So what some people want to be separated? It is not any of your business, nor should it be. What is so wrong with people wanting to be separated if they are personally comfortable among others of their race? It doesn’t make them racist. The fact of the matter is that separation is going to stay, and it should not personally bother you. If it does, then go sit over there and start randomly talking to the group of black students sitting next to you in The Hub.

In the article “Separation is self-imposed,” Shelley Blundell said “I am not going to go out and start an organization that will separate me from the very society I am trying to blend into.” I really hope she isn’t referring to blacks, because the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade forced blacks into America. We did not ask to have our primitive homes taken. There was no choice! So, we are not trying to blend into this society; we are forced. Remember, there are more races and ethnicities besides black and white, so if you want to prove a point, try mentioning more than two. Thanks!

Furthermore, being a black student, it feels good to hear that I am appreciated in my community for taking a stance. But I guess that only comes into account when your community is united as a whole.

This brings my next point – unity! A word used by many, yet only understood by few. In the article, there was an ignorant comment about what would happen if there was suddenly an organization called “White United Students.” That would be an excellent point, if we did not go to Kent State, which has about 90 percent white students. There is no point in creating an organization in which unity is already present. That seems more like a Klan to me.

Lastly, blacks and other minorities handle their own type of ceremonies, such as the “Ebony Achievement Awards to congratulate their students for all of the work in their community.” In actuality, some white students did receive awards.

I am so sick and tired of blacks doing things on campus that make us feel comfortable, and we get slapped in the face for it. Reminder of what happened when blacks went out of their comfort zone … 450 years of bondage, lynching and degradation. We do not need to all blend together for there to be equality. It needs to be there regardless of the situation.

Every single time we have something, someone always wants to take it away from us. Even on Facebook, we have a group called “Black Students at Kent State” because there are not that many of us, and we want to stay in contact. A few days later, there is a group called “White Students at Kent State.” Well, seeing as how that is about 22,000 people, I wonder what the deeper meaning behind that is.

Anyway, we are tired of things being taken from us. We are not going to stand for it anymore. Sorry if this is offensive to many of you, but reality hurts, doesn’t it?

Preston D. Mitchum is a sophomore political science major, Undergraduate Student Senator for Academic Affairs and a guest columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact him at [email protected].