To the Editor:
A few weeks ago, this year's fledgling Sagehens were shepherded into participating in some of the rich traditions of Pomona College. The vast majority of the programs and activities, such as running through the gates of the College or the Mug Passing by the venerable alumni of the school will remain fond memories for years to come. Unfortunately, a dark spot loomed among such merriment. The very last activity the first-years were led to involved the Power Dynamics Awareness Committee, or PDAC. First impressions are always important, and in this case, the impression was not favorable. Rather than summon newcomers to an activity or discussion with the usual posters and flyers, PDAC was able to make its agenda one with Pomona's agenda and drag all freshmen to a four-hour "discussion."
At this point, let me interject by saying this is not a whine in written form, nor an expression of irritation with the length of the activity (though this too is questionable). Rather, I wish to point out the attempt to inculcate certain views about "power dynamics," in the fertile soil of our freshman minds.
The first activity entailed goose-stepping forwards or backwards based on a series of statements. "If your cultural heritage has ever been put down by others, even jokingly," and other such corollaries between race, gender, and sexual orientation were used to leave some people at the very head of the pack and others at the back. Not only did this activity make the few who were in front quite self-conscious, it was even more detrimental to those who were left towards the back. What exactly is the logic in telling the high achieving minorities (of all types) who attend Pomona that the odds will always be stacked against them? The assumption that the power dynamics of this country and college are structured in such a way as to make progress for these people as arduous as possible is pure poppycock. Anyone viewing this feeble attempt at a "living metaphor" should not be surprised that these same activities can be used by the right-wing as examples of an overzealous pursuit of "political correctness." (Of course, I could just be bitter because my leg cramped…)
Following this parade of victimization, the freshmen were made to view Skin Deep. Ostensibly a film about coming together and discussing racism and the legacy of affirmative action at a college retreat, this film quickly dissolved into argument and emotional turmoil. The bad points of the film (apart from sharing its title with a mediocre John Ritter movie), included a very slanted view of race relations in the country, a total dismissal of judging on the basis of the individual and one very ironic piano performance, among others. This film reduced the complex questions of racial tension in America to a few petty squabbles that seem to be resolvable during a three-day retreat. Here's an appropriate syllogism: this film is to race relations what Reefer Madness is to drug abuse.
Perhaps the only somewhat meaningful event was the conversations with a group of fellow first-years. Reactions were varied, from cynical and bored to emotional and attentive. The conversations were "guided" by members of PDAC, who continually tried to steer the groups towards topics such as power dynamics at Pomona, under-representation of minorities in the Pomona faculty and staff and other racially-charge issues. It came across as an effort to inculcate minorities with the ideas that they were victims and the "majority" with the knowledge that they were unfairly advantaged through their racial, sexual, or gender backgrounds.
Finally, a plea for sanity on behalf of the first-years of the future: rather than force your ideals and assumptions about racial relations, PDAC, you would do well to ask next year's crop of Sagehens to participate in these activities rather than drag those who want no part of this fanciful racial conspiracy, off to your functions. Is it not ironic that Pomona College, the bastion of free-thinking and iconoclastic ideals would choose to foist these ideas on those who put their faith in intellectual freedom? Have a care and be a little pickier when you give your seal of approval to a group, Pomona.
Diego Bustamante '06
