I pick up the Oct. 31 edition of the DI, flip to the opinions section and my eyes jump to the top piece. I’m told that whatever salacious act of racism is described therein is a black mark not just on those with blackface, but apparently on me as well.

In confusion, I read on. I find out that there are at least four students on this campus who lack good taste and good judgment.

Sadly, I also find out that there is an editorial board on our campus that lacks these as well.

I’m told about the “wake of the ‘Tacos and Tequilas’ fiasco” and can only help but feel that 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina are events that deserve to have “in the wake of” precede them – and that immature students acting immaturely does not.

There was no destruction here. Four students paraded their poor taste in front of campus – to me, this seems punishment enough.

Apparently, it is my duty to drum up righteous anger over every incident.

While “we should be wary of authorities who try to extend their reach first into our apartments and then into our minds,” I’m told that I must do the same.

I’m told that a community is coming apart, and can’t help but feel that these four students and I were in no commune to begin with.

I’m told that after incidents like these, all students are stereotyped as “brash, uncaring and arrogant.”

Apparently this form of stereotyping is something I should just stand by and accept, while that other form of stereotyping is something I must hunt down and eliminate at all costs.

The editorial is preceded by the following: “Latest race-related incident means that every student needs a wake-up call to a controversial issue.”

A wake up call is, indeed, needed.

There is war, famine, poverty and corrupt government all around the world. In this country, there is systemic, institutional racism that is too subtle to be captured in convenient headline form and thus goes unnoticed.

Editorials like these simply lull us into sleep by telling us that all that needs to be done is to preach to the choir on controversial issues.

Joel Tadmor

Senior in LAS