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N.C. Central Should Examine Its Own Prejudices

By Gautam Mohapatra
Black College Wire

Gautam Mohapatra

While walking through the a parking lot at North Carolina Central University this summer, I heard someone yell, "Hey Paco, go home!"

I saw a person pointing me out to some of his friends and laughing.

Though I have experienced acts of prejudice while at NCCU, I saw a certain irony in this occurrence because of the timing.

Just this spring, NCCU students were righteously attacking the prejudice directed against the rape victim in the Duke lacrosse case.

The students were forceful in their condemnation of the media because of its bias against NCCU.

However, I wonder: Are those same students willing to examine their own prejudices, and the biases that exist at NCCU?

Dr. Martin Luther King said, "Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them."

While he was talking about discrimination against the Negro, I think the quote aptly describes discrimination by the Negro.

In addition to my personal experiences, I have seen examples of prejudice at NCCU due to skin tone, body type and personal associations.

People have the right to discriminate when it comes to picking friends; however, blatant prejudice is something practiced by the fearful and insecure.

Intelligent people who are secure in their identities are willing to meet people who are different from them.

Another irony of the person's comment is that I am home.

I was born in Raleigh, the USA is my home and NCCU is my school.

I have represented my school proudly on many occasions.

I represented NCCU at a conference in Berkeley, Calif., and helped organize AIDS week last year.

I appreciate all the help the faculty and staff have given me during my time here.

They are very open-minded, and many have tried to mentor me and help me achieve my own potential.

I also had the privilege of meeting an amazingly creative and intelligent person who not only forced me to critically examine my life, but demanded I grow in ways I never thought I could.

Though I have experienced personal successes at NCCU, I am frustrated that the potential of this school is trapped in a prison built on fear, narrow-mindedness and mediocrity.

NCCU has the potential to exist among the top schools in the nation; however, to do that its students must not fear the nation.

Instead of judging and fearing me, let's talk, so we can work together to tear down the invisible walls surrounding this campus.

We can show the world that the devils rule hell while eagles rule the heavens!

For the record, I am Asian Indian, not Hispanic.

I know I look odd to many people, because I am a stubborn individualist and do not do conformity.

You have the right to judge me without knowing me. Malcolm X once said, "I believe in the brotherhood of man, all men, but I don't believe in brotherhood with anybody who doesn't want brotherhood with me. I believe in treating people right, but I'm not going to waste my time trying to treat somebody right who doesn't know how to return the treatment."

Gautam Mohapatra, a student at North Carolina Central University, writes for the Campus Echo.

Posted Oct. 25, 2006