The College News 1990-11-1 Vol.12 No. 3 (Bryn Mawr, PA: Bryn Mawr College, 1990)
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Bryn Mawr College Scholarship, Research, and Creative Work at Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr College Publications, Special Bryn Mawr College News Collections, Digitized Books 1990 The olC lege News 1990-11-1 Vol.12 No. 3 Students of Bryn Mawr College Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy . Follow this and additional works at: http://repository.brynmawr.edu/bmc_collegenews Custom Citation Students of Bryn Mawr College, The College News 1990-11-1 Vol.12 No. 3 (Bryn Mawr, PA: Bryn Mawr College, 1990). This paper is posted at Scholarship, Research, and Creative Work at Bryn Mawr College. http://repository.brynmawr.edu/bmc_collegenews/1427 For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE COLLEGE NEWS VOLUME XII NUMBEItO FOUNDED T 1914 BRYN MAWR COLLEGE November 1,1990 Arun Gandhi to discuss racism on November 8 By Patricia Savoie caste in the culture's caste system, the "untouchables." "... in terms of human relationships, With help from his wife and friends, [the United States] is as backward as a he founded the Society for National Inte- Third World country," states Arun gration in 1970. Beginning with a village Gandhi, political scientist and social ac- in southern Maharashtra, the organiza- tivist who will be speaking on "Racism in tion helped to bring about increased America" on November 8 at 8 p.m. in "economic development and social Thomas Great Hall. Gandhi, grandson of understanding" (NYT, 3/8/88). Branch- Mohandas K. Gandhi, is currently a re- ing out to more than 60 villages in the search assistant and consultant at the area, the Society has encouraged the University of Mississippi's Center for "untouchables" of these villages to The faculty team beat the students in volleyball play Fall Frolic weekend. the Study of Southern Culture, and is "[adopt] self-help as their economic The weekend was considered a success by organizers, especially in light collecting data and opinions for a book program and benevolence as their social of the fact that it was the very first Fall Frolic. It began Friday night, on racism in the United States, South creed" (NYT, 3/8/88). October 19, with a concert-turned-dance party with Jane Powell and her Africa and India. Considered to have Soon after, Gandhi decided to come to band in Goodhart. Members of the audieance joined Jane onstage to belt controversial views by people on all sides the U.S. to research and compare dis- out the rocking soul and reggae tunes while the rest of the audience of the racial struggle, Gandhi will be crimination here with that which he danced in their seats, in the aisles, and on the windowsills. Steve Green presenting his observations on the state observed in India and South Africa. "I and his Jazz Trio entertained the community Saturday night, and Sunday of human relations in the United States, wanted to see if anyone else has achieved afternoon The Flaming Caucasians played on Merion Green while the with a focus on the situation on college the same positive economic and social faculty were teaching the students a thing or two about volleyball. This campuses. results [as the Society for National Inte- was but the first annual Fall Frolic; look forward to another weekend-long Gandhi was born in Durban, South gration]. Five months later, I have still to party sometime next fall. Photo by Annick Barker Africa, and grew up oppressed by apart- come across any project in the United heid due to his Eurasian descent. So States that would be worth emulating" deeply was he disturbed by the racial (NYT, 3/8/88). Recognizing that much violence that he experienced there that has been accomplished legally in the U.S., Rathbone's depolitization of his parents sent him to India to stay with Gandhi argues that this has done little to his grandfather for a year when he was a change the reality of racism. He believes young teenager. His grandfather's com- that rewriting and adding to the law is history not realistic mitment to non-violent opposition in- not enough, that legislation can address By Sara Rubin demic barriers which need to be over- stilled in him many of the ideas and only the most obvious inequities. "Re- come in order for effective dialogue to beliefs that he lives by today. In his March cent incidents at the University of Mas- Dr. Rathbone, a reader of African take place. First, academics must be al- 8, 1988 article in the New York Times, sachusetts at Amherst illustrate the prob- ■r*-.g,- ' ^"»- History at the School of Oriental and lowed and encouraged to engage in Gand hi writes, "If I was able to overcome lem in many institutions: Blacks are tol- Asian Studies, University of London, generalized research in this rather new my hate for the whites and blacks in erated because the law demands it but came to Bryn Mawr on 24 October to field, as opposed to the super-specializa- South Africa, both of whom made me the are not really understood or fully ac- speak on the importance of comparative tion that usually results from the fear of butt of racial violence when I had barely cepted" (NYT, 3/8/88). The changes he historical studies of African-Americans generalization being labeled superficial entered my teens, it was because my sees necessary are changes in the way and Africans. This dialogue, said Rath- or false. Second, the barrier of the histori- grandfather and parents taught me to that people of different racial, ethnic, and bone, should begin between specialists cal problem of the "brutal and complex forgive." economic backgrounds think about each of African-American h*istoryVand Afri- act of forceful migration of Africans" to Gandhi returned to South Africa, be- other. "Are we going to let ourselves, can history, ana could result in cpmpara- the Americas must be overcome (al- coming increasingly and more passion- and our world, be consumed by sense- iivestudies of these histories. Thefeipor- though Dr. Rathbone did not explain ately opposed to apartheid and the hatred less hatred and anger, or do we have the tance"lliu of.'I theseUIT ^l comparativeHUlll'lllllUVl analysesaiiaiy3C3> ,* exactlyC \iltllV what VV 1KU thelllf natureILlllllL ofl»l thelilt problemI'llU'U III that is an integral part of the system. At will and desire to retreat from such nega- sffggested Dr.- Rathbone, lies in the dis-m^as: historians' tear of dealing with this 22, he went back to India, meeting and tive attitudes?" (NYT, 3/8/88) covery of African cultural "survivals topic? the anger that could arise from marrying his wife, Sunanda. His return One of the controversial stands that and adaptationum the American conti- African-Americans and Africans con- to South Africa made impossible by the Gandhi has taken is his support of Nel- nent, as well as the implications on Afri- cerning this topic? the lack of African government there, he remained in India, son Mandela's right to refuse to sign a can culture on the African continent. sources Or studies on the topic of slav- taking up in his journalism and non- pledge denouncing the use of violence to Dr, Rathbone outlined several aca- continued on page 4 violent activism the cause of the lowest continued on page 4 Sout^r Appointment indicative of failure of "check & balance?" By Jennifer Almquist anticipated that in 1990 the system would the sections in law books that pertained subject to voter approval and because . I be flawed enough to break down. No one to this issue were unwritten. Now, in the philosophy of this three branch sys- The United States has been consistently*', anticipated that our legislators would be spite of the occasional restrictive law or tem does not leave the court open to touted as the land of the free, where so busy kowtowing to the public that ordinance that pops up, legislators gen- influences of public opinion, the court democracy is preserved and protected mudslinging, mediocrity, and appealing erally shun any association with laws has a dangerous power. partly because of the balance of the three to the crowd would cancel out any politi- dealing with abortion because they can- Ironically, one of the reasons Bush branches of government. Blah, blah, blah. cal figure's agenda that might somehow not afford to alienate the voters. Here lies chose a man whose reputation as a judge For those of us from the United States, it alienate a segment of the constituency. a frightening breakdown in the system has had so little connection with contro- probably began in third gradeand would Unfortunately, most issues, especially because the issue merely floats; the versial issues was that he was squirming later be echoed in civics class: "The sys- those facing the Supreme Court, are by "people" have a lessened voice because to maintain the balance between moder- tem of checks and balances keeps our their controversial natures inflammatory, their representatives to the legislative ate and conservative republicans. After country run by the people and for the thus making it dangerous for politicians branch won't tackle important issues like angering many by going back on his people." Anyone from other countries to take fixed positions. abortion. Ultimately, the Supreme Court famous "read my lips, no new taxes" has probably been exposed to this kind The statute books of this nation are has in some senses taken on extraordi- promise, Bush could not afford to risk of trite characterization of the govern- often empty when it comes to the issue of nary functions, interpreting small and pro-choice women and moderates who mental system as well.