The NAACP served its purpose for its time(much like Unions). It should no longer be used as a pretense for admissions to schools for "diversity". The people that once supported these programs, are now being prejudiced against for their ethnicicity, just seems wrong to me somehow.The USA has accepted and modified to so many different cultural/ethnic diversities,for acceptance into the American way of life, that it now cripples the average "white/caucasian".THESE are my THOUGHTS, and I am not racist or prejudice against things or people.and not intended to offend anyone in anyway or any harm. My philosophy of life is this: "God helps those who help themselves............"
Christine,
37
Syracuse, NY USA
I'm all in favor of affirmative action and I hope that the University of Michigan Law School is successful in their case before the Supreme Court.
Laura,
37
Lowell, MA USA
I believe it DOES happen, HAS been happening for years, that it needs to be looked into way more closely, and that it plainly sucks.
Fisch,
47
Preston, CT USA
I don't like anything based on race. I think blacks are just as capable as anyone else. They really don't need preferential treatment. We now have laws against discrimination. No one should be denied admittance because of race, nor should they be admitted because of it. And don't tell me about the disadvantaged kids in inner cities. Plenty of them have made it out by working hard. Also, what about disadvantaged white kids? Shouldn't they have the same opportunities? In the Michigan system, they wouldn't get the 20 extra points. Is that fair? I think everything should be based on merit.
Judy,
62
Easton, KS USA
While I think we should promote an agenda of equality, we should be very aware that all folks are not born into equal situations and that the duty of any great society is to address these inequalities so that greater equality amongst our citizens can be achieved. We are very far from equalizing racial injustices of all sorts, despite many advances we are far from racial equality.
Also, there are
many factors other than race that go into deciding who gets extra points
in such college selections. I myself got extra points in getting into
a pretty elite private university. These points were for coming from a
small rural town and from a family with modest (if not poor) economic
means. Is it fair that some of my collegemates got points because their
parents went to this insitution and that some of them were star athletes
on their way to being pros? If these are also admission policies, why
is it we as a society are so focussed on race? I think it has far more
to do with racism than some unfair advantage in college admissions. I,
personally benefited from going to a university that made some attempt
to bring more than just a bunch of rich, white kids from Long Island and
New England into its ranks. I encountered ideas and thoughts related to
race, gender, class and international issues because my fellow students
brought these to the college learning environment from their own personal
experiences. My world view is the better for it. I am the better for it.
Seems to me that those who feel there are injustices would be better to
place their blame and scrutiny on the weathly elite who control so many
of our institutions of power. Personally, I rather
spend my energies debating if it is fair that those with the most money
or access to it, get to control our political system. I would also consider
why is the political rhetoric getting us to focus on these devisive issues.
Whose agenda is being served here?
Felicia,
36
Lowell, MA USA
I believe that
race should be a minor factor in admission to undergraduate colleges for
the sake of diversity, just as coming from Wyoming could give a student
an edge at an Eastern school. When it comes to graduate and professional
program admission, I am opposed to race as a criterion by
itself. I do think that mitigating factors, such as working one's way
through college, and perhaps not having the highest GPA as a result, should
be taken into account. That should, however, be based on the individual
situation, not the color of the student's skin.
Jane,
63
West Linn, OR USA
I think it's wrong -- Applicants should be approved based on academic scores alone.
Melodi,
19
Gahanna, OH USA
I think everybody should be treated equally.
Ashley,
20
Jacksonville, FL USA
I got a letter from American University in D.C. offering a free plane ticket, an internship, free room and board, and an allowance for the whole summer just for having a tiny bit of Cherokee blood in my veins. I'm American and most of my blood is Irish. I don't know anything about being a native american in the tribal sense. Of course, I'd have taken the offer if I didn't think I'd get my ass beat by the real ethnic natives. That and college isn't worth my time. I've got a library card, y'know? I can check out any of those college books if I need too and I don't have to be
A-Dog,
19
McMinneville, OR USA
I'm not really
sure. I like to think we are all equal and everyone should have an equal
chance at
everything... but, of course, the world still doesn't work that way. I
can't say I really understand the
whole premise. Easier entry into college for certain races? Doesn't that
create it's own form of
discrimination? Isn't this what we are trying to abolish? Well, in cases
like this, I will let the
powers that be decide and keep my mouth shut.
Doug2,
30
Kansas City, KS USA
I'm all about EQUAL opportunity--as in, people get the same opportunities to begin with and then choose not to check the little race-based boxes on applications, so everything is based on performance and choices rather than on things people can't help or change.
Karen,
23
Ames, IA USA
I dont think it is a good idea.....how does more discrimintation end discrimination?
Cara,
18
Valparasio, IN USA
It's definitely racism. You can throw whatever stats you want around it but all you're doing is trying to justify racism.
Alias Irrelevante
There are so many factors that go into college admissions. I do not believe in quotas. I kind of like what Bush did in Texas which was to give automatic admission to the top 10 percent of any public school into a public university. That way innercity schools would be on equal footing to schools in more affluent areas or rural areas, etc. Somehow that seems more fair. We spend so much time trying to make things equal that we forget merit.
Cindy,
41
VA USA
I think admissions should be based on grades and achievements, not an individual's race. Everyone of every race has the same potential to make good grades if they set their minds to it.
Tam
I vacillate between One Standard For All and the obvious virtues of diversity.
Jill,
61
Saylorsburg, PA USA
I think it doesn't matter what race you are. Everyone is should be allowed to enter a college it should be based on other things not your race.
Hoochie
I
don't think it's fair. Just because you are a certain race doesn't mean
you should get special privlages. You should have a tough a time as anyone
getting into a school which is based on grades and achievements. I've
seen where school will allow a set of students to get in. For example,
if a school needed 10 african american students to attend, they are letting
those students in based on their color not their grades. So does that
mean another race would not be allowed in just because of the color of
their skin even tho their grades are 10x's better? What if there was one
spot left? Would they take the african american with the B's or the Hispanic
with straight A's?
I thought we were suppose to stop being racist. Sounds racist to me
Stephanie,
25
TX USA
I
think that it's degrading to those peoples. But then again, I also think
that it's at least getting these people into schools where racism could
have worked to block them previously. I think that in the media there
has been a large anti-affirmative action propaganda campaign. Look at
all of the
school and jobs that women would not be in right now if there wasn't affirmative
action!
Keri-Jade,
23
Brampton, Ontario CANADA