Columbia residents seek diversity, knowledge
May 9, 2008
Days after the failure of the Missouri Civil Rights Initiative, which sought to end affirmative action in Missouri, Columbia residents met Wednesday to discuss the issue and diversity in the community.
The Columbia Human Rights Commission, which holds monthly public forums called Community Circles, discussed the issues at Columbia Public Library.
About 12 people attended the event.
Columbia resident Al Plummer said the biggest problem people face with affirmative action is misinterpretation.
“We’ve allowed leadership to make more of affirmative action than what it really is,” Plummer said. “Affirmative action is nothing more than what any one of us do in our daily lives. We set goals, we set objectives and we evaluate the goals and objectives. Unfortunately when we add ethnicity, color and gender to the mix of setting goals and objectives, all of a sudden it becomes something bad.”
Plummer said people should not be judged on their race.
“The target should be how do we learn to come out of our comfort zones,” he said. “At least if I don’t like you, I should have a reason for it.”
MoCRI failed to garner enough petition signatories before the Sunday deadline to place the measure on a ballot.
MU graduate student Winston Tracy said he believes people judge different cultures because they haven’t had the interactions they need to become comfortable with them.
“A lot of individuals don’t have the interactions that they need to be able to embrace different cultures,” Tracy said. “There are so many different cultures out there. Without that interaction, you don’t get the chance to understand it. You form your viewpoints from your parents or something your friends say from the media, and oftentimes those are incorrect.”
Tracy said it is important to become educated about these cultures because it is not right to vote for something that might affect them if voters do not understand them.
“You don’t talk about affirmative action and then all of a sudden you have the option to ban affirmative action when you’re in this booth while no one’s looking at you,” Tracy said. “You can mark whatever you want and you haven’t had a talk with anybody.”
Tracy said Columbia residents have the chance to learn about different cultures.
“There are plenty of opportunities to grow,” Tracy said. “This is a great opportunity that anyone in Columbia could have came to. In Columbia, we have a university and a campus you can go to. There are always so many opportunities you can go to learn about different cultures.”
Columbia resident Iman Labadia said she believes the environment in which people are raised as children determines how those people embrace different cultures.
“I think it’s a learned behavior,” Labadia said. “It’s something that comes from the home. I think when you come from a home that teaches you the right principles and teaches you to base your relationships on integrity with other people, those relationships of that nature transcend all cultures and all religions completely. Diversity is a gift to humanity and I don’t think people recognize it.”
MU senior Marquetta Lakine said individuals have the ultimate choice of what they believe.
“You’ve got to take yourself into accountability,” Lakine said. “As a child, you have to listen to your parents, but at some point, you realize that maybe you don’t feel this way. Maybe you feel conflicted, but you personally feel like something is wrong.”
Lakine said she came to MU because of its diversity.
“I wanted to be able to meet other people,” Lakine said. “I’ve met people from I don’t how many countries. I feel like that was my reasoning for coming to Mizzou, because you get to meet these people and have these interactions. “
Tracy said making excuses is what will stop people from learning about different cultures.
“You’re going to make it as far as your excuses will allow you to,” Tracy said. “The minute you start giving yourself excuses, you’re not going to grow.”
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