<p>"wanted to change the system but felt trapped. This is why I find it hard to accept the arguments that this is just the outcome of a rational process"</p>
<p>rational process is in the eye of the beholder. At the time, in germany it was a rational process to send jews to concentration camps. In America, it was a rational process to send Japanese to internment camps. In America or at least in some parts of America it was rational to deny voting rights to people of a certain skin color. </p>
<p>rational process is a personal opinion, nothing more. At this point in time, your opinion is in the minority. Will it ever be the majority? NO. because you have centuries of history working against you. All societies value their atheletes above others. Allso there are talented student atheletes that resent your point. Not that they wouldn't qualify anyway on their educational/talent merits, but that they can qualify in other ways than you. The student athelete is a mulitdemenisonal individual.</p>