Being politically conservative at my Seattle public high school meant wearing your Birkenstocks to school three instead of five times a week. Self-proclaimed Republicans, of which there were few, were usually anti-war, pro-choice and in favor of tough environmental protections. And if these pseudo-conservatives ever had a dissenting opinion, they rarely voiced it in the justifiable fear of being attacked by a room full of tie-dye-clad vegans, liberals and staunch Democrats. So when I got to Dartmouth, I was a little confused. People disagreed with me. West Coast liberalism had taught me to love diversity, but these unorthodox opinions were not welcome. Where was my army of left-leaning faculty and classmates to intimidate those who disagreed?
There are two types of diversity. My high school was "diverse" in the traditional sense. Indian Culture Club, Black Student Union, Native American Dance Squad -- our extracurricular activities represented an impressive array of racial and ethnic heterogeneity. But my high school was not diverse. Everyone came from relatively similar religious, socioeconomic and political backgrounds. Classroom discussions usually lasted as long as it took for every participant to express his or her frustration with the Bush administration and chastise Halliburton for being ruthlessly corrupt.
Dartmouth College, on the other hand, represents a truly eclectic group of viewpoints and opinions. Not everyone agrees that Barack Obama's touch can heal the sick and that Bill Clinton was perhaps a little more than a man but a little less than a god. In fact, some people even disagree with that. When people talk about a diverse campus, I hope they are referring to what Dartmouth is and not to what my high school was and probably continues to be. At times, however, we seem to be talking about the latter.
Dartmouth's recent announcement of regular decision acceptances brings with it accolades for its record-setting group of racially diverse applicants. I don't want this column to devolve into a discussion of affirmative action, a debate that's better suited for a senior thesis and not an opinion article. But I do want to stress that diversity is not an indicator that can be measured by the skin-deep criterion of race.
I hope the College does not confuse the two types of diversity in its self-admitted desire for a versatile campus and end up with the predictable, boring and one-sided atmosphere that plagued my high school. My conservative South Carolinian friend has a dramatically more holistic worldview than my African-American neighbor in Seattle. Religious denomination, political preference, geographic origin -- I would argue that each of these greatly affects a person. If Admissions is firmly committed to a diverse campus, perhaps they should give preference to atheists over Protestants and anarchists over moderates.
In the past I could end anything I said with "But it's probably Dick Cheney's fault" and be met with roaring applause. So when my Southern friend here asked how I would pay for a universal health care system, I was a little offended. He wasn't playing by the rules. I hesitated and stuttered something about needing to get my work done. In actuality, I was feverishly researching the issue online. It was then that I realized that Dartmouth's diverse political environment makes me a better informed, more articulate liberal. Consequently, it's hopefully providing the same service for my passionate -- albeit completely wrong -- friend.
As Dartmouth lauds its "most diverse class ever," I would hope that the administration doesn't use the skin-deep indicator of race as reassurance that next year's campus will incorporate an even more comprehensive range of opinions and viewpoints.
We should remember that true diversity is not a statistic, a box checked on an application or a skin tone. But if you're still unsure, hop in your car and drive westward until you find my high school. Just follow the smell of incense and look for the parking lot full of hybrids. There's sure to be a stimulating discussion about John McCain and his disastrous plan for America.
