Groups discuss leader's goals

By Jamie Teibel
Staff Writer

The question of whether the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. is being fulfilled on the campus of Purdue University still has no answer.

Monday night at 6:30 in LAEB 2280 students from Hope Ministries, Black Student Union and Intervarsity Christian Fellowship met to address the question.

Maureen Duncan, a sophomore in the School of Liberal Arts and president of the Black Student Union, along with Trever Risinger, a member on the campus staff for Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, led the discussion.

It began with an overall summary of the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. and his wish for equality among whites and blacks. The group tried to keep him in mind, but at the same time remembered the comparison of the past to the current issues.

It discussed the dividing lines in today's culture and how the lines are accentuated by the media and the environment where a person is raised.

Affirmative Action was also a major issue talked about. One student who spoke of it felt as though Affirmative Action is something colleges and corporations use to merely fill a quota. Because of this feeling, others feel as though it only sees black people as a means to fill a space and not for the people they are, or want to become. One student mentioned that Martin Luther King, Jr. wanted his children to be judged by the quality of their character and not by the color of their skin.

The group discussed the struggle of blacks as they strive to be equal and how there is still the major struggle of breaking away from stereotypes. That stereotype, one that rules all black people as loud, drug dealing gangsters who by the age of 21 are criminals and parents is one that Andrae Sailes says he refuses to be a part of. Sailes, a sophomore in the School of Liberal Arts said, "I feel as though I have the weight of the world on my shoulders. Like I'm at the bottom trying to work my way up."

Sailes, along with some of the other students present, felt as though one main goal should be to stop putting blame on each other.

Ja'lon Rhinehart, a junior in the School of Liberal Arts, said he thinks that too many black people believe the white man put them there. Looking at the issue at hand, he thought people should stop dwelling on the past and start looking to the future for the resolution to this problem.

Role models are one way the group thinks would help the solution. Latisha Jackson, a junior in the School of Consumer and Family Sciences, said, "Children have been taught that having black role models is embracing your heritage." She thinks that all children should have role models from any race and that they should be looked at for their success and not for their color.

Educating communities is also a solution discussed. "Both sides have to stop pointing fingers," said Sailes. Looking at each other as equally qualified human beings with feelings and personalities is a major step in the process.

Duncan and Risinger both said the discussion helped to answer the question. Risinger commented that the question asked is a large, difficult one to answer, but for the first session it was a big success. It was helpful in getting people to relate to each other in figuring out a solution.

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