May 5, 1988 § The Vista § page 5
Survey reveals whites and blacks should work together By Clytie Bunyan Student Writer
At a time when the country was remembering the 20th anniversary of Martin Luther King's death, Central State University students take opposite positions on the status of race discrimination. To determine students' racial issues 50 black and 50 white students were randomly surveyed in the Oklahoma Room of the University Center over a twoweek period on a varitey of racial issues. Students were asked to respond to 24 questions which ranged from politics to education and racial discrimination. The survey was a two-part questionnaire. The first part, which required a true or false response, was to determine if CSU students believe racial problems among both races can be resolved. The second part, which required responses on a scale of one to five, sought to determine if the students had the tools to become involved in resolving racial problems or if they were willing to take a definite position on racial issues. On the scale, 1 was most certainly not; 2, no; 3, maybe; 4, yes and 5, most certainly yes. Students were asked to respond to statements such as "Racial discrimination is decreasing in the 80s," "Affirmative action is more helpful than harmful to society," "It is likely there will be a black president of the United States in the next 20 years," and "Generally, whites care about blacks." Results of the survey revealed that students are uncertain about some issues and most do not agree or disagree strongly about many. For example, on questions asking if the government, whites, or blacks themselves are to blame for
the poverty among blacks, almost 50 percent of the blacks responded "some responsibility" to all three. While most whites also had the same response as blacks for the last two of those choices, 36 percent responded that the government is not to blame for poverty among blacks. The survey also revealed that whites are more optimistic about the economic future for blacks than blacks are for themselves.
'The survey also revealed that whites are more optimistic about the economic future for blacks than blacks are for themselves.' Thirty-six percent of the white students said economic and social conditions for blacks in this country "may" improve within the next 10 years, 54 percent who responded said economic conditions may improve and 30 percent said they "will" improve. Only about eight percent of the black students said economic conditions for blacks in this country "most certainly" will improve within the next 10 years. How this economic uplift is to be acheived seems in doubt. For instance, while white students appear to be optimistic about the future economic situation for blacks, 66 percent seemed disinclined towards believing in
community self-help when they responded that middle and upperclass blacks said should not be obligated to help poorer blacks. Yet, 60 percent said wealthy blacks do not patronize black business enough. The black students were split on whether middle and upperclass blacks should be obligated to help less fortunate blacks. Fifty percent said they should and 50 percent said they should not. Seventy-four percent said wealthy blacks do not patronize blacks business enough. Also, 58 percent of the black students said affimative action is more helpful than harmful to society and 22 percent were unsure. While 34 percent of the white students polled also seemed unsure if affirmative action is helpful to society, 48 percent said it is helpful Uncertainty also was apparent among both groups when asked if people in either race generally care about people in the other race. For example, only about 30 percent of each group responded that blacks generally care about whites. Forty-four percent of the white students and 40 percent of the blacks were unsure. When asked the opposite, if whites generally care about blacks, 50 percent of the white and 41 percent of the black students were unsure. Only 31 percent of the blacks and 34 percent of the whites said whites generally care about their black counterparts. Among the whites, only one disagreed strongly that whites care about blacks. About 10 percent of the white students also strongly disagreed that blacks care about whites. Among the blacks, 14 percent strongly disagreed that blacks and whites care about each other, one strong-
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'Uncertainty also was apparent among both groups when asked if people in either race generally care about people in the other race.'
Thirty-four percent responded strongly that interracial relationships "most certainly do not" help reduce racial problems. Although they were too unsure about the effects of interracial relationships on racial problems, white students also tended to respond negatively to this question. Forty-four percent said mixed relationships do not help racial problems, 34 percent said "maybe," and about 20 percent said they do, Only nine students, five black and four white, suggested strongly that interracial relationships help reduce racial problems. When asked if racial discrimination is decreasing in the 80s, 60 percent of the white students responded that it is but 84 percent of the blacks claimed that it is not. However, both groups strongly suggested that civil rights activities are not outdated.
Blacks and whites considered (48 percent and 62 percent respectively), that there is reverse discrimination because of civil rights reform. But in spite of their opposite positions on the status of racial discrimination, students seemed almost equally optimistic about the likelihood of a black United States president in the next 20 years. Twenty years since the assasination of Martin Luther King, Jr., 76 percent of the white students polled said whites respect King's works. Thirty-one percent of the blacks said they are unsure if whites respect King's work; 50 percent said they do. Students overwhelmingly agreed that most people would not prefer to attend a mostly segregated school instead of a racially mixed one. But while blacks responded that black students are less prepared for college than their white counterparts, whites disagreed. Seventy percent of the white students said blacks said they are less prepared. Sixty percent of the blacks said they are less prepared. Both groups also responded that blacks are not less ambitious than whites. While black students responded that women are faring better than black men in the U.S., white students said they are not. Sixty-eight percent of the blacks said black women are faring better than black men but 69 percent of the whites disagreed. The survey show that while whites are more optimistic, both whites and blacks are unsure on many of the same questions. But whether they agreed or disagreed or refused to respond to certain questions, 92 percent of the two racial groups surveyed agree that blacks and whites should work together to eliminate racial problems.
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ly disagreed and three gave no response. While whites are mostly unsure about the effects of interracial relationships, most blacks responded that interracial relationships do not help reduce racial problems. About 62 percent responded that racially mixed relationships do not help reduce racial problems, 16 percent said they do and 22 percent were unsure.
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