OPINION
The Clackamas Print Page 2
Wednesday, May 24, I*9S
Letters to the Editor
Darris, student respond to diversity coverage
(Editor’s note: In the diver
sity coverage that appeared in the
last issue of The Print, we quoted
Dean Darris, political science
instructor, as a source. Darris
feels we misrepresented his state
ments and used his quote out of
context. The following are
Darris’ thoughts, in full, regard
ing the diversity plan, The
Clackamas Print, and his views
in general.)
Dear Editor,
I was looking forward to
reading the article concerning the
Diversity Plan, hoping it would
help shed some light, instead of
mere heat, on the complex ques
tion of social, intellectual, and
moral diversity.
Fortunately, the article and
its attendant comments, in gen
eral, seemed to do just that; un
fortunately, my comments, in par
ticular, did not. That is, I discov
ered that it was my comments that
radiated the heat while generat
ing very little of the light. Quotes
such as “you’re all being screwed
equally” -independent of the con
text in which they were given -
do very little in the way of educa
tion and seem to be nothing more
than inflammatory and ignorant
- for this I apologize to my com
munity, my students, and my col
leagues.
As a political scientist I take
very seriously the demands of so
cial justice and it is with this in
tent that I would like to provide
the context lacking from my
quotes.
Let me be very clear from the
outset that I support whatever
justice demands. And, there can
be little question that justice -
whatever else it is - demands that
persons be granted equal concern
and respect regardless of their
race, sex, ethnic backgrounds, re
ligion, sexual identity, class, etc.
Nonetheless, justice also demands
that plans or programs or goals
claiming to support a just social
order must respect the complex
ity that this enterprise entails.
If we are really concerned
with promoting the values of dig
nity and respect (and I know we
are) then we simply cannot ignore
the reality of economic prejudice
in contemporary life. How can
any of us be so self-congratula
tory about our enlightened state,
when so many members of our
Clackamas community face an
uncertain - dare I say desperate -
future given the present realities
of their economic conditions?
Also, if the purpose of the
plan is to help instill a sense of
our respect and appreciation for
others, then how come there is so
little expressed concern in the
plan that most of our global
neighbors live in abject poverty?
As a matter of conjecture, could
it be that much of the passion ex
pressed at the diversity forum was,
rather, a manifestation of the in
tuitive sense of powerlessness that
these students feel given the eco
nomic realities they face?
It is time - as an academic
institution of higher learning - to
entertain this question: Are sex
ism and racism, in fact, the pri
mary obstacles to social justice in
America? I posit the following
opinion: Racism and sexism are
very sick beasts (which makes
them easy targets?) that are dy
ing, if a bit slowly, of both their
own intellectual deficiencies and
because dedicated individuals re
fused to accept them as guiding
ideals of social reality.
To be sure, there still remains
a few pockets of ignorance, but
they hold very little sway on the
vast majority of persons and sim
ply do not account for die primary
acts of social and institutional
prejudice in America. The gen
eral institutional agreement with
the intent, if not substance, of the
plan attests to this social fact.
But, in their place, an old
beast is thriving, one that is so
phisticated and charming, where
the others were crude and obnox
ious. This one speaks the lan
guage of freedom and democracy
while it practices their antithesis
- namely classism.
I know it is not popular or
trendy to question the gospel of
“free market economies;” hence,
so much more the need for aca
demics to do so. One of the high
purposes of an academic institu
tion is to set a normative example
for society as a whole. Is this not
one of the purposes of the plan?
Or, is it only appropriate to ques
tion a prejudice when that particu
lar prejudice is no longer socially
acceptable? In other words, do we
lead best from behind? Let us not
forget that racism and sexism
themselves used to be, not only
popular, but academic orthodoxy
as well.
Therefore, when asked if I
thought the “plan” was applicable
to the issues facing students to
day, I replied, in effect, that given
the general economic situation of
most Clackamas students - re
gardless of sex or race - they are
“all being screwed equally.” That
is, institutional America already
grants all working class persons
equal concern and respect - which
is to say, none at all.
In short, my comments were
not an indictment of the plan, but
rather, a plea that we make it
meaningful. We could do this by
having the intellectual courage to
examine prejudices that all of us
may actually share, instead of
ones we already know we should
not perpetuate. That is, education
is about exposing successes
against it. It is in this context that
my comments were made, and I
guess this does prove that with all
complex ideas, be it justice, diver
sity, or whatever, context js every
thing.
Dean Darris,
Political Science Instructor
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the Original Draft 11-21-94
(Goal 5 part i) and it should be
pointed out that this point was
footnoted (with a double aster
isk) stating, “We recommend
these strategies be done imme
diately.” If anyone doesn’t con
form to this new orthodoxy, he/
she need not apply. How toler
ant.
This should frighten the
socks off of everyone because it
is reminiscent of the new incar
nation of Afghanistan, where
only Muslims may hold public
office or public employment
(and where non-Muslims orga
nizations are outlawed) and the
former Soviet Union, where only
party members in good standing
could hope to advance.
Good Grief, Martha, grab
the scatter gun, the thought po
lice are at the door!
The odd thing is that, if
these goals begin to be enacted,
what you wilLend up with is a
group of people employed at this
institution who are homogenous
in their outlook and philosophy,
which seems to me to be the very
antithesis of what the “diversity
plan” had hoped to accomplish.
Or is that, in fact, the true in
tent and purpose of this plan?
If it is true that, it is, indeed
a “done deal,” then the recent
diversity forum was a charade
and a farce.
A “gut level reactionar[y]”
Terry Koivisto
_____________________ Corrections Box________ ____________
In the article titled “ASG invites students to Dance: Friday, May
26,” we printed some incorrect information. The following in
formation is the correct concerning the ASG dance.
Photo identification is required for admission. The dance will
be from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. There will be ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s mu
sic. The contest that will be held will be for the best dressed
from each decade, as well as a dancing contest. The live band
Grocery will play from 1 to 2 a.m. for more information, contact
ASG at 2247.
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Dear Editor,
The rumor around campus
has it that the “proposed”
changes in CCC’s existing, ap
proved Affirmative Action Plan,
the focus-of the recent campus
forum, is anything but “pro
posed,” but is, in fact, a done
deal.
As a paying student at CCC
and a taxpaying resident of
Clackamas County, I am curi
ous, in light of the recent Propo
sition 5 funding cuts, as to how
these changes (“pursue grant
monies and/or release time for
faculty to develop/modify
classes to meet ‘diversity con
tent’ criteria... research “Diver
sity Awareness Programs’ used
in other institutions... research
techniques used by other col
leges...”) are to be funded.
Isn’t CCC also faced with
further funding cuts at the state
level when the revenue sharing,
rich school/poor school formula
begins next year?
I also object to their politi
cally correct and indoctrinaire
tone: “clarify/define criteria for
‘diversity content” ... Examine
existing courses for current ‘di
versity content.’”
There is also the danger of
a new orthodoxy being imposed
upon possible hirees: “establish
and use a set of ‘standard’ ques
tions regarding diversity/cul-
tural issues for all position
openings.” This gem is from
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