Hofstra University, in Hempstead (New York), will begin hosting graduation ceremonies that are separate for special interest groups this year. This university is another American campus that has adopted a segregation policy and rewards students for their skin color or sexual orientation. This is another example of a seemingly reversed progress since the Civil Rights Era began in earnest during the 1960s and 1970s.
The university website states proudly, “Identity-based commencement celebrations” are held across the page, describing different commitment ceremonies. A web page for the event states that “Our Graduates Of Color Ceremony” is an opportunity for students of color who are graduating to celebrate their accomplishments. The Lavender Graduation ceremony is an opportunity for LGBTQ+ students to celebrate their accomplishments. They also host two additional ceremonies.
Residential Life is hosting the Umoja Scholars LLC Ceremony, while First-Generation Support and Engagement is hosting the First-Generation Graduate Ceremony. The Umoja Scholars LLC Ceremony celebrates the achievements of graduating residential students. Our First-Generation Graduates Ceremony celebrates the achievements of graduating first-generation students.
Civil Rights icons like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and others, made it their life’s mission during the civil rights movement to see that all Americans were treated as equals, no matter what color they were. The fight to end segregation was a part of that effort, including on buses, bathrooms, water fountains, and in schools. In Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court declared that segregation of race in schools was unconstitutional in 1954. Since then, America has made countless strides forward in fighting racism and ending segregationist practices.
In 1963, Dr. King stood on the Lincoln Memorial steps and declared his desire to live in a country where his children and Americans “will not be judged based on the color of their complexion but based upon the content of their characters.” Unfortunately, this dream will not be realized. It is admirable but unlikely to come true. We, as Americans, and all humans, will not be able to achieve this until we empty our hearts and minds of hatred towards people who are different. We will never reach a place where all people are viewed the same if we return to identity politics and policies. It is evident that with policies and agendas such as “diversity equity and inclusion”, which are being adopted by so many colleges across the nation, we are going backward at an incredible rate.
This is also seen in politics when people are promoted to positions of power and/or government based solely and simply on their skin color, sexual preferences, or identity. This is a game played by both sides of the political spectrum, but it’s done more openly and with pride by the left. One only needs to look at the administration of Joesph Biden. He boasts that his administration is the most “diverse in history”, and he seems to pick his employees based on race or sexual orientation. Karine Jean Pierre, White House Press Secretary, is the worst White House press secretary ever. Not because she’s Black or lesbian but because she’s terrible at her job.
The civil rights movement did not want policies that designated commitment ceremonies based solely on racial or sexual identity, or immigration status. Dr. King, and others, fought against segregationist policies and identity politics. They did not want to embolden these policies. The commitment ceremonies do not follow a strict policy that requires students to attend separate ceremonies, but they seem to encourage the students to feel special or to protect them against unknown things. The purpose of college is to expose students to different ideas and beliefs and to prepare them for a future where their needs will no longer be met. You are not celebrating diversity when you institute programs that separate students by their color, sexual orientation, or preference. In addition, you are isolating students from other students and telling those who aren’t minorities they are just average. Hofstra University’s only diversity is the number of graduation ceremonies.
