I have had many white students come up to me and make statements like, “Why don’t any black people talk to us?” or “Why can’t I be a part of Black United Students?” and other silly questions. Let me set the record straight: Let it be known that black students do not separate themselves from white students. White students separate from blacks.

It is a historical fact that when blacks come in, whites move out. Almost every black-operated group — such as the Black Panther Party — has almost always been deemed anti-white and ultimately attacked by the larger white society. These black-operated groups solely intend to support the well-being of oppressed black people in this country. All of these groups were attacked by the larger white society and are usually demonized when introduced to younger generations.

It seems as though the larger white society has an inherent fear of organized black people in this country. This is why white people have a problem with black students sitting with each other in the cafeteria. It is the fear of “organizing blacks.”

As Political Affairs and Grievances chair of BUS, I have never had a complaint about “too many whites gathering.” I have heard many questions about the relevance of BUS and the oh-so-common joke “can I be a part of BUS?” I say it is a joke because out of all of the whites that say this to me, none of them actually come to a meeting. The only whites that come are reporters or Socialist Party members.

Black History Month is here now, and this is the month in which white America will remind us blacks that we were slaves, and large corporations who have been caught being racist will give a check to the NAACP.

Why is it that we reject our African history? We as African-Americans deny black history because it is purposefully not taught to us. It is our responsibility to learn our true history from Africa. It is an injustice to expel Africa from history books because Africa is the heartland of the world, and from it all life began. All people should appreciate African history as human history.

This is my message to white students on campus who are truly interested in black culture: Come to a BUS meeting or event and see what we do. Be involved with the things that hurt us politically and socially. Hell, most of the things that hurt us economically hurt you, too. Most of us at this university are middle-class Americans and will graduate to remain middle-class Americans.

Race is used as a device to divide non-rich people and to have us fight over something that doesn’t matter while the rich majority profits and pulls our puppet strings. The same people who are profiting off of poor blacks are profiting off of poor whites. Very soon, poor blacks will wake up and generate wealth from and for their communities.

Wouldn’t it be great if all economically deprived people generated wealth together and equally? BUS meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. every other Tuesday in Oscar Ritchie Hall.

Teddy Harris is a senior communications studies major and a columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact him at [email protected].