What has it been like growing up in Ithaca as a person of color? How has the Ithaca community shaped your ethnic identity?
Doug W. Silberstein ’17: Well, what is race really? Empirically speaking, it is merely a social construct. And I think I’m qualified in every way to talk about this issue because I know I’m color-blind. It’s simply something I don’t take into consideration in my day to day business. I don’t think about it at all, in fact. I’m actually pretty proud of that.
I could serve as a model for other people because others should think and live the way I do. I mean, look at the news! Do you see all these people fighting, trying to draw lines in between each other? Just fit in, for god’s sake! If I can fit in, there’s no reason why they can’t.
Part of it is that I have this sense of mutual respect with the colored. They respect me and I respect them back! Simple as that! Now it’s their turn to do the same.
But I do admit: growing up in Ithaca, I have been privileged to be exposed to people from so many different cultures. I mean, I have friends whose ancestries trace back to people from Ireland, Norway, Germany, Poland, just all over. Now that’s what I call diversity. And we get along quite well, too, like civilized people. Anyone who doesn’t get along with other cultures like I do are inferior—savage. I mean, how barbaric do you have to be to not get along with folks from all these different cultures? It’s just ridiculous.
Does that answer your question, pal?