Student not 'black' enough to be African-American

Or you could just call them minority scholarships and all is solved. This kid goes home happy and there is no more discussion. (waits for someone to question who qualifies as a minority)

In responce to RedDragon:

From my mom's side.

My Great Grandfather was a Chippewa.

He married a French Canadian woman.

My Grandmother, his daughter, married an Irish guy, my grandfather.

My mother, their daughter, married my dad, another Irish guy.

Then there's me.

From my dad's side.

My Great Grandfather was an Iroquois.

He married an Irish woman.

My grandfather, their son, married an Irish woman, my grandmother (who also happens to be part Chippewa, but it goes up past great relatives for her).

My father married my mom.

Then there is me.

Both of my parents, were able to get some form of aide for college, although neither of them went to college. Actually, both did, but my father never graduated from his 4 year University. My mother for her AA years late when I was a kid.

Originally posted by smokenmirrors
Face it, the message here is, that if you want to claim to be "African American" you HAVE TO BE BLACK.

How racist is that?

Actually the message is "to win that particular award, you must be black."

From the Article:

Ironically, the first two recipients of the student award were white.

"It was not intended at the beginning to be one race only," Clidie Cook, who helps organize the annual event, told the World-Herald.

But Westside officials pushed to change that, feeling the spirit of the honor meant giving it to a black student, and by 2001, the ministerial alliance in charge specified it was for blacks only.

In reality, it just shows that some people think that equal rights should be special rights. This desire for special rights creates a self imposed separation in society. The very thing people seek to eliminate is nurtured and given life. It creates reverse discrimination while maintaining the original discrimination. Hypocracy at its best.

Martin Luther King Jr would likely be appalled that an award given on a day to honor him was for "blacks only".

The spirit of an award given on Martin Luther King Jr day, should be awarded in the same spirit contained in this speech.

He spoke of equality. He spoke about the elimination of segregation. He spoke of opportunity to all of God's children. He spoke of a nation where people are not judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

The way this award is awarded is against everything he spoke.
"Whites need not apply." is equally as appalling as "Blacks need not apply."



In the late 80's I attended a meeting of the "black heritage club" that was sponsored by the high school I attended. The conversation with the person in charge went something like:

"What are you doing here?"
"I want to learn about black heritage."
"But you're not black."
On my way out the door I said "I guess this drinking fountain is only for blacks."

My parting words apparently had some effect as I later received an apology and an invitation to return. However, by then the damage had been done. See, my motivation for attending the meeting was not purely for educational purposes. I wanted to spend more time with a girl that was a member of the club. That I could learn about her heritage, something I freely admit was lacking, was more of a secondary consideration. My treatment created a conflict in my relationship. She didn't understand why I was so upset. The relationship didn't survive.

But my encounter did leave me with a clear understanding of what "Equal rights" should be. Equal rights should be rights available to all equally.

Division only creates prejudice. Prejudice can only be overcome by education.

People are people.
Americans are Americans.

I have a friend that is from South Africa. Born there, and now lives here with a green card. He has an African passport, and is very much a white guy. Is he African American? Yes. We always get a laugh when I call him that.

Okay, so I went to one of those geneology sites, and found after much research that I have an Indian Chief in my ancestry from the 1700s. Probably 1/16 American Indian am I.

Woo woo woo! It is time for me to exercise my Native American rights and open up a casino! That way I can help my tribe, and make a new start! God bless America!

(The Lone Ranger and Tonto were riding along, and suddenly they were surrounded by "Indians," when the Lone Ranger asked "what do we do Tonto?" Whaddaya mean "We," Kimosabe? Woo woo woo!)

The humorless among us can ignore everything above but the casino stuff, okay?

I still get teary eyes every time I hear one of his speechs. They are incredible.

U2 sure had it right when they did that song about him.

When will we have someone who can energize the people to better themselves again in the fasion of love as King did?

Sorry about going off topic.

... is still racism, and that's what little vignettes like this one point out.

Disruptive? Certainly. Whenever sanctimony, hypocrisy and absurdity on the part of officialdom are pointed out, it is necessarily disruptive.

It is also necessary to do so, lest sanctimony and absurdity on the part of officialdom go unchecked.

Regardless of the euphemism, whether "political correctness", "reverse discrimination" or "affirmative action", racism is still nothing more than racism, plain and simple.

And all forms of racism, regardless of their justifications or disguises, are ugly.

Labels, pigeon holes whatever. A short cut to thinking definaltely. Get to know someone instead. Use their name as a label - it's a positive start.

A council near where I live banned the terms 'black coffee' and 'black board'. When in class I am meant to say chalkboard instead and ask for a coffee without milk.

Do I? What do you think....