Re: Oct. 17 article, "Opinions collide over racial discussion." Now is the time for candid conversations confronting the issue of race relations to take place. This cannot be facilitated through poorly planned satirical skits at Chapel or any other venue in which students are forced to participate. In order for meaningful discourse to take place, ... [Read More…]
No threat in Black History Month
I'm intrigued by the threat that Black History Month presents for some. Every year we have celebrations for Hispanic Heritage Month and Global Awareness Month, but no ongoing debate occurs about why we are celebrating these months. I'm certainly not advocating we start doing that, but I am curious as to why we project our fears when it ... [Read More…]
First listen before speaking out
I was baffled upon reading Wann's letter concerning the Essence of Ebony Chapel presentation on Friday. My difficulty lay in the fact that he claimed the presentation, a comparison of Dr. King and Malcolm X, was an attack on him and all other "Caucasian, middle-class American[s]." It puzzled me that he could think a piece ... [Read More…]
Love should see past skin color
My name is Dylan Wann, and I am a junior at ACU, meaning that this February is my third chance to experience Black History month on campus. The purpose of this letter is to express my strong disappointment and confusion with Friday's Chapel presentation. The vignette of this year's Black History Month production left me, and a good number of my ... [Read More…]
Student defends Black Panthers
One thing I have been disgusted with since I stepped foot on the ACU campus is the ignorance which is so prevalent here about the true struggle of black people. This ignorance was exemplified in a small article I read last week entitled "Chapel Apology Not Necessary." I fully agree with the title because Matt Worthington, whom I spoke ... [Read More…]
Moore says, “Do something about apathy”
In a period of one week, Chapel speakers have addressed issues of race and segregation three times. A small group will meet Monday to discuss the Black Panthers, and "Jesus and the Hip-Hop Prophets" will revisit issues surrounding race. As such, The Optimist editorial board thinks that racism and segregation are pertinent issues on the ACU campus, ... [Read More…]
Chapel apology not necessary
By Daniel Johnson-Kim, Sports Editor Political correctness can be a good thing. But as most redundant sermons or lectures will tell you, too much of a good thing is bad. One recent example of unneeded political correctness was Matt Worthington's apology last Friday for comments he made in his speech about racial reconciliation on Jan ... [Read More…]
Beliefs should come from research, conviction
"We want our people to stay white - we don't want to just be, you know, a big muddle. We just want to preserve our race." This statement is so shocking that some might have trouble accepting the fact that someone actually made this statement only a few weeks ago. Even more disheartening: these words were uttered by 13-year old girls. Lamb and ... [Read More…]
Letter from the Editor: Separate but equal month?
By Paul A. Anthony, Editor in Chief Is black history separate but equal? Black leaders not only say it should be, they also advocate a system of segregation against which their parents and grandparents fought. It's been 50 years since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that the decades-old Jim Crow of "separate but equal" ... [Read More…]
Letter from the Editor: Rights groups, not GOP, divide races
By Paul A. Anthony, Editor in Chief America's civil rights groups have branded the Republican Party, and more specifically its conservative wing, as racist. They'll never come out and say as much; the middle-class moderates would crucify the liberal Democrats who kowtow to these groups. But now that President Bush has renominated the rejected ... [Read More…]