I am concerned with opinion columnist Maggie Lam’s arguments in “Fucking white boys” and “Speaking out.” I believe they work against creating an inclusive conversation.

I am a part of this campus. I am a white, lower-middle class citizen who attends this university with full financial aid without which I would never have been able to attend college because of my parents being unable to afford education. Yet, I find myself and my identity being constantly attacked and determined for me by my campus peers because of the color of my skin.

Lam’s generalizations about white people sound no different than what other students have also been fighting against. But the difference here is apparently this columnist is OK with allowing the stereotypes, generalizations and bigotry to continue for one race but will fight to the end to protect everyone else. That to me seems like exclusion of a population on our campus and creates a very unsafe place for me and others alike.

Lam must realize that the way to fix the issues our generation is fighting so much for is not by beginning to attack an entire race and deeming it acceptable, but by growing a mutual respect and understanding.

Jenna Maughan is a student at UC Berkeley.

Editor’s note: A column written by Daily Cal columnist Maggie Lam last week garnered a significant amount of criticism from some members of the UC Berkeley community. We are publishing some of the comments and critiques here to reflect these views. If you are interested in contributing to the dialogue, feel free to contact the opinion editor at [email protected] to inquire about submitting an op-ed or letter to the editor.