As appalled as I was when I first heard about the pictures taken by some members of the Penn State College Republicans at a Halloween party, I know I didn't really understand the severity of their crimes until I sat in on the Black Caucus meeting shortly after the photos became public.

With every speaker who took the microphone, it became more and more real to me how deep a wound this campus' African-American community had suffered. From the pictures, to College Republicans president Brian Bottaglia's invocation of the First Amendment, to Undergraduate Student Government Senator Vicky Cangelosi's statement that she was leaving Penn State because she feared for her life, it was clear those involved with the photos and the party hadn't done one thing all week that wasn't insulting to everyone at that Black Caucus meeting.

They hadn't done one thing that showed they had even spent 10 seconds considering how it must have felt to be insulted in such a fashion.

But after one of the speakers said his part, I was once again reminded that if there is ever going to be racial peace at Penn State, there needs to be serious change on both sides.

The man who spoke said he couldn't figure out why the College Republican members were scared, in part because they "make up over 90 percent of the population at Penn State while we only make up like 4 percent."

I don't know how many members the College Republicans have, but I think I'd be rather safe in assuming that they make up less than 90 percent of the Penn State population. Because of this, I think it would be reasonable to say he was just talking about white people.

To be fair, most, if not all of the other speakers took a far less presumptuous view of the situation, focusing their attacks on those who had actually wronged them. However, no one stepped up to point out that the "90 percent" comment lumped all white students on campus into a group with the members of the College Republicans who were at the party.

A comment like that is at the core of what is wrong with the racial situation at Penn State. There is a lot less overt racial hatred on campus than there is ignorance and a lack of consideration for the situations of other people. The comment at Black Caucus's meeting, coinciding with the photos, is a perfect example.

While actions of the College Republicans at the party showed a complete lack of understanding of the history of repression that African Americans have endured in this country, the
comment made at the meeting I attended totally disregarded the possibility that white people can understand injustice.

I have yet to speak to anyone, white or black, who supported what the College Republican members did.

It is unfair that the Black Caucus has more to lose because of such comments, but because it is the organization most dedicated to making changes, it's true. The College Republicans stand to lose a few representatives because of its members' actions. However, by allowing for the implication that all white students support the enemy, Black Caucus runs the risk of alienating all white students, of which a significant portion would likely consider supporting Black Caucus' movements otherwise.

I don't know if Black Caucus takes some form of pride in trying to make changes with just a 4 percent minority, but it doesn't have to be that difficult if it doesn't want it to be. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. understood this, which is why he didn't just try to rally African Americans to the cause. He also appealed to the reason and decency of moderate whites.

With significant members of the white population jumping on board with an already strong backing from minorities, King was able to make more change. A perfect example of his knowledge of this is in his letter to clergymen from Birmingham Jail, which I'm sure every Black Caucus member can quote by heart from beginning to end.

The actions of some members of the College Republicans might indicate otherwise, but most white students at Penn State have the same reason and decency as those who helped King in the 1960s. Those whites who hold those characteristics today must use them to be more considerate of the plight of minorities.

However, Black Caucus must learn to better utilize the fact that most whites are willing to help.