As a “white” Chicana and Chicano studies student, I
take personal offense to Mike Hansen’s ignorance and
misunderstanding of the concepts discussed in ethnic studies
classes, as well as the purpose they serve.
In his October 15 column, “Identity classes lack
diversity,” he says that the homogeneity in ethnic studies
classes is the result of “presumptuous professors,” who
assume that all of their students belong to the group being
studied.
He criticizes a Latino professor who uses “we” in
his lectures, claiming that it excludes members of the class who do
not identify with the majority of the class; however, he fails to
recognize the prevalence of this practice in non-ethnic/gender
classes.
How many times have we been told in history classes that
“we” won the inappropriately named Mexican-American
war, or that “we” succeeded in fulfilling Manifest
Destiny? These professors assume that their entire class has a
white, European-American background. Perhaps the reason Mr. Hansen
excludes this form of presumptuousness from his article is because
he is perfectly comfortable with the use of the word
“we” only when he is able to identify with the
“we” group.
Maybe the real reason people like Mike Hansen feel excluded by
the topics covered in ethnic/gender studies classes is because for
once they don’t apply to the ideologies of the white male
heterosexual hegemony that has dominated education since the
inception of this country.
Mr. Hansen claims that everybody should take
“identity-themed” classes, yet he fails to understand
the purpose they serve. He claims they need to be “unbiased
and objective.” In other words, he means they should not
criticize the oppression, cultural rape and genocide inflicted upon
people of color and differing sexual orientations by European
Americans.
Being white and being a Chicana and Chicano studies student is
not a conflict of interest because Chicana and Chicano culture and
history, just like the history of all underrepresented groups is a
part of my history and culture as well. Part of my duty as a white
student in ethnic studies is to reconcile the privilege afforded to
me based on my race and heterosexuality. It is this process of
reconciliation that makes the majority of historically privileged
groups uncomfortable. It is this group who yearns for a
“color-blind” society so that they no longer have to
feel guilty for the atrocities committed by the group with which
they identify.
Mr. Hansen presents “us” (and by us I mean all UCLA
students, faculty, and staff) with a narrow perspective lacking any
conclusive first-hand experience, so I wish to conclude this
article with my own.
In my three years of Chicana and Chicano studies I have never
felt excluded, nor have I felt like I was “intruding on a
membership-only club.” Rather, I feel like I am expanding my
worldview while learning how I fit into the current social
structure. Most importantly, however, I am obtaining the tools to
oppose the hegemonic ideologies published more and more in the
Daily Bruin by culturally-bankrupt columnists like Mr. Mike
Hansen.