From: ollie@ocf.berkeley.edu (Oliver Wang)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asian.american,ucb.general
Subject: Racialized Relations at Cal...
Date: 21 Jan 1993 07:41:38 GMT
Organization: 1...4...ALL...4...1 i
NNTP-Posting-Host: monsoon.berkeley.edu

In response to Judy Tseng's inquiry as to the racial(ized) situation here at
UC Berkeley I wonder if there are less people at Cal that think we're really
all that progressive or less people in the general public.  As far as I'm con-
cerned, most apologists for Cal's "liberalness" don't help Cal's image, they
probably just make us look silly.

Let's face it...Cal is not Utopia.  We have not been able to create a social
(I don't mean party) climate that exists without inequalities, injustices or
power imbalances.  I'd like to think that Cal is better in terms of racial,
gender, alternative lifestyles, etc. awareness than say...the rural South,
Boston or 90210, but just b/c you're only 93% flawed as opposed to 98% flawed
doesn't mean you should be celebrating your 5% improvement.  One of America's
problems is that it looks at how far it's gone and pats itself on the back 
instead of looking how far there is still to go and getting to work.  After
all, South Africa has certainly taken some steps toward dismantling apartheid
but I don't see blacks popping Moet yet even if De Clerk is.

At the same time, much of the criticism aimed at Cal is misdirected.  There was
a report on diversity put out by the Center for the Study  of Social Change at
Cal that created a storm by using the word "balkanization" to describe the
racialized groupings of ethnic groups on campus.  Pretty soon, you found a lot
of armchair intellectuals firing off at Cal and saying that all this p.c. stuff
has backfired and Cal is one of the most racists schools in the nation.  

Personally, I agree with two out of the three accusations.  Political         
correctness is a typical white liberal gesture to solving societal ills: they
might think it's well meaning, but it's so superficial that it's patronizing.
Actions matter more than words.  And any one with eyes can see that Cal is
extremeley racist by looking at everything from admissions to hirings to class
curriculums.  HOWEVER, balkanization (which is a poor term to begin with) is
not the cause of racism, it's a reaction to it.

Ethnic pluralism exists simply b/c those who can see behind socially created
illusions can see that assimilation/accomodation doesn't work.  Never has, neverwill.  Besides it's natural for people who identify with others that they deem
similar to them to form into groups.  And since race seems to be foremost in
the collective eye sight of Americans, I'm hardly surprised when I see Asians
(and blacks, etc.) group with other Asians (et al.)  In fact, I support it...
your ethnic community is going to be one of the last things you can fall back
on next to your family and friends.  I'd rather be a social realist than a
blind idealist.  

Besides, how many of you really think that if America was perfectly equal in
all socio-economic-political spheres that you wouldn't see ethnic pluralism
anyway?  Sure, I'd expect interethnic interaction increase in such a society,
but for the most part, Asians will hang with Asians, blacks with blacks, Jews
with Jews, etc.  A supposedly color-blind society doesn't translate into color
blind people.

Getting back to Cal...it's painfully obvious that people here are not, by far,
any less racist, sexist (or any -ist) than elsewhere.  Things like American
Cultures helps but only like a bandage would help an amputated arm...it's
better than nothing...but not by much.  Acceptance of differences cannot be
passively taught, it has to be actively learned.             

Rather than ramble on about what should be obvious to those who look behind
the illusions, I'd like to address one of those things that fall into the 
"you've come a long way...but have much, much longer to go" category, I think
the level of ethnic pluralism and solidarity is positive...or more correctly,
more positive here.  Though I'm loath to admit it, Cal's "liberal" history
helps creative a more diverse thought pool and offers an alternative to the
assimilate-to-succeed plan that has gripped others.  It's refreshing to see
things like the Ethnic Studies Dept. and the Studies programs with it offer
students a better perspective on how things are and where they're going.  And
the fact that a good number of people seek strong identification with their
social(ethnic, gender, etc.) groups is also positive.  
    What needs to be done however, is greater communication and interaction
    b/t these groups on campus.  Addressing ethnic groups on campus, there is
    a lot of ignorance running through each one that prevents people of color
    from attaining a greater solidarity.  Look at all the strife within the
    Asian in American community.  It's interethnic, (i.e. Koreans & Japanese)
    it's interclass (bougies & lower class), it's gender (oh God yes), it's
    intercultural (2nd gen & newly arrived immigrants, self hate at its most
    damaging and totally stupid) etc.  PanAsian unity is way off into the future    and Panethnic unity b/t people of color is still further.  I can't offer a
    do it all solution, but one of the first steps is to f- the bullsh*t rhet-
    oric and pseudoideologies and face social facts like racism is still alive
    and well, even in "progressive" Berkeley...so whatcha going to do?


Vision is more than Seeing.
Knowledge is more than Learning.

O-D.U.B. aka Ollie
Xref: sparky soc.culture.asian.american:11838 soc.culture.african.american:14191