Diversity at University of Missouri-Columbia

Diversity, we throw this word around a lot but what does it really mean to us? Missouri Student Association would like to redefine this word by getting away from conventional definitions of diversity and broadening it pass race. I would like to pose a challenging question: How can we move pass a racial definition if we never really addressed it to begin with? MSA, if you want to help don't spray perfume on a pile of shit. Race is an uneasy issue, primarily because the history of peoples of color on this campus and country is misconstrued. I challenge you to talk about what needs to be said instead of "broadening a definition pass race"; cropping me out of the picture and ignoring me. Your suggestion is focusing on socio-economic status over race and culture. You even suggest a 500 dollar emergency loan for needy students. I think this is a wonderful idea, but again, how many of those students will be of color that need this fund? Will you then address the economic disparity in this country? Or will you simply put a smiling black or brown recipient on the cover of the Maneater and say ever so subtlety, Look! We are helping this poor soul whose parents didn't work hard enough to get anywhere in life like mine and yours! I agree that diversity should take on many forms and not be restricted to race, but in order for us to move pass this as a campus, we must first address it, not symbolically blanket it with a One Mizzou label and pray that everyone forgets the incidents that happen every February during black history month. Want to really help? Educate the masses about the history of African/African Americans at Mizzou. The only cure to ignorance is knowledge...not ignoring it and hoping it goes away. This it truly the only way to Diversity on a campus that was built by slaves and only recently just start letting blacks attend with the general population.

http://diverseeducation.com/article/10697/  A little History on the Building and Making of Mizzou. Go Tigers.