UCI’s Blacks and King Symposium

As a student at UC Irvine, I found myself dismayed with some of the conclusions Brian Whitten made (Commentary, Feb. 2) regarding the Martin Luther King symposium and the black community at UC Irvine.

Whitten seems to feel that groups like the Black Student Union and the black fraternities on this campus perpetuate a kind of racial discrimination against whites. He seems to think that the purpose behind such groups is not to “abolish racial discrimination as Dr. King did” but rather to “separate (blacks) from the mainstream to (make them) feel special.” Nothing could be further from the truth.

Groups like the Black Student Union and the black fraternities serve to unite people with a common history and common goals. This is important because it requires a united effort to combat the far-reaching problems of discrimination and to successfully reach the goal of true racial equality.

As one who happens to be white, I cannot truly belong to the group of “brothers and sisters” because although we share the same dream, we do not share a common history. I don’t, however, feel the least bit discriminated against because of this, and it is a shame that Whitten does.

The white community at UCI (and everywhere else, for that matter!) must make a stronger effort to become better acquainted with Afro-American history and culture. Perhaps even more importantly, it must take a long, hard look at its own history as well and, as the female symposium speaker suggested, accept the fact that its ancestors enslaved blacks.

And although it is hard to feel personally responsible now for what has happened in the past, whites must never forget what history has recorded about their relationship with minority groups.

It is only with a thorough understanding of the past that we can begin to fully understand each other in the present and fulfill Martin Luther King’s dream of becoming brothers and sisters of the human race. To the members of the black community at UCI, I say: Keep throwing the logs on the fire!

SCOTT A. HEMBD

Irvine