First Rate. Third World?
Kudos to President Ruth Simmons. Simmons, who has the top post at my alma mater, Brown University, has cast a skeptical eye on the pre-orientation Third World Transition Program (TWTP). For those of you who aren’t in the know, “Third world” is Brown’s word for minority. When I was a student there in the politically-correct charged atmosphere of the 90s, I was told that minority was a loaded world. Third world didn’t have the political baggage that minority does…. Huh?
When I found out about the choice in terminology, I was stunned. More shocking still was the explanation. For me, minority conjures up a Benetton advertisement. Third world, on the other hand, makes me think of shantytowns and of people with dentition issues. I thought it offensive to call U.S. citizens — many of whose families have been in this country longer than mine — third world. Not just offensive, but confusing.
In any case, I’m thrilled to hear that Brown is investigating the mission and legality of TWTP. Although it�s clear that racism is still an issue, I’m not inclined to believe that omitting whites and finger-pointing in their absence is a step in the right direction. This purported bastion of Ivy League liberalism has systematically — and thoughtlessly — thwarted the open-minded spirit of the students. I hope that the university, which was mostly great to me, enters an age of cultural pluralism where dialogue is encouraged and facilitated.