty and the courses they teach, at the
composition of the student body. Look at who serves you food and cleans
your bathrooms in comparison to who teaches you math and philosophy. Look
at yourself, how you got here, and the experiences you have been priveleged
to have as a student at a wealthy college. Look at how you treat people,
how you feel about mentor organizations, and how you have worked to make
this college better for everyone. Do that, and then maybe we can sit down
and have a talk about white male privilege and oppression of students of
color at Pomona College.