Professor Dinkins Urges Students to 'Challenge Racism'

Giving his audience a history lesson on racism in America, former New York City Mayor David N. Dinkins encouraged a crowd of about 80 students last night to make a personal investment in the struggle against hatred.

In a speech sponsored by the Black Students Association (BSA), Dinkins, now a Columbia University professor of public affairs, cited examples of discrimination from the past half-century, saying "it is necessary that we ask ourselves whether there has been any real improvement in the last forty years."

While he acknowledged that many in the Emerson Hall lecture room had experienced racism first-hand, Dinkins said he could provide special perspective into the ways hate has pervaded society.

"I don't profess to have suffered longer--I have just been black longer," Dinkins said.

Shaking his head at his own experience in the U.S. Marine Corps when troops were segregated, Dinkins proceeded to condemn the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, the "deranged" Senator Joseph R. McCarthy (R-Wis), South African apartheid and violent repression in several African and Asian nations.

"The current trend--amazingly--is for people to question the existence of racism or ignore its pervasiveness," the 71-year-old Dinkins said. "We live in a racist society."

Arguing that "African Americans in the United States ought to challenge racism when any group of people is touched by depravity," Dinkins said "too many good people are silent."

The Howard University graduate said students can make a difference by becoming big brothers and sisters, refusing to accept the status quo, and by simply voting.

"Too many black people have fought hard, given their greatest gift--their lives--for you to think, even for a moment, that not exercising the right to vote is an option," Dinkins said. "It is a dishonor to their memories. By not voting and by not being involved, we marginalize only ourselves."

Dinkins said young people have made positive impacts in the struggle for equality; students opened the doors of Little Rock's Central High School in 1957, founded the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, ultimately prevailed as protesters against segregation in Birmingham, Ala., and helped to bring attention to repression in China.

"Surely young people are no less capable of effecting positive social change in our own place and time," he said.

Dinkins peppered his address with jibes at current New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, and lamented the conditions for young people in the Big Apple.

"Invest in the children of our cities ,because many of the leaders in our cities todayhave divested from them," Dinkins said.

The former mayor also commented on New YorkCity's recent Million Youth March, noting that hedisapproved of march organizer Khallid Muhammad.

"I deplore everything that man stands for," hesaid.

According to President Dionne Fraser '99, theBSA has been planning Dinkins' visit for years.

"Our schedules finally meshed," Dinkins said.

BSA Alumni Representative Nicole K. Sherwood'00, who helped organize the visit, has known themayor for years, and said he is "a shining beaconof pride and hope" to the youth of New York.

Due to traffic from Logan Airport, Dinkins wasunable to arrive in time for a small reception inhis honor, which was attended by about 20 studentsas well as Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III,Harvard Foundation Director S. Allen Counter,Senior Admissions Officer David L. Evans andInstitute of Politics Fellow John Mack.

But before Dinkins was whisked back to theAirport for an 8:30 p.m. flight, BSA VicePresident Jason B. Phillips '99 managed to ask theformer mayor one final query.

"Will you run in 2001?," Phillips shouted.

"No," Dinkins winked. "My wife won't let me.

The former mayor also commented on New YorkCity's recent Million Youth March, noting that hedisapproved of march organizer Khallid Muhammad.

"I deplore everything that man stands for," hesaid.

According to President Dionne Fraser '99, theBSA has been planning Dinkins' visit for years.

"Our schedules finally meshed," Dinkins said.

BSA Alumni Representative Nicole K. Sherwood'00, who helped organize the visit, has known themayor for years, and said he is "a shining beaconof pride and hope" to the youth of New York.

Due to traffic from Logan Airport, Dinkins wasunable to arrive in time for a small reception inhis honor, which was attended by about 20 studentsas well as Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III,Harvard Foundation Director S. Allen Counter,Senior Admissions Officer David L. Evans andInstitute of Politics Fellow John Mack.

But before Dinkins was whisked back to theAirport for an 8:30 p.m. flight, BSA VicePresident Jason B. Phillips '99 managed to ask theformer mayor one final query.

"Will you run in 2001?," Phillips shouted.

"No," Dinkins winked. "My wife won't let me.