As a relatively recent graduate of MSU, I can honestly say that I have read through The State News plenty of mornings. And one thing I never became too fond of was the type of “diversity” coverage The State News applies on its pages, such as the centerpiece Progress in diversity (SN 2/27).
Though I applaud the fact that diversity is being covered, I find the coverage itself to be simple and repetitive.
For all the years that I have read the paper, diversity has accompanied pictures of and interviews solely with African Americans (generally speaking, of course).
My problem, however, is that nothing, including diversity, is black and white.
It seems as though, for years, there has never been the energy necessary to produce a complete picture of diversity.
I feel like the picture drawn is not complete and thus skews the truth. I believe the coverage mainly perpetuates the notion that diversity is only black and white. Accordingly, I feel other communities’ issues concerning their incorporation of diversity are ignored.
Considering issues that American society has today (immigration, the Middle East and education), I think this being a black-and-white issue has never been further from the truth than now.
Granted, I surely recognize this piece was part of Black History Month. But I ask where these pieces are during Latino Heritage Month? Many articles during that time are about our programs rather than how we incorporate into MSU at large. Why?
It is not enough to say the issue of diversity is important but only reach for one straw. I do not feel The State News is informing the community with necessary information needed to form proper opinions.
Not only about diversity, stronger pieces also would help people form better opinions about the issues stated above. In only covering one community, you must realize that is not being objective.
Francisco E. Velazquez
2008 MSU alumnus
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