<p>I am white and i 100% support Affirmative Action. Screw Prop 209! We want equality.</p>
<p>If Affirmative Action were based on money instead of race, would the effects be similar? This is meant as a statistical question; would affirmatively admitting (by some reasonable formula) the economically disadvantaged result in a racial profile similar to the overall state's? Does someone have the numbers? Would Connerly say it's a back-door ruse to admit more non-whites? Thanks.</p>
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If Affirmative Action were based on money instead of race, would the effects be similar? This is meant as a statistical question; would affirmatively admitting (by some reasonable formula) the economically disadvantaged result in a racial profile similar to the overall state's? Does someone have the numbers? Would Connerly say it's a back-door ruse to admit more non-whites? Thanks.
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<p>I don't have the numbers, but there is past evidence to suggest that economic-based affirmative action would not help URMs the most. It would help Asian-Americans the most. </p>
<p>After the passing of 209 and the subsequent institution of economic-affirmative action, URM numbers rose a bit, but Asian-American numbers skyrocketed. The situation continues to this day, although enrollment has increased and there are certainly more URMs today than there were a decade ago.</p>
<p>I'm coming from a completely different viewpoint. I came to berkeley OOS and so I was the only one from my high school. did I perceive any "social disadvantage"? No! There are so many people at berkeley that it doesn't matter if you don't know anyone coming in - you can find friends in many different ways.</p>
<p>"African-Americans students are friend-starved by default"
I haven't encountered one case of this. You're making it seem like different races just can't be friends with each other, which is just ridiculous.</p>
<p>To say that African Americans take African American studies just so that they can make friends has no basis. Someone who is African American would obviously have some interest in African American studies. And yes, it would then be logical for them to think that there are going to be many other African Americans in that class. But at the same time, due to the fact that most of the people in that class will have that similar interest in African American studies, they will likely make friends with various people from that class (of any race).</p>
<p>People like to associate with other people of similar interests and backgrounds/cultures. But that doesn't mean they aren't go to make friends with people who are different from them. When I did that bear territory thing, I found it to be more of a nice debate type of program (or at least that's the part I remember). being told about the greatness of diversity isn't going to do much.</p>
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I haven't encountered one case of this. You're making it seem like different races just can't be friends with each other, which is just ridiculous.
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<p>Well I don't think I implied that at all. </p>
<p>But what's really important is to acknowledge that students who share interests TEND to like being friends with students who also share their interests. I firmly believe that African-Americans at Berkeley do not usually have the same interests as their white and asian peers and that will make it hard for African-Americans to mix with non-African-Americans. </p>
<p>I mean, say you're a working class African-American male who has come to Berkeley on a basketball scholarship and are majoring in African-American studies. Are you going to have much to talk about with your roommate if he's an upper-middle class Asian-American male who doesn't know anything about sports, is great at math, plays Counter Strike for hours on end, and is majoring in EECS? Probably not. </p>
<p>Now, I'm not trying to create a negative stereotype. But the reality of the situation is that that^^^ kind of Asian-American male personality outnumbers that^^^ kind of African-American male personality at Berkeley. </p>
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People like to associate with other people of similar interests and backgrounds/cultures. But that doesn't mean they aren't go to make friends with people who are different from them. When I did that bear territory thing, I found it to be more of a nice debate type of program (or at least that's the part I remember). being told about the greatness of diversity isn't going to do much.
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<p>Yes, Bear Territory can foster very diverse experiences. Maybe it's not the best, but I can't think of a better fortmat. These issues have to be addressed.</p>
<p>Yikes how did this thread turn into a debate about affirmative action? :(</p>
<p>I know. Finally, one thread to show some school spirit and it turns into a debate on AA.</p>
<p>haha,sorry, GO BEARS!</p>
<p>Go Bears, and CalSO too!</p>