Affirmative action?

Question

Hello Im new to the states..from England. I came to America to go to university and I have to say I do love this country but some programs you have confuse me. Mainly I dont get your "affirmative action" program. I came here with about 300 pounds (600 dollars american) and the clothes on my back. I have applied to numerous scholarships and havent received any despite being financially needy and having excelent marks. Friends have said you need to be a minority to get scholarships and I thought great Im british i am a minority, but apparently in the states to be a minority you have to be a person of color? These programs are said to strive for diversity but how does a university in lets say Chicago gain diversity by giving awards to black kids who live two block away from the campus when I am from another country, yet my skin is white so I add no diversity?

Sorry for the length of this question but someone needs to help me understand this.

Answer 1

helo i am a african amarican  medicil student and i agree with da affermitive acshon stratagy! i got eccepted int o medicil scewl and will start my ferst job toomorro. i got a 1.7 graid point avrage but i maniged to git in da scool. i was disadvantagd my whole liffe(200 years ago) and  now it is paiying offf. thank u affermitive actshin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 2

Appreciate the question - I think at least one of the current responses has sort of gotten the handle of things:

- That the original goal was to "even the playing field" by compensating for historical inequalities.

- That in recent times there has been some question as to the fairness of various programs in light of questionable quota practices.

Particularly in education, the idea has generally gone that high visibility social issues like violent crime and drug use (and the evolution of the contemporary ghetto) are invariably a function of economics, and not race.  This is complicated by the fact that, at least in America, race and economics are inextricably linked.

Your frustration is understandable; there is no form or application that will earn you any points for being white, even if, as you say, you are technically a "minority.  For what it's worth, there has been some talk about adjusting existing affirmative action practices to be aligned economically instead of racially, which is probably how it should have worked from the start.  Unfortunately, it's unlikely you'll see the benefits from that type of program anytime soon.  In the meantime, I would recommend you keep at your current approach - there is money out there to be had, regardless of race.  If you haven't already, you should check out sites like fastweb.com and others, that offer a wide search for scholorships that might apply to your specific situation.

In any case, best of luck with your search - there are certainly complicated policies here in the states, especially pertaining to race, and it's unfortunate that you've become something of a victim of one of the more contentious ones, but the general ideal for the country still holds true: if you have a specific, realistic goal, and are willing to work hard enough for it, you can make it happen.

In the inimitable words of Captain Planet: "The power is yours!"  ...umm...this last is just a joke, but run with it.

Answer 3

Ah, that goes way back in history.  Basically, for many years laws were made that kept minorities, especially African Americans, down.  The Jim Crow laws were the main example of this.  

People started looking at minorities living in ghettos and doing drugs and getting into gang wars and said, "You know...if these folks got first grabs at jobs and at college, they would start succeeding and this would trickle down to their children and society would be a better place."  It was meant to give minorities equal opportunities (i.e. if a white man and a black man competed for a job and they were both equally qualified, the job had to go to the black man).  

The only trouble is this turned into a system of quotas.  The same affluent minorities who would've gotten jobs or gone to college anyway just got free rides or got into better colleges.  Many felt that they had to work harder and do more, lest others think they were just there because of their color.  Others were accepted to colleges or jobs, then found they were incapable of doing the work.  

I have heard your argument before.  One of my closest friends in college (a white woman) came from a family where the father had deserted them, her mother worked in a prison, and her three siblings had severe learning disabilities.  She had no money and always thought affirmative action should be based on poverty, not on color.  

So, to answer your question, affirmative action is only geared to help people of color. As a white person, even one from another country, it is assumed that you haven't faced discrimination and will be able to make your way on your own.

Answer 4

affirmative action leveled the playing field for minority students in the 60s, 70s,and 80s. the concept is outdated now because all people have the potential to succed based on your work ethic not your color. The problem is most american politicians would rather dive head first onto a thumb tack than stand up to the minority vote.namely the latino vote. thats why they keep pouring across the border by the thousands and no one does anything about it. even though they lower the level of living,bankrupt our hospitals and schools. fill our jails and prisions costing billions in taxes. pepetuate dangerous steet gangs who prey on the weak and the law abiding alike. the politicians look the other way so as to not attract the wrath of the ACLU or the mexican american legal defense fund. too bad your not black because there is the united ***** college fund who will pay for your tuition. its very unpopular being white in this country these days. im sure some one a little darker than me will try to attack my point of view and dismiss me as a racist. thats the easy way out. good luck England. p.s. america also has a problem with sensorship which is why yahoo redacted the legitamate name of a registered organization. the word begins with "n' has an "e" and a "g" an "r" and an "o' in it. its yet another example of the climate of fear poeple have about free speech and speaking out against a minority group