I saw this article in the IDS yesterday and found it interesting. It is about diversity on campus, not exactly in the workplace... But I would imagine that the same issue is prevelant in the office, in classrooms, everywhere.

Granted I am male and white - not exactly the stereotyped person to be discriminated against...

Asian? American? Indian?
By Nina Mehta | Indiana Daily Student | Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Ask Morgan Freeman: How are we going to get rid of Racism?

I anticipated his reply during a "60 Minutes" interview I watched over break. I watched our Japanese TV, on a Danish couch, in an American suburb, with my Indian parents, empowered by his reply.

"Stop talking about it," he said.

In many ways, it really is that simple. I paused our TiVo that was made in Mexico, and elaborated on this philosophy with my parents. I told them I deal with this very often at IU.

I've never felt bothered that I am a minority, nor have I been subjected to racism (that I know of). I don't even mind that masala (Indian spice) is a major food group at home. But I am up in arms about some of the ways our University address the issue of "racial and ethnic representation."

Most of my friends at IU are Caucasian, or white, or American, or whatever is the latest definition. This is not because I don't prefer Indian company, or that I feel a little awkward with the Indian Student Association, or because the closest thing to me majoring in a science is politics. It's because I try to simply get along with people that I meet.

Eighty-five percent of the

student body is "Caucasian" and 3 percent is Asian according to www.PrincetonReview.com. Given the odds, I'm more likely to meet, and therefore become friends with, "Caucasians." Then if you break down the Asians on campus, there is a smaller fraction to analyze. People with my similar background are going by the phrase "South Asians."

I am not conflicted with IU because there is no strong affirmative action program, or that I don't find more brown skinned people. Among teachers and students, I feel socially, academically, politically, ethnically and racially comfortable.

It is the banners on campus urging the student body to accept one anothers' differences that twists the knot in my stomach. When I wait for the elevator, I read posters and signs that remind me that I am not the same as 97 percent of the campus.

I understand the University feels students need a reminder to accept "all kinds" of people. My sliver of idealism would like to believe this is not something people need a reminder for. During resident assistant training, they practice going to environments where they are a minority; say, a Christian at Hillel.

This is not a bad practice, I believe in open-mindedness and educated judgment, but I believe these acceptance campaigns perpetuate the problem. The exact problems they are trying to relieve are being accentuated. These are the reasons America is not a melting pot and more like a salad bowl.

Because most of my family was born and raised in India, I believe I am Indian. I wonder if I'm still South Asian though all my roots are from North India. Because I have an American passport, I'd like to believe I'm American. I was born in the United States, and my good friend Merriam Webster would agree that I am indeed also native ("belonging to a particular place by birth"). I marked "Asian" on all my college applications. Every time, I hesitate at the choice American Indian instead.