<p>It pains me to realize that my HC experience is now considered history. The Charlie abstract happened in 1994 and 2 of the 3 Angels were my friends. As a follow up, Charlie went to Stanford Law, Sabrina owns a very successful jewelry house in Manhattan (featured in W and Cosmo last year) after being an expert appraiser at Christies, Jill is a professor at a top Ivy, and Im not sure where Kelly is… last time I heard, she was in charge of a grass-roots community organization and considering law school. All of them, I see on the alumni giving list.</p>
<p>If you were to see the front page of the Bi-Co of April 1993, you will notice a close-up picture of 300 students protesting the silencing of minority students at HC with an angry Asian guy in the middle of the picture wearing a gag around his mouth… that would be me surrounded by my friends: Asian, Black, Latino and White. Initially, I did feel that HCs modest Quaker culture silences real debate, but I only later realized my sophomore year that it allows you to find your voice as well and I agree with Richens last paragraph. It isnt HCs fault and, Ill take it a step further, it isnt anyones problem other than your own: being silenced and marginalized is a result of being overwhelmed by your own frustration. </p>
<p>I and my friends would NEVER want a HC without discord or to have a perfect Honor Code because that is the HC experience. I dont remember much from freshman organic chem, or Bio-inorganic chem 400 or even Sacred Texts with Michael Sells, but I do remember all of the lessons learned from trying to deal with the question that Rich quoted: how do you deal with perfect standards on an imperfect community? Its the process of trying to figure this out which prepares you for the real world. If HC provided a perfectly cozy and accepting experience, how can its graduates be ready to deal with the frustrations that are beyond Lancaster Ave? My friends and I, looking back on our time at HC, will laugh, shake our heads No, roll our eyes in disbelief, put our hands to cover our faces, and then smile with extreme satisfaction and pride at what we learned.</p>
<p>To answer your specific ?s, HC is a small community that governs itself. Thats the truth. Its also the truth that, as young adults, HC students can and do make mistakes with the responsibility thats given to them and its a part of the process. HC does strive for consensus, open-mindedness and inclusion. It doesnt get there ½ the time, but as I said before, students grow as a result from this mix (ie. you may not always get the audience you hope for but you will always get the stage). The administration shouldnt interfere with student affairs. I know we, as adults who went through the process, may know how to better handle things, but the current students need (and do) figure it out in the end even though the path may not be pretty. Thats not to say that Tritton and the Deans dont have an open door for students who need advice or want to vent… because they do.</p>
<p>Finally, regarding the article that you cited, Why are white people annoying?, Im not going to critique it other than to say that I may have wanted to write something like that freshman year, but I learned from my mistakes and hope that the writers next op-ed will be, I dont care if youre ‘annoying’! Im here for myself and its not my responsibility to teach you anything, but if you want to listen as I talk, then more power to you.</p>