Racial Separatism at Princeton

Human Events, Mar 3, 2008 by Langer, Jack

But what if I weren't black? Then I might join the Asian-American Students Association. Or the Chicano Caucus. Or Native Americans at Princeton. Or South Asian Students Association; the Arab Society of Princeton (SALAAM); Taiwanese American Students Association; Chinese Students Association; Turkish Students Association; Cuban American Undergraduate Group; German Cultural Organization; Accion Puertorriquena y Amigos; Hong Kong Students Association; Singapore Society; Japanese Students Association; Romanian Students & Scholars; Korean American Students Association; Latino Heritage Month Committee; Persian Society of Princeton; Princeton Gaelic Society; Thai American Student Organization; Ukrainian Alliance; or Southeast Asia Society.

And to what extent do these racial and ethnic-based organizations promote integration, as Obama argued? A comment in 2000 from the president of the Princeton Persian "" Society at a "Reflections on Diversity" seminar was telling: "Princeton does indeed have a very diverse student body," he said. "But to make it a diverse community, I think we need to have more intercommunication between the various groups we do have."

Balkanized Organizations

Well, what a surprise. Students divide themselves into balkanized, race-based organizations, and then they're reluctant to interact with other groups. In her thesis, Obama misidentified these kinds of organizations as a solution to racial separatism rather than a source of it. Perhaps if students joined more organizations based on interests instead of race, they'd end up choosing more of their friends based on, well, interests instead of race.

And has Princeton's diversity mania resulted in a corresponding degree of ideological diversity? Apparently not. According to the Daily Princetonian, as of January 2008, 92% of Princeton University employee donations to 2008 presidential candidatesand 100% of faculty donations-have gone to Democrats. The leading recipient, by far, is Barack Obama.

To my knowledge, Michelle Obama has not commented on whether she still feels like she doesn't belong at Princeton.

Mr. Langer, Ph.D. is an editor for Rcgncry Publishing (a Human Events sister company) and a freelance journalist.