[Vision2020] Diversity 1,2,3

[rodney johnson]

The stated mission of the League of the South is to “seek to advance the 
cultural, social, economic, and political well being and independence of the 
Southern People by all honourable means.”

Melynda Huskey sees the “racism” in this organization.  I knew she would 
eventually.  But one could just as easily replace “southern people” with any 
other group imaginable, and the League would immediately qualify for a 
special place at the official multiculti table under the auspices of the WSU 
Office of Diversity and Human Relations, and probably under the official 
auspice of Melynda Huskey herself.

After all, just to take one example, the Filipino American Student 
Association at WSU exists “to redefine and instill pride in the Filipino 
American students; to promote awareness of Filipino culture through cultural 
events such as lectures, folk and contemporary dance, literature, and 
exhibits; to provide a support group for Filipino American students; to 
provide a means for networking for Filipino American students; to develop 
leadership skills in students for diversity of campus activities; and to 
foster a supportive learning environment for academic success for Filipino 
American students.”  Inclusive, I ask, or exclusive?

Relatively benign, anyway, because such an organization is formed around 
ethnicity more than race, but then there are also the WSU organizations that 
are defined by race alone, such as the African-American student association, 
and the Chicano/a and Latino/a organization, which annually celebrates the 
“Semana de la Raza” (“Week of the Race”) and the “Fiesta Aztlan.”  Aztlan, 
for those not familiar with the term, consists partly of the other South; 
that is to say, the southWESTERN portion of the United States that existed 
before the imperialist Yanquis (Yankees) took over the place.  Anything 
sound familiar here?  Maybe the League of the South should simply change 
their name to “La Liga del Sur,” and they wouldn’t hear a peep from the 
SPLC.

Well, Melynda might say, these groups are okay because they do not bring 
along with them the all-male rough and tough baggage that the League has.  
Is that really a concern, when WSU also has an official Sikh Student 
Association “to promote sikh culture, history, values and traditions within 
the university”?  Am I missing something??!!

So, why is this?  Why is “racism” so one-sided?  Is it something that can 
only be committed by the bland people against groups that are more exotic?  
Doesn't this hint at a latent missionary ethic?  Or does it simply have to 
do with that “dominant culture” thing?  I, however, think our culture is 
much more dominated by a Melynda Huskey than a Steve Wilkins, or at least we 
are subjected daily to the state-sanctioned pronouncements and activities of 
the former, while the pronouncements and activities of the latter are under 
investigation by the SPLC (which, as Cockburn puts it, is a virtual 
subcontractor for the FBI, and is thereby "state-sanctioned").

Melynda, can you walk the talk?  Would the Office of Diversity and Human 
Relations allow and encourage a student chapter of the League of the South?

- Rod Johnson

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