In spite of some challenge, tolerance club gets nod
by Quinn Barbour and Julianna Barrera
News | 2/3/04
Posted online at 9:44 AM EST on 2/3/04
The Brandeis Coalition for Tolerance (BCT) was chartered during the Union Senate meeting on Jan. 25 after a debate over its similarities with the Senate's own Diversity Committee.
According to Student Union Vice President Kenneth Gantz '04, there are similarities between BCT and the Senate's own Diversity Committee.
But Gantz said the conclusion was reached that "the issue of duality of purpose is only relevant in instances of two chartered clubs overlapping in their purpose."
Gantz said he hopes BCT will work together with other organizations to promote diversity awareness of campus, although they are under no obligation to do so.
Ammad Bahalim '04, a founder of BCT, said he plans to work with all available resources.
"There is no reason why we don't want to work with the Diversity Committee and other groups on campus," Bahalim said.
Bahalim said while there are many cultural clubs on campus, none deal specifically with limiting intolerance.
According to Bahalim, a primary goal of BCT will be to create co-existence programs for community advisers, orientation leaders and discussion groups.
Bahalim also said he plans to show movies dealing with issues of diversity. Bahalim said last semester's diversity issues propelled him to help create BCT, though he said there has always been intolerance during his Brandeis career.
"We want to promote dialogue on campus." Bahalim said. "Discussion is usually swept under the rug and people say there are no problems on campus. But the first step we need to take as a community is to realize these problems are pervasive."
Bahalim said that people should not feel unsafe because of their views and that one goal of his club is to help foster understanding between people with different views.
"This club is open to anyone who feels [like] targets because of their personal identity no matter how that identity is formed," Bahalim said.
According to Student Union Vice President Kenneth Gantz '04, there are similarities between BCT and the Senate's own Diversity Committee.
But Gantz said the conclusion was reached that "the issue of duality of purpose is only relevant in instances of two chartered clubs overlapping in their purpose."
Gantz said he hopes BCT will work together with other organizations to promote diversity awareness of campus, although they are under no obligation to do so.
Ammad Bahalim '04, a founder of BCT, said he plans to work with all available resources.
"There is no reason why we don't want to work with the Diversity Committee and other groups on campus," Bahalim said.
Bahalim said while there are many cultural clubs on campus, none deal specifically with limiting intolerance.
According to Bahalim, a primary goal of BCT will be to create co-existence programs for community advisers, orientation leaders and discussion groups.
Bahalim also said he plans to show movies dealing with issues of diversity. Bahalim said last semester's diversity issues propelled him to help create BCT, though he said there has always been intolerance during his Brandeis career.
"We want to promote dialogue on campus." Bahalim said. "Discussion is usually swept under the rug and people say there are no problems on campus. But the first step we need to take as a community is to realize these problems are pervasive."
Bahalim said that people should not feel unsafe because of their views and that one goal of his club is to help foster understanding between people with different views.
"This club is open to anyone who feels [like] targets because of their personal identity no matter how that identity is formed," Bahalim said.
