The Crimson And the Third World

WHEN THE CRIMSON two weeks ago printed a picture of two Black students with bars superimposed, we unquestionably made a grave mistake--both a wrong against the two individuals and an insensitive act to Blacks in general.

But to suggest that this mistake reflects a "consistent pattern of racism" in The Crimson--as some members of Third World organizations have suggested--flies in the face of what every regular reader of The Crimson knows: that our news policy has always been to give as full and unbiased coverage to Third World issues as we can, and our editorial positions have consistently championed the needs and concerns of Third World students.

The Crimson has been in the forefront both in news coverage and in editorial support on issues like divestiture of South Africa-related stock holdings, affirmative action, and maintenance of Afro-American Studies as a department. It was largely as a result of Crimson coverage and editorials that both the Charles W. Engelhard Library of Public Affairs and the appointment of Arnold C. Harberger to head the Harvard Institute for International Development first came to the attention of the community as important issues. We are proud of our record.

The individual mistakes of a daily newspaper must be viewed in light of its goals and ideals as they emerge from the paper's content, day in and day out. Readers who find The Crimson consistently racist--just as readers who feel the paper is somehow part of the University establishment--must be reading very selectively indeed.

The Crimson, like any institution in the white-dominated Harvard community, is bound on occasion to act, unintentionally, in the basis of what Third World groups call "unconscious racism." We understand this term to mean an insensitivity to Third World perspectives in the speed and bustle of daily journalism that can reinforce stereotypes. Because of the very meaning of "unconscious" such acts will occur, here at The Crimson and everywhere else, at Harvard and in the world outside.

The only way to eliminate such insensitivity is to integrate the places where it occurs--to bring more Third World people to Harvard, both as students and as faculty and administrators, as The Crimson has called on the University to do for years; and to bring more Third World students into The Crimson itself. Last September we sent a letter to all incoming freshmen encouraging Third World and other minority students to join our staff, and with the help of Third World campus groups we hope to continue that effort.

We also hope these organizations will carry their campaign against "unconscious racism" to other campus institutions. The Crimson alone cannot overcome a force embedded in the unconsciousness of the community around it; it can and will continue consciously to offer complete, balanced coverage of Third World issues, and to maintain an editorial policy responsive to the human needs of Third World students.