Offensive article in last issue of The Gargoyle

Letter to the Editor

By Annie Schneiderman

I was surprised to notice that after the revision to the paper, Eric Waldron’s article remained unchanged.

Although his headline states “Even abroad, life is always full of quirks,” he relied on hurtful, ignorant stereotypes and clichés instead of saying anything quirky or positive about other cultures.

The statement that stands out most strongly is: “Being a … good looking white kid in an Asian country is … like being a fat girl at last call in a gay bar— you can feel all alone and judged.”

This comment is completely unfounded, and does not improve Waldron’s credibility as a writer. Rather, his many jabs and references to popular culture serve to show how ethnocentric he can be.

He clearly can’t embrace the possibility of diversity in cultures, as is seen in the article’s closing lines: “I can’t say that it has made me into a better person. I just have a lot of stamps in my passport.”

I found the majority of his article offensive and narrow-minded. If it was intended as a joke, it certainly wasn’t funny.

I’d like for Waldron to apologize for his comments, and realize that not everyone shares his opinion of foreign cultures.