Editor:In response to Cameron Sheya’s letter (“BSU and MEChA are upset for no reason,” Nov. 15), it is not ironic or uncommon that a white Christian male such as you would have such twisted perceptions of reality when it comes to race or ethnicity issues. You have been awarded the blanket of privilege that I have not, and you are allowed to overlook these issues and not address them because they do not affect you directly. You have had the privilege of having a society that has been made and catered to you and no one else. You have a guard or a mask over your eyes that makes you see only what you want to see and hear what you want to hear. This is not the first time that white society has diluted and narrowed my culture to something minute. White culture has taken what it sees as fitting or acceptable behavior from minorities and placed it into categories that are consistent with the views of the dominant culture. This has been done to African Americans for generations. White culture has taken aspects of “blackhood” and had fun with and laughed at them for years. There are countless examples of this: blackface, sambos, Aunt Jemima-the list can continue on. It is not that we are taking away your fun, but that we will no longer accept you having fun at our expense, or at the expense of anyone. It is a red flag to me that anyone would want to participate in activities that are mentally or physically detrimental to anyone or any group of people. Maybe before you look at this as a way to take away your “fun,” you should look past that and see the true problem that this is addressing: the continued exotification, dehumanization and exploitation of a group of people, and your participation in these activities.

Aishatu Yusuf Senior, Political Science