A Suggestion for Attacking Ethnic Discrimination

A Suggestion for Attacking Ethnic Discrimination

Ethnic Discrimination

This source is a transcript prepared for presentation at the First Southwide Conference on Discrimination in Higher Education at Atlanta University by Lyle Saunders. In his presentation, Lyle Saunders states that the best way for an institution to attack discrimination is to express their inclusivity with a placard on the outside of the building. This, in his mind, would ensure that everyone feels welcome without being unnecessarily costly.

Lyle Saunders

Dolph Briscoe Center for American History

April 8, 1950

Open for research and limited publication use

Manuscript

English

20th Century Activism Against Discrimination Towards Spanish Speaking People in America

A SUGGESTION FOR ATTACKING ETHNIC DISCRIMINATION. (Prepared for presentation at the First Southwide Conference on Discrimination in Higher Education, Atlanta University, April 8, 1950.) Lyle Saunders. Department of Sociology. University of New Mexico. To be realistic, any program which is designed to reduce or eliminate discrimination in higher education must take cognizance of the fact that such discrimination is only one aspect of a wider pattern of relationships and behavior, and that it cannot be either understood or attacked except in the wider context. This preliminary statement is necessary in order to tie in a suggestion I have to make with the aims and purposes of this conference. It is discrimination in higher education, but which seeks to contribute something to that goal through a plan for doing something about discrimination in another area. An ideal attack on discrimination should, I thin, seek at least four complementary goals. It should recognize that discrimination is not, under any foreseeable circumstances, likely to disappear suddenly and should, therefore, make some attempt to minimalize the effects of discrimination during the period it is still with us. It should, secondly, make some provision for easily and clearly distinguishing between the sheep and the goats, between those who discriminate or support discrimination and those who dislike it and would like to see it ended. It should be designed to win and utilize the support of those numerous persons who, while not actively in favor of discrimination, will not take the risk or devote their time and energies to any militant remedial program. And, finally, it should put some effective continuing kind of pressure on the discriminators which would make it advantageous to them to change their ways and penalize them for continuing their discriminatory policies. With these ends in mind, I should like to propose a simple and easily workable way to attack discrimination, which would not be costly and which could be inaugurated with a minimum of effort. This is probably not an original idea; such a program may be under way somewhere already. But if the idea has been borrowed, I do not know to whom I am indebted for it, and if such a plan is in operation anywhere, I do not know of it and would welcome information about its results. My suggestion is simply this: Let there be designed a placard with an appropriate and meaningful pictorial symbol and bearing a legend saying in effect: “This institution is operated in accordance with democratic principles and the American creed. Whoever you are, you are welcome here.”

Manuscript