MARSHA COHEN
Staff Writer
He came, he saw and he spoke. When Michael Dyson stepped foot on the Kings
Concert Hall stage, on Thursday, Sept. 26, he brought light to a very uncomfortable subject.
Dyson was the keynote speaker for SUNY Fredonia’s 2013 convocation, where he centered his speech around the theme of “Raising cultural awareness and building global relations.” Dyson is no stranger when it comes to speaking to a crowd full of millennials. Not only is he an ordained Baptist minister but he is currently a professor of sociology at Georgetown University and has written over 18 books in his career.
With the many different hats Dyson has acquired over the years, it was no surprise that his speech sounded like a mix of preacher and a stern father giving a lecture to his young children. His break down of discrimination as well as what defines a culture and its norms did not just touch upon race but spanned into territories such as sexual orientation and religion.
Dyson’s speech centered around the effect the majority has when it comes to defining what is normal, and its impact on how the minority will look upon themselves. The term “majority” was placed upon different groups within society and no group was off-limits during Dyson’s speech.
He criticized the pastors and church folk of today for condemning homo- sexuality while inferring that some of those very same people are guilty of the same sin. That was just the beginning of
Dyson’s speech, and he did not stop there. He continued to convict and expose discrimination.
Not only upfront discrimination, but subconscious as well. He even took it so far as to applause and criticize President Obama’s resident’s approach towards the issue of race in America, drawing upon the contrast of the speech the President made to Howard University graduates, and his slightly controversial comment on the verdict of the Trayvon Martin trial.
The speech President Obama made at Howard University was deemed dis- criminatory according to Dyson. He expressed his disappointment in the President’s comments of “work hard” and “don’t give up,” pointing out that even the leader of the free world suc- cumbs to making the minority feel even smaller, even though he himself is part of that minority.
Dyson did not bash Obama the entire time. During the question-and-answer session he stated that he has been a huge supporter of Obama for years. He commended him for his comment on the Trayvon Martin verdict, stating that when Obama took a stance for the minority it was done in a beautiful and eloquent manner.
Despite the serious nature of the talk, Dyson did not forget his sense of humor. Throughout his speech he made references to Drake’s new album and free-styled some of Snoop Dogg’s most famous lyrics. While the students soaked up the pop culture references, many left the speech with a new outlook towards the majority and minorities in today’s society.
“It was eye opening. Being the majority, it’s not something you think of everyday,” said Amanda Cocchiara, junior criminal justice and psychology major.
While she did express the realization to the harsh reality Dyson addressed, she felt he had a positive point.
“I like the fact that he pointed out that we have made progress and we have come a long way,” continued Cocchiara.A group of students from the honors program got the opportunity to meet with Dyson on a less intimidating level and got a glimpse of what he really wants to see from this generation.
“He is very down to earth and charismatic. He is very relatable; for some- one his age to be able to connect with student’s our age is very rare and makes it all the better,” said Antonio Regulier, a junior social work and English major.
Regulier, a native of Haiti, was able to find relatable ground with Dyson when it came to the topic of racial inferiority.
“When he spoke about how his kindergarten teacher made him feel accepted at a time where he felt vulnerable, really hit home for me. Being a minority, you are susceptible to inferiority, and you are questioned in terms of your intellectuality and integrity,” said Regulier.