The following letters were submitted since the publication of our last issue.

BY LUIS HERNANDEZ

Upon visiting campus on a recent weekend afternoon and digging into a heaping bowl of a Marquette Special at Real Chili, I stumbled across a copy of “The Warrior.” It struck me as a foreign publication I wasn’t familiar with during my time at Marquette (1996-2000) or had come across on subsequent visits thereafter.

As I proceeded to go to town on my chili, I came across your commentary in the March 1 edition of the paper. Interesting take on “university” diversity efforts and the issue of racism, or reverse racism, as you allude to in your piece.

With all due respect, you tackle a whole bag of topics in your article – many of which aren’t necessarily connected (university initiatives, student organizations, federal programming). That in no way is a knock on your writing or the editorial style of your publication – but the story lacks true focus. I raise that, because racism is not a topic to be taken lightly or void of focus. Despite how many times you’ve come across someone from a student organization (black, Latino, Asian, etc.) inviting you to an event, despite how many friends, “close friends,” “best friends” you have from a different background that share your views, despite how many interviews you conduct with program “directors, leaders” – the crux of racism is rarely summated in a 650 word editorial.

Racism,as defined by a dictionary, is preferential treatment based on race, that is true. But by definition, racisim is also the belief one’s race is superior to another. The world doesn’t operate based off of definitions, . In fact, you’ll soon realize after you leave Marquette, the world can spin counterintuitively to what books and your own personal experience have taught you.

You pose some interesting questions toward the end of your story–particularly, whether acceptance into certain programs prompts minority, or underprivelged (minorities do not have the poverty market cornered; in response to a point you make in your story), students to ask themselves if they’re qualified enough to be at Marquette, whether they have more to prove to their peers, etc.

Those are questions minority and underpriveleged students ask themselves regardless of the school, program or city. Minority students face not only ridicule and baseless cynicism from outsiders like you (and only an “outsider” because you most likely choose so), but they must tackle “self-doubt” due to the fact that they’re chartering new ground for their families and neighborhoods.

Please consider all of this moving forward. And consider what one writes or says carries enormous weight among its audience. There is a fine line between editorializing and propaganda.

I hope this note finds you well and would be happy to discuss the topic further, time permitting.

BY TERRENCE MILLER

To begin, EOP is a federally funded program that reaches put to first generation and low income students. Do not make the assumption that just because most on the EOP students are African American they cater to minorities. That’s is the same as me saying that Marquette wishes to cater only to Caucasian student because the university is predominantly white. Nowhere in any EOP brochure, handout, and or pamphlet does it say that they cater to minority student. I would have considered giving your article some credibility but it is obvious that you don’t have your facts together! You claim the only difference between FFP and EOP is a federal mandate. Do you not know who the FFP students are? You obviously did so much research, did you not see that the majority of FFP students are white? I can no longer continue to write this reaction because your ignorance is overwhelming.

BY ASHLEY ANDREWS

I just wanted to tell you that I think the Warrior is fantastic, and I cannot tell you how happy I am to have such a great paper on campus. The bias in the Tribune was getting old, and the Warrior has been nothing but a breath of fresh air! So, thank you! I was thinking, in addition to all the great columns you already have, I think it would be fun to have an advice column of sorts.  It’s something the Trib doesn’t have, and I think a lot of your readers would definitely be entertained by it. Anyways, I think the Warrior is fab, keep up the amazing work!

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