Letters to the Editor | Lessons of diversity talk cannot be dismissed

After reading Jonathan Miller’s editorial about the hypocrisy and pointlessness of the first freshman orientation event (“Orientation Diversity Session falls short of intended goals,” 9.7.07 issue of The Miscellany News), “Belonging to a Diverse Community,” it became clear to me that the true problems did not lie with the event itself, but with the author’s own unwillingness and inability to confront the difficult issues that pervade our campus. He wrote that, along with other freshmen, he felt “constrained by the necessity of being aware of our differences.” Instead of engaging in active discussion about diversity, he would rather have us walk through our campus turning a blind eye to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and the other characteristics which make each individual on our campus unique. The event, which contained about 35 testimonials from Vassar students about times they have felt uncomfortable or disrespected because of who they are, serves as both a reminder that we are not unaffected by ignorance and a catalyst for moving forward.

As a college committed to sensitivity and inclusion, it is impossible to function effectively without openly embracing our differences. The program was not about exposing freshmen to Vassar by giving them a “snapshot of discrimination,” but instead about revealing the dangers of assumptions and reminding each of us that we are not immune to misunderstanding and bigotry. As a gay male who was recently told by a member of Queer Coalition of Vassar College (QCVC) to sign up for their e-mail list because they “need allies,” I can speak to the fact that, without even meaning to, many Vassar students still misconceive the true principles of respecting diversity. Unlike Miller’s desire to simply dump a diverse body of students on our campus and then ignore their differences, the reality is that to belong to a diverse community, you must be aware of and welcome differences, while educating yourself and working to support others.

Miller quotes the Vassar Web site as evidence that an event such as this one is unnecessary. The Web site reads that the campus is “a very accepting atmosphere where people feel comfortable expressing themselves openly.” While this is overwhelmingly true, it did not happen by accident. It is only through events like the one Miller would have us do away with that we create a campus environment of tolerance and sensitivity. The true hypocrisy is not that a diversity event takes center stage during orientation, but that Miller feels like Vassar is an “accepting atmosphere” yet feels “constrained by…being aware of our differences.” If I see Miller walking through campus, I’ll be sure to apologize that orientation wasn’t just full of kickball and ice cream socials—but then again, neither is the world we live in.

—Nathaniel Silver,
Class of 2010 President