Just a personal thought from this Blaaag writer, directing you to a Spec editorial regarding tomorrow's Day Out Against Hate...

The disconnect in the discussion of race and bias on campus is highlighted by the fact that, while an ad-hoc coalition of students planned a hunger strike, Vice President of Arts and Sciences Nicholas Dirks and others were planning the programming for this day.

This time from the Spec website (reader comments), which I find myself reading now with more regularity.

Well, I'm an asian student. I'm amazed that a student belongs to Black Student Organization crying racism. You put yourself in race category. So far I haven't seen White Student Organization, American White Diver, White Causus etc. Can you just mingle in the organization such as Colorbind Diver, Colorblind Causus, Colorblind Student Organization. Why don't you all crying minorities do as I do....I went camping with my indian and black friends, went biking with my russian friend etc....you guys are hipocrits.

I wish I had harsher language with which to condemn your attitude and your identification with this viewpoint as an Asian student (one who apparently can't use spell/grammar check, much less express a decent opinion.)

You deserve a special honor in the APA Hall of Shame.

As our chair has dutifully informed us, AAA has made it into the Columbia Spectator three days in a row! (Wednesday to Friday, September 26th to 29th)

Here's the sampling:
"A Statement from the Asian American Alliance" - our statement about the 114th St. NYPD confrontation.
"Campus Groups Re-evaluate 'Umbrella Group' Designation"
"Student Weigh Response to Graffiti"

And we're not the only ones stepping it up. The Spectator itself has been making some pretty impressive waves lately in reporting the latest slew of hate incidents in the Columbia and Morningside Heights community. Something tells me they're not done yet.

In an editorial yesterday, they even made the painstakingly valuable connection between the graffiti incident and the racial slurs thrown at an Asian American student two weeks ago yesterday by the NYPD. This piece, titled "Harmful Speech", gains kudos just through its apparent racial awareness. And for this, we thank the Spec for its continual dedication to marginalized issues on campus.

So here's to spreading awareness (perhaps with a tinge of narcissism, as this post evidently shows).