I'm "African American"

[FortLaudy 10]

You do know there are scholarships specifically for Jewish applicants? Why single out scholarships for Black minorities?

I'm only half Jew, and not the good part. see my dad is a Jew, not my mom, that disqualifies me yet again

Still, I don't really care. I pay my own way. It's just an interesting observation really. The Jews have a lot to complain about and refer to if they were to want to make up excuses for being useless, yet they don't. Indian South Africans neither.

[Fandango 1,440]

No, I don't. When someone tries to do something but no one will allow them to, how are they supposed to accomplish it? Isn't is possible that these programs were designed to force society into allowing African Americans to do what they needed to do to make their lives better? Let's not forget they weren't allowed in universities at one time - even though they wanted an education. They weren't allowed to enter certain business - even though they might want to buy something there or find a job. These days it's not as hard, I agree. But 50 years ago it was a very different story- and that is not a very long time ago.

In 2010, who is not allowing anyone to accomplish whatever they want? Seriously, I'm really interested.

As I said before, I'm aware of the past, but it has no relevance in today's world, imo. And I do think the general opinion of 'blacks need these programs or else they cannot compete with whites' is inherently racist, and actually does more harm than good.

[FortLaudy 10]

In 2010, who is not allowing anyone to accomplish whatever they want? Seriously, I'm really interested.

As I said before, I'm aware of the past, but it has no relevance in today's world, imo. And I do think the general opinion of 'blacks need these programs or else they cannot compete with whites' is inherently racist, and actually does more harm than good.[/b]

Some people will Never get that, I'm glad you do Sister

[SMOKE 1,426]

you white people. sheesh.

[chri'stina 190]

The past shows us why we are where we are. So it does have relevance. I don't think things are so hard in 2010 for people to accomplish what they want to. I do think programs like affirmative action need to be rethought. But I don't question the original reason they existed.

[FortLaudy 10]

you white people. sheesh.

Racist !

[Ban Hammer 14,810]

you white people. sheesh.

[FortLaudy 10]

Indian South Africans run the east coast of South Africa, they own majority of businesses there and are pretty affluent, all descendants of slaves and terribly discriminated against, anyone up for a long read, this is pretty interesting:

Apartheid

Discriminated against by apartheid legislation, such as the Group Areas Act, applied in 1950, Indians were forcibly moved into Indian townships, and had their movements restricted. They were not allowed to reside in the Orange Free State, and needed special permission to enter that province. They were also, as a matter of state policy, given an inferior education compared to white South Africans. The Asiatic Land Tenure and the Indian Representative Act of 1946 were repealed.

In 1961, the Department of Indian Affairs was established, with a white minister in charge. In 1968, the South African Indian Council came into being, serving as a link between the government and the Indian people.

The University of Durban-Westville (now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal) was built with a Rand-for-Rand contribution from Indian South Africans and the government in the 1970s. Before that, Indian students had to take a ferry to Salisbury Island's abandoned prison, which served as their university.

Casual racist expressions were used during the years of apartheid. Indians in South Africa were (and sometimes still are) referred to by the racial epithet coolie. In cricket, for example, a ball which fails to bounce was called a "coolie creeper".

In 1983, the Constitution was reformed to allow the Coloured and Indian minorities a limited participation in separate and subordinate Houses of a tricameral Parliament, a development which enjoyed limited support. The Indian house was called the House of Delegates. Some aspects of Indian life were regulated by this house, including education. The theory was that the Indian minority could be allowed limited rights, but the Black majority were to become citizens of independent homelands. These separate arrangements were removed by the negotiations which took place from 1990 on to provide all South Africans with the vote.

[edit] Post-apartheid

Some Indians played an important role in the anti-apartheid struggle. A few rose to positions of power after the 1994 elections in South Africa. In post-apartheid South Africa, many Indians, particularly the poor, began to support formerly white parties such as the Democratic Alliance and New National Party, as they felt threatened by the policies of the ruling African National Congress. This trend appeared to have been reversed in the 2004 elections, when most historically Indian areas voted for minority parties aligned to the ANC[citation needed].

Following the end of apartheid, a new wave of South Asian immigration commenced, paralleling the movement of Africans from the diaspora and neighboring African countries to the new South Africa. Some of the immigrants were illegal, or obtained their residency by dubious means. Indians are considered black for the purposes of Employment Equity, that is, they are classified as having been disadvantaged under apartheid. They are thus eligible for affirmative action. In today's environment with a government elected by the black majority, some Indians complain that they are discriminated against for "not being black enough".[7]

[edit] Entrepreneurship

Perhaps the defining characteristic of South African Indians today is their talent in business. A massive portion of Indians make their living in the business world, as entrepreneurs and traders. Indians are well over represented in the country's business community as opposed to other ethnic groups. This could be attributed to Indian culture which fosters and encourages enterprise as well as the of business opportunities made present to Indians after the end of apartheid.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I'm only half Jew, and not the good part. see my dad is a Jew, not my mom, that disqualifies me yet again

Still, I don't really care. I pay my own way. It's just an interesting observation really. The Jews have a lot to complain about and refer to if they were to want to make up excuses for being useless, yet they don't. Indian South Africans neither.

Scholarships being granted to Black minorities isn't making up excuses. Neither are scholarships granted to Jewish students. Perhaps you could give a concrete example of what you define as "making excuses?"

Edited February 8, 2010 by Galt's gallstones

[Tahoma 2,298]

There are quite a few actually: Google Jewish Ethiopians.

So, your answer is "no." Thank you for confirming that you don't know any Black Jews.

If any of your Black-Ethiopian-Jewish-Google friends come to live in the U.S., they will find out for themselves about the discrimination which is based upon the color of their skin, as it's alive and well in the U.S. today.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

So, your answer is "no." Thank you for confirming that you don't know any Black Jews.

If any of your Black-Ethiopian-Jewish-Google friends come to live in the U.S., they will find out for themselves about the discrimination which is based upon the color of their skin, as it's alive and well in the U.S. today.

[FortLaudy 10]

See my post on the Indians of South Africa, they were slave descendants, they were discriminated against, even today with affirmative action they are still not "black enough" to be able to take advantage of any of these government freebies, yet most of them are self-sufficient and even wealthy today. Go figure. It has nothing to do with discrimination/skin color.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

See my post on the Indians of South Africa, they were slave descendants, they were discriminated against, even today with affirmative action they are still not "black enough" to be able to take advantage of any of these government freebies, yet most of them are self-sufficient and even wealthy today. Go figure. It has nothing to do with discrimination/skin color.

You are making pure anecdotal arguments. Again, give a concrete example of what you define as "making excuses."

[FortLaudy 10]

You are making pure anecdotal arguments. Again, give a concrete example of what you define as "making excuses."

That certain people Should be getting free handouts from the government because of discrimination against their race 50 years ago or anything of the sort.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

That certain people Should be getting free handouts from the government because of discrimination against their race 50 years ago or anything of the sort.

Who is getting free handouts from the government based on their skin color alone? A real, bonafide example of it actually institutionalized? Don't just go by hearsay and conjecture.