I followed the discussion about shifting editing supervision of MSU’s yearbook to the undergraduate student government, ASMSU (“ASMSU rejects proposal for editorial control of yearbook,” SN 4/24). The motivation behind the respective proposal seems noble indeed: To foster a better understanding of those who are different from you.

But is control over a publication really the way to gain more solidarity between races, nationalities, genders or any other diversity category? I think not, if you take the argument to an extreme: Would you be able to spread fascistic ideologies simply by exposing people to enough written propaganda? I certainly hope not. The same goes for a college yearbook. Nobody will dispense their discriminative thoughts only because a few pages in the yearbook are dedicated to diversity.

The key to creating a more together community is as simple as it is unpracticed: personal experience. If each student would take three days out of their semester to attend an event by a group they know little about, nobody would have to push for diversity anymore. Diversity will then be lived rather than talked or written about.

The more you know, the less negative stereotypes you will hold on to. And yes, the group that is so different from you will gladly welcome you - whether it is a Native American, black, greek, international or gay student organization.

We are actually not as different as we often believe we are.

Sebastian Stache
2000 graduate,
former ASMSU member