Until we recognize the fact that people are racially discriminated against everyday, we will not have progress. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did strive to improve social injustices, but he primarily focused on the maltreatment of African Americans in this country. Many believe that the struggle is over, but it has only just begun. We have a long way to go, and the elimination of affirmative action will severely hinder our progress. The United States is in a unique predicament. We are probably the most diverse country in the world. In addition, we probably have the longest history of racial injustice and discrimination. Point blank, most countries do not have to deal with race issues. We do. It is our responsibility to correct the sins of the father, and live up to our own American ideals. Affirmative action is the beginning of initiatives that aim to do just that. Affirmative action actually helps bring qualified people of different races together. To consider eliminating such programs is to consider permanently separating ourselves from each other. E pluribus Unum, meaning "from many, one," is a powerful statement and is printed on our dollar bills. It stands for the unity of our nation. We need to promote programs such as affirmative action, which gives us the opportunity to intermingle, rather than tear them apart. Maybe then we can see true equality and unity.

In addition to the affirmative action piece, there was an opinion piece by Robyn Washington ("Envisioning new possibilities will create a diverse campus," Jan. 30) concerning the role of the Office of Multicultural Affairs on campus. In this article, Ms. Washington suggested that OMA alter the minority-mentoring program by assigning a majority mentor to a minority mentee.

Why does Ms. Washington think that this will help acclimate the freshmen minority population to our university? Who better to help freshmen minorities understand the social and racial pressures they will face in and out of the classroom than other minorities? How could a Caucasian student understand how it feels to be the only person of color in their class? Would a Caucasian student know to whom a minority could talk to if they felt discriminated against?

These are questions that I propose to Ms. Washington, who seems to think that the OMA's mentoring program is flawed. I disagree. The OMA has done everything in its power to make minorities on this campus feel accepted and appreciated. With a staff of three, the OMA has managed to touch the lives of minority students on this campus by showing their commitment to achieving the diversity we so lack at this university.

It is the responsibility of the Student Union, the Student Government and the Resident Student Association to bring the campus together as a collective. Niches such as the OMA and GSSA are there to help underrepresented groups on campus. How can we expect diversity on campus if we don't have places that support that diversity? Should minorities reach out to the majority? Definitely, but the majority has to initiate such an action. Majority students have to understand that there is a long history of hatred and bigotry between the majority and the minorities. Minorities do not want to feel discriminated against, and atmospheres such as Wake Forest, with its predominately Caucasian population, can breed a certain level of intimidation. In order to correct some of the issues we face on our campus, we all need to open our hearts and our minds.