Recently I read an article in The Daily Aztec entitled “Paint the Death Star Black” (Daily Aztec, Feb. 13, 1997). Tell me if I’m wrong, but this article really irritated me. Addressing racism is one thing, but if you are going to do this publicly at least make sure you know what the hell you’re talking about.

After reading “Paint the Death Star Black,” it was obvious to me that the author, Lisa McDuffy, hasn’t even a clue. The subject of few or not enough black actors in science-fiction movies is well known and often discussed, but twisting one of the greatest films of all time into the work of a racist jerk is going way too far.

Lisa McDuffy complains that the color symbolisms of the “Star Wars” movies are prejudiced toward African-Americans; the dark side of the Force is the bad one, Darth Vader is dressed in all black and so on. If this is true, then why is it that in “Return of the Jedi,” Luke Skywalker wears all black and he is the epitome of truth, justice and good?

Also in the article was the quote, “I couldn’t figure out how a planet with more African-Americans and Asians than Europeans did not have rebels in space.”

Well, Lisa, the answer to this is very simple. The planets mentioned in the trilogy are Tatooine, Hoth, Dagobah, Alderaan, Yavin 4, Datooine and a moon named Endor. Earth was never mentioned once. Do you know why this is? It’s because it takes place IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY! You don’t know how many African-Americans, Asians, Europeans or Australians are on these planets because they are in another part of the universe! Maybe the next galaxy over is all black or all American Indian (that would make me happy) and someday you can make a movie about them. But the “Star Wars” trilogy is George Lucas’ story and is meant to be seen the way he wrote it.

Do you think the cast of the new “Star Wars” prequels will be changed to fit more black people because of “Paint the Death Star Black”? If they are, then I am going to write an article about how I shouldn’t have to pay for a permit to park my car on the land that the white man took from my people in the 1500s.

It would be pointless to write an article like that, and it is pointless to write an article like “Paint the Death Star Black.” All it accomplishes is racial tension that doesn’t need to be there. All I’m trying to say is if you are going to write an article this negative, it should have a purpose other than to express your displeasure over a movie made in the late ’70s. Deal with it, and may the Force be with you.

Dave Stafford

graphic design sophomore

In response to the article titled “Paint the Death Star Black” (Daily Aztec, Feb. 13, 1997), I have a few thoughts worth mentioning. “Star Wars” films, as with other movies, are held sacred to many of us since our childhood. When the trilogy was originally released, most of us were young children, too young to fully understand any deeper social messages that may have been present but did not exist within the story line.

I must first deny your suggestion that “Star Wars” was the “futuristic plot of white people.” The very first words of the movie are “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.” Do the children of the late ’70s remember that line? It seems your statement implies that the setting was intended to take place in the future. No social change will be evoked from this kind of absurdity.

There is definitely a connection between the Nazi Brown Shirts and the Storm Troopers of George Lucas. Perhaps this connection was deliberately made so the Storm Troopers would seem evil and scary. When I was a little 6-year-old, Storm Troopers and Darth Vader certainly seemed scary. However, I doubt the imperial uniforms had anything to do with “white colonialism.”

George Lucas did wonders for the imagination of so many people with his brilliant trilogy which has stood the test of time. Try picking on something your own size, like a daytime talk show with white trailer-trash racists. You can dig all you want into childhood innocence in search of subliminal messages of racial hatred, but you’ll need a very big shovel first.

Sean Yunt

business sophomore