"Student leader unburdens self on issues of equality"-January 22, 1988, page 3, The Occidental
Title
"Student leader unburdens self on issues of equality"-January 22, 1988, page 3, The Occidental
Description
This is a follow up from the previous week's article that had the responses to the Black Student Alliance's question about how impactful Martin Luther King, Jr. was in their lives. O'Keefe says that King spoke not only for black people, but also for white. He believes that King's message is one that places the need for action on the oppressed. Essentially, O'Keefe feels that black students at Oxy must follow this message (along with all other people of color in the nation) and stnad up for themselves/integrate themselves. He sees racial tension at Oxy as nearly non-existence, excepting his argument that the black students seek support within the community of other black students and "make little effort" to integrate themselves into the mostly white student body. Due to this, he suggests that "they have no right to claim they are victims of racism" (3).
Creator
O'Keefe, Garet
Source
The Occidental
Publisher
Associated Students of Occidental College
Date
1988-01-22
Date Created
2015-11-03
Contributor
Tatz, Erin
Rights
Rights resides with Occidental College Library. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact Special Collections.
Bibliographic Citation
O'Keefe, Garet. "Student leader unburdens self on issues of equality." The Occidental. January 22, 1988. pp, 3.
Mediator
CTSJ 320 Culture and Community
Rights Holder
Occidental College
Original Format
Newspaper Article
Analysis/Reflection
This opinion piece is striking in its invalidation of racism on Oxy's campus outside of black students isolating themselves. The author blatantly suggests that black students at Occidental have no claim to being victims of racism, as he points to their lack of effort as the source of their issues. I find this piece to be boldly ignorant, and judging by the fact that the BSA insisted that the entirety of O'Keefe's opinion be printed, I assume that they would agree.
Citation
O'Keefe, Garet, “"Student leader unburdens self on issues of equality"-January 22, 1988, page 3, The Occidental,” History of Equity and Diversity at Occidental, accessed May 23, 2022, https://oxyequitydiversity2014.omeka.net/items/show/257.