I hope ALL students have learned a good lesson from the issues that concern some Iowa State activists. Even if the name of Catt Hall gets changed or Wal-Mart installs two minority sections, the power still lies in the hands of someone who is more than likely (dare I say) a white male. I’m not saying I have a problem with this, it is just a matter of fact in this country.

You could learn the same lesson by reading Machiavelli’s thoughts on political realism … those who have power can and will do what they want with it. Clearly everyone, not just minorities who feel they have no voice, can learn from this cruel but true lesson about how the world works. If you want to get something, you must have the power to get it.

As college students, we all share the ability to advance our educations, and advance our social status, etc. In other words, we all have the potential to become the CEO of Wal-Mart or even (if you can believe this) the president of a public university. When that happens, you can decide for yourself whether you want to create a play-nice system of fairy tale equality where people sing songs and hold “rallies for no reason.” Until then, you must simply do what your boss says.

I am writing partially to respond to the inference Jason Bernstein made that all or most black students at Iowa State spend too much time bitching instead of studying. Well I’d like to clarify his point. It’s easy to assume that there is a large group of people who care about the issues you see in the paper. It’s because the majority of students who could not care less do not take the time to write letters to the editor to say they are happy with the way things are (please don’t start now).

It’s the same reason you found people protesting to keep McDonald’s out of the Hub, and no big rally to promote burger consumption. It’s because there really aren’t that many people who care. You may remember the “Beardshear Eight” as they were affectionately called. Well there is a reason they weren’t called the Beardshear 100 or even the Beardshear 12. There aren’t that many minority students who devote their time to that effort.

I’m sure many minority students (including myself) who read Bernstein’s comments are upset by his inference that most minorities don’t have their attentions focused on their schoolwork. The fact of the matter is not many people care, so in the future please address your concerns to the people who you are discussing by name rather than by insinuating it is an entire race of people who do useless things with their time.

A question in a debate when I ran for GSB President that was asked of me was, “What have you done to combat racism this semester.” My reply was simply that my purpose for attending college was not to fight the fine fight for equality of all men and women, but instead to get an education for myself, and I feel in the process, my race becomes stronger due to the extra degree in the pool. In 1994, almost 3,000 white and Asian people graduated in chemical engineering in this country while there was barely one black graduate per state. Obtaining my degree will do more for my race than complaining about the system will ever do. I realize that, and I think the majority of minority students do as well.

Besides, I don’t have much to complain about anyway. I am a black student who is at Iowa State due to what I would call remarkable recruiting. About one week after being notified I was a National Merit semi-finalist, I received word from Iowa State practically begging me to come and study chemical engineering. Since I have a chance now, I’d like to thank them for the opportunity to study here, since the typical letter to administrators cries foul about all the injustices they supposedly perpetrate.

In short, I must go study, I think the administration is doing a great job, and don’t believe the hype.

Brad Lozan

Sophomore

Chemical Engineering