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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (June 24, 1993)
Cultures present perspectives Last December, I had the oppor tunity to display my acting tal ent as a bit part in UNL’s pro duction of a “Christmas Carol.” And when I say it was a bit part, I mean it was a bit part I’m sure most people who payed„the $20 to see the play wouldn’t even be able to recall my presence on the stage. But, that’s OK, it was a learning experience to just be able to stand on the Lied Center stage. I was also pleased to see a few brown faces amid a sea of white faces promising a few specks of diversity in our cast out, my excitement about being in “A Christmas Carol” fizzled when during our first dress rehearsal, a fel low actor came into our dressing room with some disturbing news. The actor told us that the directors were trying to put white make-up on an Asian actor who played as one of Bob Cratchit’s sons. From the directors’ points of view, it seemed natural to make this actor fit in with theresloftheCratchit family by making him appear as white as the other white actors. I, as well as many of my fellow cast members, saw it as stripping that actor of something that the directors could not nor should not change — his race. That incident clouded my faith that I once felt for the theatre depart ment Perhaps the directors forgot that it was just last summer that the Nebraska Repertory Theatre did a production of David Hwangs “M. Butterfly.*’ Perhaps the directors for got that theatre is an art that doesn’t necessarily reflect reality who cares «■ if one of the Cratchits was Asian. Perhaps the directors forgot that the atre at times can reflect changing reality, minorities do not want to be Step-in-Fetch-it-Bruce-Lec’s any more. So what does this have to do with anything? The point is that this inci I II Multicultural educa tion Isn’t just about seeing things from a different perspective — It’s about present ing things from all perspectives. And who is able to de nounce the value of that? dent was caused oy tne directors ignorance on the role that minorities now play in theatre. But the directors’ ignorance is just a reflection of all peoples’ ignorance about the role that minorities play in life. That is where education plays a vital role in how we perceive each other. Multicultural education shouldn't be about presenting (me race as supe rior to another, but rather, should be aboulpresenling the truth. If we, as Americans claim to be proud of our diversity, then w hy can ’ t our di versi ty be reflected in our classrooms? For example, not too long ago 1 took an Advanced Placement Litera ture class that was supposed to help us explore general literature from a more “scholarly” point of view. However, when the year was almost through, I confronted my teacher about why it was that every author we studied was a white male. Somehow, my teacher left out women and minority authors. It wasn’t that the authors that we read weren’t good, most of them were brilliant writers, it’s just that the class, which was supposed to be a general litera ture class, was presented from a bi ased perspective. We missed out on the whole picture of what literature is. Of course, there is also the argu ment that if we are going to have classes such as Native American Lit erature whydon ’ t we have classes such as White American History? The rea son why is because we already have White American History, it’s just under a different name — American History. It a student taxes a typical Ameri can History class, chances are the student will study great men such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. Undeniably these are great men to study and they should be studied. But, they are all white. What about the role that Native Americans played in the Revolution jay War, or the role that blacks played in the Civil War? Why should we deny these people the recognition of the roles that they played in American history? Multicultural education imi i jum about seeing things from a different perspective — it’s about presenting things from all perspectives. And who is able to denounce the value of that? By the way, the Cralchits could have very well have had an Asian son. My parents are white with an Asian daughter. My brother, who is also white, likes to read Rush Limbaugh’s opinions on multicultural education to me from the dinner table. Like I said, it’s about presenting things from all perspectives. Stock Is a sophomore secondary English education m^jor and a Summer Dally Ne braskan columnist. What do you think of the decision to wait to repair Memorial Stadium until after football season? “I personally think it should be fixed before because they’re going to lose a lot of revenue from seats that aren’t there. Maybe the University needs to take time out and examine the whole stadium." Andy Budeli Political Science Junior “I don’t think its that big of a problem. I don’t think seating will be that much of a problem if they don’t fix it— I don’t thinkil’s a problem if it’s fixed afterwards.lf they are going to use their own money, they can fix it whenever they want.” Lisa Valentine Broadcasting Senior ‘Tin very anti-Big Red. But t immc it should be fixed before the season starts ... it’s only logical.” Randy Watson PhD in English Graduate student Compiled by Stacie Hakel The Daily Nebraskan wants to hear from you. If you want to voice your opinion about an article that appears in the newspaper, let us know. Just write a brief letter to the editor and sign it (don’t forget your student ID number) and mail it to the Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 ‘R’ Street, Lincoln, NE 68588-0448, or stop by the office in the basement of the ^ Nebraska Union and visit with us. We’re all ears. •10 Pool Tables •Dart Machines •PinbaDs-Videos •Shuffleboard __i -CD Jukebox 2137 Comhusker •Foosball I ^Loung^Houre^Mon-Sa^l-Ta^inc^ti^pm-lai^ I Mil | Urns!" uune l /-July 31 aiDU 1 Howell Theatre (The Temple Bldg.) LBOX OFFICE; 472-2073 Aviation is more than flying around ... the sky is the limit Interested in Aviation careers? To find out more, enroll in Intro to Aviation. ANV 1000 3 Credits T/TH 3.00 p.m.-4:15 p.m. Learn to fly without leaving the ground, enroll in private pilot theory. ANV 1020 3 Credits T/TH 500 p.m.*>.6:40 pin. To pre-register for these two classes, offered at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, call the University of Nebraska at Omaha Aviation Institute toll-free. 1-800-8 ■ Nebraska Omaha Tha Unwaralty ot Nabraaka at Omaha doaa not d la criminal# In to academic, ampbymant or adntoalona I poticio# nndsbldaa by al Moral, state and raQamalragulBtkxwpartalnlng to aams. _ |