Getting along, the American way

Go to DuBois College House. Why? Let's start out with some facts. I'm white. Check out my picture. It's true!

While Americans legitimately celebrate the diversity of our nation, the fact remains that about 75 percent of this country is Caucasian. To state the obvious: The majority of us spend the majority of our time being in the majority.

Standing out in a crowd can be a pretty uncomfortable experience, even if it's just for a little while.

But have you ever spent any long period of time squarely in the minority?

As one student described it to me, "Sometimes I walk into a room where I'm the only black person, and I feel like everyone just kind of hesitates for a second ... like everyone was just talking about me a second before I came."

In this nation and on this campus, it is imperative that we take classes, work jobs, make friends and hook up with people of different races.

The riots among minorities in France that began last week demonstrate what happens when ethnic communities become marginalized.

However, these riots have also started a bit of commentary comparing the "American model" of race relations to the "French model."

In short, the American ideal is to encourage strong ethnic affiliations within the framework of the nation. In contrast, the French ideal is to officially ignore and discourage ethnic affiliations under the dictum that everyone who lives in France is French.

The reality is that ethnic affiliations exist and that we must constructively work with them. White people will tend to live with white people and Asians with Asians, while Jews will dominate the bottom floors of Hamilton until the Apocalypse.

Good race relations don't require that we pretend we are all the same and jump into a giant pot together. The key is to enhance our social and professional interactions with respect to our differences. A colorful society is more stable and more workable than a society that pretends to be colorblind.

An example of the American model in action is DuBois College House.

Founded over 30 years ago, DuBois lets residents explore African-American identity and contemporary race relations in a residential setting. Residents also have a giant big-screen TV and enormous couches in the lobby to sweeten the deal.

The DuBois house was controversial when it was founded in 1972. While no one is making bomb threats against the house like they did in its earlier years, many people on campus suffer from the perception that DuBois is a "blacks-only" house where "self-segregation" is encouraged.

This couldn't be further from the truth.

DuBois College House is not an experiment in self-segregation. Anyone who is interested in the program -- which includes social events, outings, classes and even a scholarship for some students -- is welcome to take part.

Besides the fact that the majority of black students do not live in DuBois, a sizable chunk of DuBois residents are not black.

Living in DuBois breaks new ground for many residents.

For the first time, white students live in an environment where they are in the minority. Many black residents -- especially those who went to predominantly white high schools -- also find it to be a totally new and unusual social experience.

The problem with DuBois College House isn't that it exists. The problem is that most of us aren't going there. By treating DuBois as some kind of forgotten corner of campus, we undercut the goals of the program and damage contemporary race relations in America.

DuBois residents go to the same classes, parties and bars as the rest of us. They deal with the same exploding pipes, rodent infestations and other joys associated with living on campus.

As one DuBois resident explained, "This isn't the only place that I go. This is just where I live."

So the next time you are near DuBois, stop in and look around. It might just rock your world.

As one resident put it, "I would encourage everyone to just come through on any given day. If you have a PennCard, you can get in. It's not like we're going to stop you at the door because you need a separate 'black' card or DuBois card. Come in, hang out, watch TV."

Did I mention that they have a sweet TV?

Eric Obenzinger is a junior history major from New York. Quaker Shaker appears on Wednesdays.

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