To the Editor:
In the Viewpoint "Members of the Academy turn race forum into Ego Fest" (10/3), Kim Fox discusses her views that the speakers used unnecessarily loaded academic jargon. While I agree with her point and would like subsequent forums to be less "loaded", I think there is a more profound issue which she mentions in the first portions of her article. Noting there have been courses to "understand and embrace our differences and similarities... to start 'effective dialogue'," Ms. Fox contests these have been "futile" and have produced few tangible changes. I agree. Following this, what kinds of situations, dialogues, etc., would she (and the Tufts community) like to see to create the possibilities for such understanding? As Fox mentions, as students are "interested in the subject" of race and other issues, we need to create some ways to construct situations to produce the change that Ms. Fox and I desire. With the recent attacks on women, minorities and homosexuals lately and the rally against homophobia on Tuesday as well as the disintegrating social scene on campus, what kind of concrete actions does she suggest we undertake to attempt to understand each other?
Brian Cathcart, LA '01
