Letter to the editor: Columnist applies stereotype to self

By Letter to the editor

Dear Editor,

This letter is in response to your publication of “(White) parents just don’t understand”, written by Linze Griebenow.

“White people have what I like to call an alibi complex…when white people watch film or television and see someone of color enacting violence or being the victim of violence, we don’t think twice.”

According to the dictionary, racism is the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race.

If irony were made of onions, Linze, your editorial would be palpable enough to bring the entire campus to tears. It’s ironic because your aim with this editorial was to expose racism, while simultaneously being racist.

No where in your arguments did I see a study cited, a quote from a source, or even a correct flow of logic. Did you know by your own generalization of white people, it means you are just as ignorant? Because you’re white – wow!

You also add this into your work; “Racism surpasses white understating in a tragically unique way” Do you think because someone is white, they haven’t been the victim of some sort of stereotype or prejudice?

Take for example, one of my family’s main heritages and ethnic group: the Jews. While the Jews aren’t a set race or ethnicity, they are one group of people that have been historically picked on and hated since even the times of the Bible, up to the Holocaust – and some are white.

Please Linze, see where I’m coming from; and see where you’re coming from, too. We live in a special time where anyone can vote, anyone can run for office, and everyone has a voice; no matter the skin color, religion, political opinion or gender.

Brian Singer

Junior journalism major