In conjunction with our interview with Dr. Ala Stanford, we have decided to republish an editorial she wrote to the then Behrend Collegian in December of 1988. The editorial concerned a proposed minority senator position to represent minorities within the Student Government Association. Dr. Stanford, who was herself a student senator, wrote in her support for the proposal. (For later context, LGBT+ students at University Park were attempting a similar measure in their own student government).

In Defense of HABIT

Dear editor,

I feel that being a resident senator and a young black woman that I can adequately respond to your editorial on the HABIT senator from a black student’s point of view. The fact that only minorities can represent minorities is just that, a fact, not a racist idea. If a minority student came to a white senator and told him of a racial encounter he experienced in the residence halls he would be represented effectively? I think not. When I hear ignorant statements like “It’s not my fault God made you colored,” or when speaking to someone they refer to a person as “that colored boy,” it irks me. A white student could not possibly feel what it feels like to be a minority unless they were in an environment where they were the minority. They don’t know how it feels when the majority makes them feel inferior because their skin color is dark. You spoke of equal

representation. Well, I don’t think that a minority senator would be represented effectively by a white student.

People may think, “Well Ala’s a minority and a resident senator – so what do you need a HABIT senator for.” I was elected to represent residents, not minorities. People can not assume that just because I’m black that I will accept that responsibility. I could be from an environment where I didn’t experience racial prejudice or interact with other black students. So, I wouldn’t want to accept the fact that people discriminate because of skin color. Therefore I wouldn’t represent minorities because I don’t feel I’m classified as one. Essentially, if I attended all the SGA meetings and spoke out for all minorities someone would say to me you were elected to represent residents not minorities. The decision for the HABIT senator has not been driven by the guilt of wrong done in the past, but these wrongs have laid down the foundation of our society today. Many people have this preconceived notion that whites have always been on the top and blacks on the bottom. It is because of precedented history that people think this way. They don’t want the majority rule upset, fearing that we (minorities) are moving up the ladder. They may say that they want equality, but equality the way it is today, which is far from equal. You said it yourself, “extra political power cannot be granted to one group without usurping the power of another.” That statement proves, at least in your opinion, that the majority does in fact rule and they don’t want their power lessened.

The situation about the homosexuals at University Park, in my opinion, is a totally isolated incident. Before someone looks at me and says that I am a homosexual, they will see that I’m black. My sexual preference doesn’t show up externally but my race does. There are several other issues that need to be addressed but they can’t all be in this letter. I would like to give some advice to those who are leery on this topic and need to be enlightened. Go to the SGA

meetings, listen to the opinions and speak your own. Talk to friends who are minorities and see how they feel. If you don’t have any, start there by getting some.

The fact that we live in a society where everyone is equal is ideal, but realistically it does not exist 

Ala Stanford

First Semester biology major

Dear Ala,

I agree that I do not know what it is like to be a minority, but your idea of equality can only cause more discrimination. The idea of equal rights is the greatest concept ever conceived, but I cannot see how equality can be reached if certain types of segregation are continually allowed to throw a wrench into the works. Is equality a black person being able to represent a white person but the reverse not being true? Equality can never be reached through separatism.

• Ed. (James Martin)