I'm "African American"

[chri'stina 190]

it is when you're taking government aid programs & quotas.

Which govt aid programs do you mean? What about the one I mentioned? It's based on income only, not race.

Christina - did you receive Pell Grants, scholarships, or a combo?

My friend works in the financial aid dept at my uni as part of her work study. There are soooooooooooooo many scholarships. She sees them all when the info comes in so she applies for all the ones she is a candidate for. Last semester she ended up getting quite a bit more than her tuition, so it was able to cover all her living expenses as well.

Just Pell grants. I didn't apply for any scholarships. I should have, but didn't. I used income based aid. I did end up with a little left over after paying for my books too(it covered that as well). I also qualified for the Stafford student loans which I used some of(although I regret taking any loan money).

I'm the first in my immediate family that graduated college, though my parents both took some college but never completed it. I don't believe any of my grandparents went to college and most didn't even finish high school(something I didn't know until a couple years ago).

[Ali G. 37]

Sorry BY, but that's the same thing. I do not know what the answers are, but clearly there is a problem. No one 'wants' to live their life just hanging out on street corners - although I am not quite sure what is so wrong with having 2 kids by 21.

Resources that are poorly targeted get poor results. As I already said, I think these programs need a rethink because obviously in some areas the problems are still as great as they always were they are just expressing themselves in different ways.

I am not saying I have the answer either. Nor am I saying this has anything to do with race. However, it does have a problem with the culture that is plaguing these ghettos. Um there is a big problem when these kids grow up in single parent households, furthermore, rely on state and federal funding.

As the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink it.

[Jenn! 918]

Which govt aid programs do you mean? What about the one I mentioned? It's based on income only, not race.

He's objecting to the nonexistence of aid programs specifically targeting white people, just based on the fact they are white.

[_Simpson_ 250]

I went to college on 100% financial aid(free), and I am a white gal. My family didn't make much $ so I qualified. It's open to anyone who qualifies. Stop whining, whities. You can go to college for free too if you are poor.

The key word here is poor, it had nothing to do with you being white and poor black people would receive the same help. That my friend is not how affirmative action works and that is what people take issue with.

[LaL 418]

Life just isn't fair.

[Jenn! 918]

thats the point. 'the scale' is unfairly balanced to benefit people based on the color of their skin.

Yes it is, I believe the scale is still heavily tipped to favor whites, unless, that is, if you ignore the historical context. Which is exactly what everyone is debating. If you don't accept that blacks are still at a disadvantage as a result of decades of systemic discrimination, then you will not agree with affirmative action.

[Amby 490]

I'm the first in my immediate family that graduated college, though my parents both took some college but never completed it. I don't believe any of my grandparents went to college and most didn't even finish high school(something I didn't know until a couple years ago).

Congrats on being the first!

My great grandfather didn't finish high school, but ended up being very successful with land development and construction. The paper wrote a big thing about him when he died and my great grandma didn't want them to publish it at first because she didn't want "young kids" to think they could drop out of school and do the same thing.

[Ali G. 37]

This is what it comes down to.

Affirmative Action should apply to those of any skin color or race that are disadvantaged and be means tested.

For a country to be truly equal, no one should ever be treated at an advantage over anyone else just because of their skin color or demographic status (E.G being a minority).

[_Simpson_ 250]

You can't balance a scale by adding an equal amount to both sides.

You cant balance a scale by putting rocks instead of rice on it to get the desired result. Affirmative action gives you false results, you may meet the required percentage but often you dont see the required qualification.

[Peikko 1,575]

There are other people in society that have walls to climb but are not as qualified in the eyes of affirmative action. The biggest problem with affirmative action is that it decides according to color or race. Its fair to say that if color or race wasn't the criteria that because of our history towards blacks that there would still be a disproportionate amount of blacks receiving the help they need.

I am not going around in circles with you Simpson. Blacks were awarded affirmative action because they were discriminated against simply and solely because they were black.

[SMOKE 1,426]

Life just isn't fair.

so why do we need affirative action?

[Tahoma 2,298]

Of course, unlike your extensive experience up in Washington state, with 4% (aka almost zero) being of black decent. At least 56% of folks in the DC are African American, which means my experience will be a hell of a lot different to that of folks with 4%.

What do these statistics have to do with how many Blacks you know? My guess is that you don't know any of the 56%.

[Jenn! 918]

You cant balance a scale by putting rocks instead of rice on it to get the desired result. Affirmative action gives you false results, you may meet the required percentage but often you dont see the required qualification.

Which is why personally I believe in affirmative action when it comes to education, but not to the workforce.

[LaL 418]

so why do we need affirative action?

obviously to make life not fair for pink men!

[SMOKE 1,426]

obviously to make life not fair for pink men!

don't forget the pink girls too.