To the Editor:
I read with great interest the article in the Feb. 13 issue of The Dartmouth, "Faculty ponder new distrib.," about a proposed "Race, Ethnicity and Migration" requirement. It seems to me that by even defining race as anything but the fundamental meaning that we are all part of the one human race, that we are falling into a racist, bigoted trap. We should not have to classify ourselves by "race" and any such classifications should really be disregarded unless you expect more or less of someone because of the color of their skin or the texture of their hair. Understanding different cultures through the study of them has definite merit. Defining the nature of different peoples on this planet by someone's bastardized race "classifications" does not.
Go ahead with a new distribution requirement that is different from the current "non-Western" one. But please don't perpetuate further bigotry. Remove the word "race" and the study of "race" from the new requirement.
