‘Salad bowl’ multiculturalism serves a purpose
By Baback Gabbay
In the Jan. 30 viewpoint, "Don’t deny it: stereotypes exist at
UCLA," Shari Missaghi gave a poignant account of her experiences
with individuals of various ethnicities throughout her life. She
judiciously highlighted the knowledge many Americans lack regarding
world geography and the media’s tendency to show illegal aliens
being sent south of the border.
However, Missaghi’s editorial fails to support its central
thesis: Stereotypes exist at UCLA.
Missaghi lamented that in high school she never fit in among the
upper-middle class, slightly tanned Jewish students who all had
blue-green eyes and were 5-feet-4-inches tall. As a result, she
hoped her situation would improve in college. Nonchalantly, she
claims an aversion to pointing fingers (but she does so anyway) and
challenges the reader to envision which ethnic groups gather at
North Campus, Kerckhoff patio, etc.
This discussion is both descriptive and thought-provoking, but
in no way does it substantiate her position that stereotypes exist
at UCLA. It simply shows that UCLA students don’t interact like
ingredients in a melting pot, but rather, that they symbolize the
constituents of a salad bowl.
Many students of varying ethnicities take similar courses, live
in the same residence halls and eat in the same dining facilities.
However, when they decide to "hang out," frequently they desire to
be with members of their own ethnic group. This process is not
stereotyping but simply voluntary self-segregation.
Missaghi is clearly disappointed by this reality. I can
sympathize with her situation. Student communication and mutual
understanding would most likely improve if all students interacted
with one another.
Nevertheless, hanging out with one’s ethnic group serves an
important purpose. We live in a society where there are tremendous
pressures of acculturation. By maintaining continuous contact with
members of their own ethnic group, individuals are afforded the
opportunity to both search out and preserve their cultural
heritage.
One example is the Persian community at UCLA. Both Shari
Missaghi and I are Persian-Americans. I am confident that the
students she associates with Kerckhoff Patio are those of Persian
descent. For some, it is not feasible to visit Iran in the
foreseeable future. Others are already committed to securing their
lives in the United States.
Hanging out at Kerckhoff allows many Persian students to
practice their native tongue, reacquaint themselves with childhood
friends from Iran and become involved in cultural events, sponsored
by ISG (Iranian Students Group),which gives them a deeper
understanding of their past. For those students who wish to
completely "fit" in contemporary American society, this mode of
socialization can be very beneficial.
Please keep in mind that I do not speak for all Persian
students.
Appearances are not always representative of reality. Although
many Persians congregate at Kerckhoff patio, a substantial number
do not; many are unaware that ISG even exists.
Missaghi, like Ice Cube in the motion picture Higher Learning,
has clearly voiced her thoughts regarding the socialization
practices of UCLA’s student body. Both of our articles have
highlighted our positive and negative reactions to this situation.
It is up to each of us to decide not only the companions we choose
but also the utility both we and the UCLA student body derive from
these relationships.
Gabbay is a senior economics student.