I am beginning to detest political correctness! Maybe I am just from the school of thought that wants to know how people really feel. It’s not that negative opinions don’t hurtÓof course they do. But I would take a cross-burning-hate-spouting-hood-wearing Ku Klux Klan member over a person who thought the same things, but never dared to express those thoughts until sometime in the future when it could hurt me more (i.e. job hiring). At least with the KKK member, I know what I am getting.

As a black female born and raised in the South, I have dealt with racism and discrimination all of my life. But I expected (or hoped for) a little more from an Ivy-League, liberal arts institution like Dartmouth. Yet what is the first thing that happens when I come to campus? The "ghetto party!" What followed were anger, discussions and learning. But was anything really learned? Every year, there is another incident of some kind: the "luau party," Jewish hate mail, vandalism on the door of Asian students, "Yale sucks" t-shirts, and most recently, the incident at Psi Upsilon fraternity, just to name a few.

So I have a new idea. If Dartmouth wants to strengthen community, it does not need to just have discussions where people learn what not to say or do. People need to feel the effects of their words and actions. So I propose we build a machine that transforms the "offender" into the "offended." Instead of hearing how their words and actions hurt someone else, let them walk in that person’s shoes.

Think you know someone who is racist? Put her in the machine and let her know how it feels to be a person of color for a lifetime. As part of the experience, she will be followed in stores as if she’s about to steal something. As a child, instead of having teachers help her in school, they will write her off as a lost cause, label her a delinquent, or prematurely put her in a special education class. Or when she does not understand, people will act surprised and say, "Aren’t all of you good in math?" When people insult her race, her objections will be judged as over-sensitivity (considered a common attribute of people like her). Her success will be seen as a threat to others. When she tries to show pride in or help others have pride in their race, she will be labeled "boastful." She will have to deal with being unjustly persecuted by police and other authorities that are supposed to serve and protect every citizen. In general, she can look forward to treatment as a second-class citizen.

Think you know someone who is homophobic? Put him in the machine allow him to experience what it feels like to have people judge him because of something that isn’t their business in the first place. When people insult him for his sexual preference, his objections will be judged as over-sensitivity (considered a common attribute of people like him). Due to the behavior of stupid people, he will have to fear for his safety. Once again, he can look forward to treatment as a second-class citizen.

Think you know someone who is sexist? We will let him enter the machine and become a member of the opposite sex. He will be told at a young age that he doesn’t understand because of his gender. He will be steered away from certain interests by teachers or others because they think the concepts are too hard for his sex. People may judge him more on his looks than his abilities. Mistreatment will be justified for superficial reasons like the way he dresses ("He was asking for it"). When people insult his gender, his objections will be judged as over-sensitivity (considered a common attribute of his sex). Success means people assume he got there because of his looks or because he "slept his way to the top." Due to the behavior of stupid people, he will have to fear for his safety. And yes, you guessed it: he will also look forward to more treatment as a second-class citizen.

My argument is not to say that the white, heterosexual male is the ultimate oppressor. Discrimination cis perpetuated by all shapes and sizes, shades and sexes. Nor do I believe that all Dartmouth students are ignorant. The point is that I do not really think anything will change until people are educated – meaning that stereotypes must be dispelled and a true understanding of how physical or verbal insults hurt others is gained. I do not like political correctness: nothing is solved if you try to spare the feelings of others, but still think of them in the same way.

I know the idea of a machine like the one I proposed is ludicrous. In fact, I would hope no one would ever have to go through experiences like the ones I have mentioned above. But discrimination against people who are considered different is not "imaginary or perceived," as one Dartmouth writer put it. I wish that people could try to understand why there is anger when things like the "Ghetto" party or the "Scalp those bitches" incidents happen. But deep down, in my cynical heart-of-hearts, I doubt they will.