<p>Really ucsd<em>ucla</em>dad, how different was the response from the government when the WTC went down compared to Katrina? The first authorities on the scene after Katrina hit were the Canadian Mounties. </p>
<p>I'm not saying our government's lack of response during Katrina was due to racism. I'm saying racism caused a large group of people to be stuck in generational poverty.</p>
<p>When did you break the cycle of generational poverty in your family? Are you a minority? Do you have a history of slavery in your family? Was your great grandmother raped by her master? Was your family torn apart and sold at auction? I happen to know people whose families experienced such things.</p>
<p>Sorry, but your boot strap argument doesn't work or they'd be handing them out at the financial aid office. I noticed you're from California...shouldn't you know better?</p>
<p>Back to the OP, maybe some good students were just sick and tired of searching for scholarships only to find that most of them were only available to URMs, and that they were in fact being discriminated against because of the color of their skin. Two wrongs don't make a right.</p>
<p>Um, IKF, you can search scholarships based on merit... These kids probably became jealous cause they didn't qualify for the race-based... So, they're jealous and they're ignorant. BU must be so proud??? :sad:</p>
<p>"Two wrongs don't make a right?" Please tell me how the white community is being discriminated against? Cause they aren't a minority and they weren't enslaved? Is that really your argument?</p>
<p>Again, race-based scholarships are designed to break the cycle of generational poverty caused by racism. Got any suggestions on how to go about breaking the cycle?</p>
<p>There are several groups that have been enslaved. Should we offer scholarships to these groups (think "ten commandments" movie) just because they've been enslaved? I dont get your point, Indiana Jones. I, personally, am not a big fan of entitlements.</p>
<p>The implication is that certain groups should be entitled to scholarships "just because..."<br>
Lots of people were enslaved, put in concentration camps and otherwise mistreated in previous generations. I fail to understand how that relates to current issues.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Please tell me how the white community is being discriminated against?
[/quote]
White students are being excluded from merit scholarship consideration based on the color of their skin. That is discrimination. When we looked for potential scholarships at schools my son was considering, just about all of them sought good academics, community service, etc, AND the correct skin color. How can that not be discrimination?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Got any suggestions on how to go about breaking the cycle?
[/quote]
Yes, I do. At the risk of agreeing with Bill Cosby, I believe the answer begins with strong families. Entitlements won't help that. Many families, mine included, came to this country with less than nothing. Lots of those families banded together, worked hard and sacrificed so that the next generation would be better off. Observe recent immigrant families. Family and work ethic. That's the answer.</p>
<p>IJ-
Please do not tell me what I do and do not know. I was giving an example of one population by making reference to a movie. I am quite familiar with entitlement programs.</p>
<p>lkf725 said it perfectly. I fully agree with their above post.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I'm saying racism caused a large group of people to be stuck in generational poverty.
[/quote]
I don't disagree with this. The question though is how to break it. Clearly entitlement programs don't break it - that's been proven. They only enable the poverty to continue for generations. Repeated focus by 'leaders' on the past and how the group is being oppressed and has no way out only serves to shackle them further. Wallowing in thoughts of one's great-grandmother's experiences aren't likely to help that individual move on themselves. I have no idea of my GGmother's past but most likely she was a dirt poor Irish woman whose descendants immigrated to this country without a dime in their pocket (and I'm not equating this to the slave situation). It's really irrelevant and of no value to me, other than curiosity, to dwell on her situation or even the situation of my parents. I'm my own person making my own way. I was the first in my family to graduate college and I paid for that 100% on my own through loans and working 40 hrs/wk while attending college.</p>
<p>Rather than dwelling on the past, what are your suggestions to actually break the generational poverty? Don't you think that a little espousing of the 'bootstrap' method couldn't hurt? Might it not inspire some to break themselves out of the rut? I know it's happened for many, why not encourage it to happen for more? </p>
<p>The walking in shoes comment applies to everyone. I'm not sure what you meant by the California comment.</p>
<p>Look at it this way, race-based scholarships acknowledge the sins of the past, while building a future by helping break the stranglehold of generational poverty. </p>
<p>When/if they get there, it's not like these kids are handed their degrees. Don't know any school that does that... Although, considering the College Republicans aren't too bright, perhaps Boston University??? At $33K a year, could be a bit of papermill going on up there, if ya know what I mean.</p>
<p>There are plenty of merit-based scholarships these College Republicans can try to attain.</p>
<p>I think usd_ucladad makes very good points. How long will restitution for past bad acts be expected? Here? in Nazi Germany? In Hiroshima? No one is doubting or denying that bad things happened in the past. It just seems that the old adage "give the man a fish, he eats for a day; teach the man to fish, he eats for a lifetime" is a better way for our current generation to succeed. </p>
<p>By the way, this statement
[quote]
There are plenty of merit-based scholarships these College Republicans can try to attain
[/quote]
and this statement
[quote]
Although, considering the College Republicans aren't too bright
[/quote]
don't seem to make too much sense together. So the Republicans are bright and can get metit $$ that other students might not qualify for, or are they stupid?</p>
<p>Jym, this isn't about "teaching a man to fish." That analogy doesn't apply when dealing with racism. You're assuming that there is a level playing field. This is about how racism is ingrained in our society, and how generational poverty still exists today. </p>
<p>Most white people don't realize the advantage they have over minorities. So, they think it's ok to dismantle systems put in place to help even the playing field. </p>
<p>Perhaps when you can tell me that racism ceases to exist in our society then we can dismantle these systems??? When you can tell me that an African-American, or a woman, or any minority can get any job that a white person can get, then perhaps race will no longer give one group an advantage over another.</p>
<p>Um, to clarify your questions about my points... the College Republicans aren't too bright if they don't understand why race-based scholarships still exist. They have the opportunity to compete for merit-based scholarships, but if they're not too bright to begin with, then they probably aren't gonna be too successful. IMO, this is why they're motivated to dismantle such systems as race-based scholarships... (Perhaps they shoulda spent less time/money on their Xbox 360s?)</p>
<p>The College Republican's argument is flawed. There are "need-based" scholarship programs at most schools that award scholarships based solely on poverty alone. They target people at or below the poverty level. BU offers the "BU Grant" and the "Gilbert Grant," UVa offers "Access UVa," UNC offers the "Carolina Covenant"...etc. </p>
<p>If BU is too expensive for them, then perhaps they shoulda gone to a state school?</p>
<p>From Boston University's Daily Free Press, December 8:</p>
<p>The Boston University College Republicans have named Nicholas Doucette the winner of the "Caucasian Achievement and Recognition Scholarship," a satirical award meant to draw attention to what the group calls the "absurdity of race-based scholarships."</p>
<p>The BUCR scholarship drew national attention before the Thanksgiving break as critics called the stunt "racist" and the state GOP sought to distance itself from the BUCR effort.</p>
<p>College of Engineering sophomore Doucette, who was one of only eight applicants, is not a member of BUCR but supports the group's opposition to minority scholarships. He said he believes certain topics, including racial profiling and racial discussions, are sensitive subjects.</p>