Look within and lose that mask

When last semester's performance of "As Is" was canceled, Neal Newman blamed it on a conspiracy of silence.

Last week, there were several instances of racially inspired problems on campus. They were supposedly instigated by students screaming ethnic slurs.

It seems that someone is always getting offended. There is always an instigator and a victim, a crime and a desire for justice. We all have become so sensitive tQ a person's race, religion, gender and sexual preference, that we have lost touch with the fundamental similarities among all of us. So, to what rough beast has mankind fallen?

The conspiracy of silence Newman referred to was a harsh truth that is becoming more and more apparent. Equality and diversity have been twisted and perverted to cause exclusion rather than inclusion. But I am a firm believer, like Anne Frank was, that all people are fundamentally good at heart. But why is there this tendency in humanity to put up walls and fear the unknown? Elton John, in his song "Blessed," referred to the common belief that difference is the child of disease. We separate ourselves into little homogeneous compartments and hide from anything that is not identical to us. That compartment is the only place where there is truth and safety. That is the greatest lie in our society.

My newest theory on this moral downfall of humanity stems from the masks that we all wear. It is not an irrepairable condition either.

I have noticed recently that many people, even my friends, seem two-faced. They can go hot or cold, depending on the situation or the group they are with. We, as human beings, put on the masks, the mask of a student, of a parent, of a boyfriend or girlfriend, and those masks can be beneficial. Everyone reaches a stage in their life when they have to do something that is out of their frame of reference. Masks allow them to do that. However, when the mask becomes a security blanket rather than a tool, it does more harm than good.

The conspiracy of silence is a person's battle to hide what is behind the mask. For example, a

by Dave Jurkiewicz

assistant perspectives editor person may say, "There is something wrong with homosexuals. They just are not normal."

In many cases, inside, the person is questioning their own sexuality. The same inconsistency exists between what is felt behind the mask and what is communicated through the mask. And many people have the same fears and feelings. So they congregate together into big communities, hiding from something that does not exactly match their qualities and standards.

Diversity is a noble cause. This country was founded with the intention of forming a melting pot, a place in which all cultures can share their history and traditions. But the pursuit of diversity must come from within, not from outside sources.

Michael Jackson said, "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change." So make a conscious effort to find the masks that you wear, and one by one remove them to find the true person inside. Then you will become one step closer to breaking down the walls in our society.

CALLAMNION

(610) 515-1557