Fraga’s race is an issue

While the Jan. 19 editorial, “Reevaluating Fraga’s Departure,” recognizes the many skills of Professor Luis Fraga, its attempts to divorce his race from his value as a professor are misguided. W.E.B. DuBois wrote that “the problem of the 20th-century is the problem of the color line.” Yet this editorial is a perfect example of the fact that the problem of the 21st-century is the problem of the color-blind. The fact of the matter is race matters. Fraga’s race is inextricably linked to the great service he provided this university because of his ability to engage racial politics and serve as a role model for other Latino scholars. Given the embarrassingly low level of diversity in our faculty, it is crucial that the University look for new professors of color to help fill the void that Fraga left. Let us not confuse color-blindness with equality.

Brett Hammon

Junior, Political Science