The recent non-beating of student security officer, Deantrious Mitchell, has caused many different reactions all over campus such as shock, disbelief, embarrassment and anger.

It is this last reaction that is the problem here at Iowa State.

Following the announcement of Mitchell’s arrest, there was an overflow of outrage toward not only Mitchell himself, but toward all of the minority members who chose to speak out and let it be known that there are racial problems here at Iowa State.

Letter after letter has been sent to the Daily editorial staff commenting on the event or non-event, and many have been written with animosity toward the Black Student Alliance.

One letter even compared the BSA to the Ku Klux Klan.

This is extremely alarming.

The obvious ignorance of that comparison does nothing more than discredit the letter’s argument, and therefore deserves no further recognition.

However, the continued battering of the BSA and those members who have spoken out regarding the racial tensions at ISU, has prompted me to explain a little bit about the BSA and what it represents.

Let me first start by saying that any student at ISU can become a member of the BSA no matter their race or ethnicity.

The BSA is a support group for black students here at Iowa State, and therefore black students are automatically members.

The BSA holds meetings that are open to any student at Iowa State and puts on programs.

The BSA is also the voice that the university listens to regarding black students.

When I first read the article in the Daily in which several black students expressed their regret for coming to Iowa State I was extremely upset.

I wanted to know just what was so bad that would warrant such feelings.

So I started asking some of my black friends about their personal thoughts and experiences.

Sadly enough, I have to say I now understand their feelings, and I understand better some of the struggles they face in order to attain a college education.

Now, for those who do not believe there are racial problems on this campus, I have a few questions for you.

Has this ever happened to you? You are given an invitation to a party and you and some friends decide to go.

After waiting in a line to get in for a long time you finally make it to the door.

You hand your invite to the guy at the door, only to have it wadded up and thrown in your face upon which you are told to leave, all because of the color of your skin.

How about this? It is your freshman year on campus and you are riding your bicycle down the sidewalk at night.

When you pass a group of guys, they start screaming the word “nigger” and throwing beer bottles at you.

Both of these scenarios actually happened to Iowa State students, and these are only a couple of examples of the hassle that minority students must sometimes endure.

As if facing this type of adversity outside of the university isn’t enough, minority groups must deal with constant struggles in dealings with the university.

Currently the African American studies program, the Latin American studies program and the Native American studies program are all in need of funds.

Maybe even worse, there is not even a studies program to represent Asian Americans.

There are also limited funds to groups such as the BSA for activities and programs.

Funding for these groups comes from GSB and according to members of the BSA getting funding is almost impossible.

There was even a move last year to remove specialty seats from GSB, many of which were minority seats.

It is wrong to assume that just because Mitchell’s attack never happened there are no racial problems on this campus.

It is even worse to attack those who speak out to let everyone know what those problems are.

The incident involving Mitchell may have been a catalyst for minority students to speak out and display their dissatisfaction with certain things that happen here at ISU, but it was in no way the reason for minority students to feel there are problems on this campus.

That comes from personal experience, and that cannot be challenged.

For a university that supposedly radiates with diversity, Iowa State has a long way to go before many of the people who add diversity to this campus actually become part of the university, and members of the community.

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Brandon Belisle is a junior in journalism mass communication from Plainfield, Ill.