Recently, there has been some “controversy” over a proposed McDonald’s in the Hub. This controversy demonstrates quite clearly the double standard and the deeply rooted, convoluted views on racial dignity and respect held by many people here at ISU.

You see, the “McHub” and Catt Hall are not all that different. Both movements discussed lack of student input, both had (have) a valid cause, and both even had rallies.

The differences are illustrated in the way ISUdeals with each group, and the outcome of each group’s issues. BSA, 9/29 and countless other conscious individuals have fought, for almost a year, an organized, relentless battle against a morally corrupt woman whose tarred name now names an ISU building.

We have tried fruitlessly to provide education to the masses so that they would possess the ability to make only the right decision, which truth dictates, about Catt Hall and a myriad of other issues dealing with students of color.

With this in mind, along comes a plan to place a McDonald’s in the Hub. Add some students who had time on their hands this summer and you have a so-called “movement.” A movement created because the “student” voice was not heard or respected.

So, in the short two month history, the powers that be decided against the idea of a McDonald’s in the Hub partly due to opposition from these “students.”

The McHub students rejoice and proclaim that this victory will “lead the way for other issues, such as Catt Hall and Cultural Studies.” The Iowa State Daily then proclaims, “This is only the beginning” in its editorial dealing with the power of students, staff and faculty.

Now a dose of reality. Students should not make the mistake of believing that this is a “victory” for anyone, much less ALL students. A victory to some, a slap in the face to others. McDonald’s was a safe, irrelevant issue (which is why ISUprobably chose to appease these students). In the long run, it will not affect most students and will be forgotten by the spring.

The McHub issue is not representative of ALL students as the McHubbers are all white students; this was evident in the summer protest in which most students were white. This could also be seen in the representation of the opinions which were in the September 11 publication of the Daily, of which all were white.

ISUhas once again demonstrated its attitude toward minority students. ISU has told us once again, “Go to hell.”

How can you drop the idea of a restaurant under the guise of protest by “some” students and not even want to discuss, change, or understand other issues like Catt Hall, Cultural Studies (or lack thereof), MSA effectiveness, Retention and Recruitment for “other” students? This attitude continues to be proven day in and day out here at ISU.

When white people have a concern, no matter how trivial or irrelevant, the university bends over backward to accommodate, to understand, to resolve. When other students (i.e., African-Americans) have concerns ISU simply ignores, criticizes, counter-attacks through flawed rationale and twisted media, and flat out refuses to sincerely recognize minority student causes.

ISU is trapped in the 1800s, and the only possible reason for having someone like me here is to give the impression that ISU has caught up with the rest of the country.

I don’t know how much longer ISU thinks students are going to sit around and try to implement change the “civil” way. How much longer do they think students are going to wallow in frustration, waiting on ISU to give us the same respect that they give everyone else?

Kyle T. Pierce

Senior

Chemical Engineering