Abrams Misrepresented BSA, Fardan

To the Editors of The Crimson:

The Executive Board of the Harvard-Radcliffe Black Students Association would like to express its anger and disdain for the uniformed and ridiculously speculative article "Science Fiction" by Gavin M. Abrams in The Crimson of Friday, October 18.

Abrams misrepresented Dr. Dorothy Blake Fardan's lecture by erroneously basing his editorial on a previously written Crimson article rather than the lecture itself. Fardan lectured on the development and modern-day functioning of white supremacy and its analogous relationship to the exploits of Christopher Colombus. Fardan mentioned the philosophy purporting Yakub as one in a series of different historical perspectives explaining the origins of humanity.

The Crimson article by Gia Kim in the October 7 issue highlighted a small portion of Fardan's lecture. This miniscule bit, which pertains to Yakub, and seems to be the source of discomfort for Abrams, was not even the basis of Fardan's lecture on October 5.

We are extremely insulted that Abrams suggests that we disassociate ourselves from people who have a message for us, even if a small portion of that message may be offensive to him. After all, do Americans fail to honor Thomas Jefferson and George Washington because they were slave owners? And are Americans "out-raged" or "embarrassed and shocked" by the statements of such celebrated individuals as David Hume, who wrote, "I'm apt to suspect the negroes...to be naturally inferior to whites," or Immanuel Kant, who wrote, "The Negroes of Africa have by nature no feeling that rises above the trifling"?

Clearly, it is prejudicial to define the BSA based on incomplete knowledge of the contributions of Dr. Fardan, who was only one in our Black Awareness Lecture Series.

It is even more prejudicial and manipulative for Abrams to base his editorial comments on incomplete quotes, as well as on quotes taken out of context, by BSA leaders. Personal comments made by Art Hall '93 and Nelson Boyce '92, and other particular members of the Board and organization, are not necessarily the views of the entire organization/community, nor do they express the sentiments of a complete agreement with the views of Dr. Fardan or that her invitation represents complete ideological and historical agreement by all BSA members.

If Abrams had been truthful to himself and the Harvard community in using the statements made by Art Hall, Nelson Boyce and Dr. Fardan in the context in which they were meant in the first place, he would have realized that "[o]ur purpose behind the series is to celebrate Blackness, Black culture, people and history. Basically what she has done is to educate us and to tell us a philosophy of Black history."

It is unfortunate that Abrams has felt that he must join the low ranks of other individuals who have sought to stifle, discredit and insult the creativity, contributions and intelligence of Black people. Executive Board, Black Students' Association Art A. Hall, President