I'd like to thank Tona Boyd and Shamus Rohn for clarifying the meaning of racism in their Dec. 6 letter. In a world full of such racist tracts as Mein Kampf and Webster's English Dictionary, Boyd and Rohn have provided guidance and understanding of a very confusing subject. I'm much better off for learning their definition, as well, because it allows me to express my frustration with racism on a personal level.

That's right. I'm a victim of racism. I'm tremendously glad we live in an enlightened university environment, where the "archaic status quo analyses" no longer apply, or I might never be able to properly express this. Taking Boyd and Rohn's analysis at face value, we can agree that "racism is defined as participation within [a] racist social structure, a structure designed to consolidate power for only one race."

Clearly, then, we must realize that the Notre Dame, as an academic institution, perfectly represents such a racist social structure. You see, I am not privileged, as Boyd and Rohn are, to be a member of the "race" on campus which is able to declare reference texts fundamentally flawed and decide on their own what terms truly mean. It's really almost magical, the way they can tweak and manipulate terms to mean whatever they want them to mean.

I, as an intellectually underprivileged minority, can only refer to such things as the dictionary and rules of English grammar explain to understand what words mean. You can imagine, then, how oppressive the act of redefinition is on the part of Boyd and Rohn. It's just a typically closed-minded intellectual response to racism fostered within a culture still seething with an undercurrent of educational supremacy.

I hope this isn't looked upon as another "typically closed-minded white response." The emotional trauma I have suffered for so long has simply been too much, and I think it vital that we understand Boyd and Rohn's points before I suffer further. It's so bad I don't even know if my kids will be able to get over it. Please, think of the children.

Peter Scott

sophomore

Carroll Hall

Dec. 6

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• Campus debates meaning of racism definitions
  
• Campus debates meaning of racism definitions