It don't matter if you're black or white...

I sometimes get very frustrated with my school because one of their big values is diversity.

Now, don't get me wrong, I think it's great to have diversity, but I feel that the approach is somewhat annoying.

I remember discussing this in my sociology class sophomore year, and I mentioned that I feel that our school pushes diversity in a way like "you're white, so go eat lunch with a black person! LOOK! DIVERSITY! How cultured!"

I feel as though they force interactions between "racial and ethnic groups" that really should come naturally. I won't be specific, but I think my group of friends is "diverse" and I don't think race should be a prime focus of our relationships.



Some of this frustration came out again when my school sent out a graduation survey (funny, I still have another year...) and asked this question:

To what extent have you experienced the following with students from a racial/ethnic group other than your own? Very Often, Often, Sometimes, Seldom, or Never
a. Dined or shared a meal
b. Had meaningful and honest discussions about race/ethnic relations outside of class
c. Had guarded interactions
d. Shared personal feelings and problems
e. Had tense, somewhat hostile interactions
f. Had intellectual discussions outside of class
g. Felt insulted or threatened because of your race/ethnicity
h. Studied or prepared for class
i. Attended events sponsored by other racial/ethnic groups


For the explained reasons above, the first question, A, bothered me. Who cares if I have eaten lunch with a black person or a Chinese person or a Persian person or Columbian person? I don't want to sound like "hey, I am great in this way so you should all be like me," but really I don't think about those things when I am eating with friends. I don't take the time to think "wow, how great is it that I can sit here and enjoy a meal with a Korean! GREAT!" You know what I mean? Like, why ask this question to put it in my mind so I will now think about it?

Then, the E question also bothered me. I feel like by placing this choice in the context of the question, the survey is somehow assuming that if I were to say yes, this has happened, that the tension was caused by race for some reason. I think the only "hostile interactions" I have had were with roommates, and once with a girl in the sociology class (something about stay at home moms, i just remember her getting defensive over something that no one was attacking her on...). So, if these people were a different race or ethnic group, should I mark "sometimes" for this topic? Does it really matter what kind of person I had these conversations with? If it was about cups in the shared kitchenette or stay at home moms, why should I try to think back if I ever had an argument with someone of a different "race or ethnic group" if that part had NOTHING to do with the argument?

In that sociology class, we also discussed "racial and ethnic groups" and in a week long discussion basically determined that they don't actually exist. As in, people say these things to put people in categories, therefore making it easier for them to make generalizations, either for stereotypes or market research or whatever reason.

Therefore, I feel like asking a question like this just draws more attention to the differences people have than trying to bring them together. This was a big theme we came up with in class, and I still don't really know my full opinion on it. Ignore peoples differences (and therefore end the discrimination and, well, focusing on peoples differences) OR ignore peoples differences (and just gloss over all the problems we have in our society by ignoring the problems we have already created)? I don't know which is worse/better.

Lets have a discussion on this...