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Living in a culture of Denialism
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One cannot forget the past, or you mislead the future. There isn’t a perfect way to do anything, let alone ending oppression, but there are significant changes one takes to redirect discrimination, ending the subtleties and feelings of inferiority.
One of the best explanations I’ve received describing discrimination was from Dan Timberlake, director of Counseling Services. According to him, the most problematic and dangerous types of stereotyping and discrimination take place on a more subtle level.
“It’s not so much the overt signs, but the more unspoken racism that can take place,” Timberlake said. “[Discrimination] occurs most when people don’t say anything, or shy away from it.”
This realization is clear at Boise State when some would rather slide along and avoid conflict. It’s easy now, but what about after college?
I realize much of our student population consists of non-traditional students and I admire those who lived lives before Boise State: worked those 9-5 jobs, raised their children or struggled on their own terms. I think they’re the ones who will teach the youth in our population, hopefully, by example.
What I’ve realized and discussed with Timberlake is this form of behavior usually occurs when there is a lack of integration. Most people don’t know what affects people if they don’t know them.
“Once you handle a critical mass of an underrepresented group, I think people have personal relationships … which melt stereotypes,” Timberlake said.
Even I have to agree, these changes are taking place within our university: the hiring of faculty and staff (the Director of Student Diversity and Inclusion), increased (and more diverse) student population, more support to diversity-oriented departments (Women‘s Center’s Consent Campaign) and evolved policies that focus on responsibility of the individual (Statement of Shared Values).
It’s interesting how subtle discriminatory powers can provoke subtle administrative shifts.
According to Michael Laliberte, vice president of Student Affairs, some of the changes affecting the policies are more vague.
“I think the first response to the [Campus Climate Executive Report Summary of 2005-2006] was on the broad strokes and now it’s time to get on the fine painting of what are some of the methods that we need to do, and work with audiences that aren’t being addressed,” Laliberte said.
This includes more training within the administration, staff and student employees.
The Student Leadership Summit’s diversity training was a new step towards the “metropolitan” university. Though not perfect, it was a reflection on the students attending and their views and opinions. Here, for the first time, people actually thought about oppression and discrimination and what it means to Boise.
“Instead of blaming, we have to come together and take responsibility,” Laliberte said. “If we’re not doing something right, let’s fix it and move.”
After all this thinking, it must be difficult to put any two together to create a belief of enterprise and sustainability. Honestly, does one really sustain from thinking? Possibly so, if we could confront those vindictive forces for just a day or two. What if each of us challenged, intellectually speaking, the harshness of words or the whispers of cruelty? I wonder how much of an impact you would make.
JESSICA HENDERSON
ARBITER JOURNALIST
