After reading Mike Marchand's column yesterday entitled, "Black and white issues," I feel that there are several issues that need to be clarified or reevaluated. Since race is nothing more than a social construct, as Marchand hopefully knows, the act of noticing differences such as color, shape, appearance, etc. is not the problem that our society faces.

It is when social assumptions and preconceived notions are attached to these differences both on the micro and macro level that our society is hounded by one issue: race relations.

I am unsure, however, how he intends to use the term "color-blind" in his statement, "But if we truly lived in a colorblind society ... " If he means to forget that there are differences among people instead of realizing not to attach stereotypes and assumptions to differences, then he is missing the whole point.

I am Filipino-American. My Filipino ethnicity is every bit a part of me as my American nationality. I would definitely be incomplete if one aspect was taken away from me. Understand that my "Filipino-ness" is an important part of who I am and should not be overlooked, but it is not all that I am. In regards to his opinion about the statue, he needs to ask himself what exactly the statue was meant to stand for. Was it meant to document a historical moment accurately? Or was it meant to commemorate the overall struggle of a nation full of differences coming together as one nation?

Joyce De Leon

junior

off-campus

Jan. 28, 2002

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