<p>Mer, I find neither of these articles surprising or particularly troubling. These discussions are (or should be) common on evey campus as students struggle, sometimes awkwardly, to define themselves, their vision and their community. </p>
<p>Some students (lke you) are farther along, more self-aware and probab have a more nuanced understanding of these issues. My daughter (entering in Sept), has yet to grapple w/ many of them. There are also students who will be equally far along and as self-aware as you are, but who just come down on the other side of an issue. It would be a terribly boring campus if in addit to racial, geog and economic diversity there wasn’t also a diversity of opinions. </p>
<p>Just b/c Smith/Noho is know for its liberalism and activism doesn’t mean that there aren’t internal struggles or that one’s liberal/activist notions are challenged from time to time. You certainly should NOT go to Smith if you are not willing to engage in that dialogue or if you are uncomfortable defending your ideas.</p>
<p>Feel free to PM me or check the Alumnae Assoc page for BASC (Black Alumnae of Smith College) contacts.</p>