I keep asking myself if I saw a different program than everyone else last Saturday evening in Eisenhower Auditorium. Before I went, I made up my mind to at least hear with my own ears -- so as not to prejudge him. I heard many positive things about the black self and the keys needed to survive on a predominantly white campus. These keys and the uplifting of black and self-awareness are essential to overcoming the oppression faced by African and Black Americans today. I applauded them with respect.

But then came the bewilderment and disrespect. What is the relevancy of the "chosen of God?" How can one believe that all peoples, black, brown, yellow, red and white are equal; yet believe that black people are the chosen of God -- today. I thought God loved all. What does this have to do with Jewish students and others not wanting Conrad Muhammad to come speak to us? Conrad Muhammad is an anti-Semite who associates with and follows Louis Farrakhan, who has also professed anti-Semitic views. I believe it is necessary to bring up black self-awareness 12 months out of the year, but in doing so must we push another people down?

Starr Peoples was right in stating that people may have expected Conrad Muhammad to burn an Israeli flag to show his anti-Semitic feelings, but that would be too easy. Conrad Muhammad as well as many others use contemporary racism. You do not have to burn an Israeli flag or burn a cross on someone's lawn to finally be considered a racist or anti-Semite. Nowadays it is much more subtle, but just as harmful.

I would also like to address one comment said by Kate Kleba and many others on this campus regarding the issue of blacks segregating themselves from whites. I believe it is very important for black people to do what is necessary to improve the lives of other black Americans. In the past, the vast majority have tried to take away their history, their culture, and their economic resources using many different approaches. Included among these approaches is the divide and conquer approach. Black and African Americans have seen their hopes and desires crushed at the hands of ignorance. People must depend upon themselves to lift themselves and their loved ones up, because it does not seem the vast majority wants to help. I applaud black production for black consumption, as Conrad Muhammad and many other black and African American people have said. Black people need to stand strong together in order to face the outside destructive forces, until a time when prejudice is no longer an issue and we can all come together to respect each other and our diversity.

In addition I would like to add that even though the vast majority of individuals are ignorant to diversity, there are many individuals very capable of sympathizing. They may not be able to empathize; but they can try to understand the racism and oppressions faced by African and black Americans. I believe that another black Muslim could have been chosen to present these very positive views without promoting hate ... after all, isn't promoting hate counterproductive to increasing unity between and within different cultures?