Ok So im kinda pissed even though this does not directly impact my life. It does impact my friends life, but he doesn't seem to mind, so i guess it's a moot point. Let me however drop the issue on you guys and see if you think it's a big deal or not.
My friend Rich is African American. He was born there, as was his mother. His dad is from America and his wife and Rich both have dual citizenship. I don't think they own land in Africa anymore (they might) but they have family there (grand parents, aunts etc) and visit often.
Every one in rich's family is white.
We've always playfully joked about how he's a white African American, which he IS and is PROUD to be. He loves his heritage and Africa.
I got upset because he put on multiple scholarships for college that he was "African American", as he also checks it on boxes that ask such questions. He even Applied for specific "African American" scholarships.
He was denied all. On top of that he was told by 2 colleges that he wasn't African American. (they didn't flat out say that as much as danced around the issue, but it was specifically brought up twice)
Meanwhile Trip, another friend of our who is black, yet 4 generations removed from Africa got accepted for 2 different scholarships with worse grades. (Not BAD grades, but not as good as Rich)
So how the HELL is a 4th generation removed BLACK guy more African American than a WHITE guy BORN IN AFRICA??!?!
Like i said this pisses me off as i feel it represents the BULLSHIT hypocrisy in this country. The need to protect groups, and use "soft speech" to hide what they really mean. If schools want BLACK students to feel they are diverse then specify that you want black students.
I told him he should call news stations, and write to papers and perhaps even hire a lawyer, but he feels that it would be sinking down to their level.
Thoughts? Am i wrong to be bothered by this?
Posts
Would those boxes on the college forms not be titled, Race?
No you are not wrong.
You are smart and see what's wrong with current America's schooling and in general a racial problem that's brewing as we speak.
My girlfriend got awesome grades and she had trouble getting scholarships because she was white. She did find others for other races to be far more outnumbering than the one available for her.
Now I don't think it's a bad idea to give money to students. Not at all. My problem is when color comes before who gets what and how much of it.
It's unfair and nobody is saying anything. It is the elephant in the room complex.
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:edit: And if it is, it means someone born in Africa with American citizenship, or born from someone born in Africa with American citizenship. Which Rich meets the criteria for.
I believe it was the late, great, Jameskeenan who once said,
"You already have a scholarship, it's called being white."
Wait...it sounded alot less racist when he said it...clearly i've fucked up somewhere.
And really, it's fucking disgusting. He disgusts me. He is a terrible human being, though I probably shouldn't throw the "H-word" around quite so liberally in this case. Poor little rich white boy, whose family probably got by in Africa by fucking over as many black people as possible can't come over here and yank out the very small leg up schools and groups try to give to black people? Those people he was talking to weren't embarrassed for what they were doing, they were embarrassed for your friend, because he's a fucking terrible person. And I think he knows it, which is why he won't call a lawyer or raise a stink about it, because people would rightly think that he's a total slimebucket.
I does suck, it is a big deal for OP's friend, what's more, for the sake of inclusion they should at least take him into consideration, but for all intents and purposes, we will be considered white wherever he is. It's more of linguistics issue than anything else.
Your friend tried to get free money on a technicality and the government was smart enough to catch on.
Seriously.
You can find other money without being a big old silly goose and pretending you can't understand our craaaazy semantic system. You silly silly goose goose.
And I mean also generally social programs will not address every situation properly, the idea is simply to in general make things better overall. Also man tell your friend not to apply to US schools, particularly for undergrad. We are silly gooses hardcore. Apply to State U and every school in Canada. They're nicer, and they charge you lunch money per year.
Wow i think we know who the terrible human is. You cast down judgment. His family is not rich. His family does a ton of work with outreach programs. His dad does tons of volunteer work, and the reason he's applying for scholarships is because he needs the aid to pay for school asshole. Our friend Trip who is black is WAY better off financially than Rich is. You're a pathetic prick who feels powerful by casting down judgments on-line. Way to go dipshit.
My friend was born in Africa. Her father was also born there (I don't know the specifics, but it had to do with missionary work). Her mother was an American citizen. Both are the whitest swans you have ever seen. Yet, this girl is considered an "african American" by my University, and was offered an "African American Student" scholarship. She turned it down.
Why?
"Because even though they SAY African-American, they don't mean 'A white girl who happens to have been born in Africa'".
She felt she was cheating the system, as she is not, and has never been , the oppressed minority that the scholarships were created to entice to higher education.
The scholarships described here are for black people. The fact that they use a very poor descriptor, semantically, for "black" doesn't change that. Thanatos is right - a white African trying to get an African-American scholarship is trying to exploit a technicality.
If this thread is just a veiled bitch about affirmative action, maybe the OP could make that clear. Because if race-based scholarships are an issue, they're an issue regardless of what we call the race - it's the same whether we say they're for "blacks" or "African-Americans" or "darkies" or "n****rs."
If this thread is about "African-American" being a lame term for "black," well... there's a PC thread thattaway :arrow:
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
In the end though, yes, the scholarships should have the right to note that they apply to those who have the chance to be discriminated by due to skin colour.
Bet they don't talk about it much.
Good thing there are tons of scholarships available that have nothing to do with race that he could have applied for.
Except he didn't.
He tried to pull a fast one and got caught and is now crying like a baby about it.
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Might want to sensor that or just take it out..
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There is plenty of aid available to poor white kids. I was as poor as they come and pretty damn white and I had no problem getting grants.
If you feel that the scholarships are unfair, that does not give you a license to game a loophole to get money that's not for you.
Also, reported for multiple "silly goose" violations.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
Do i have a right to bitch about everyone in this country because i'm native american?
fix'd?
Just brightening up the screen here.
A+
At first I couldn't believe what anyone could say such an astronomically stupid thing.
Then I saw that it was Thanatos, and all was well.
People, regardless of skin color, who try to use semantic loopholes to get money that wasn't intended for them are committing evil acts.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
Probably.
1) i stated that HE'S not bothered by it
2) the main issue i have is that "african american" should not mean "black"
can you have a black "Italian american" or is that reserved only for white people?
Maybe we should have a PC thread.
Oh wait we already do.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
We had this thread like a month ago. I dont think it ended well.
I don't think I said anything of the sort. I mean, I called your friend evil, but that's because he is. Because he obviously knows that what he's doing is a fucking awful thing to do, because if he really thought he was somehow being unfairly discriminated against, he'd be all over calling up news stations and a lawyer. But I think he knows that if he tried it, he'd get exactly what he has coming to him.
And I don't think you've answered my question, yet: what did his grandparents and great-grandparents do in Africa?
Don't you? Native Americans are allowed to be angry constantly because seriously I mean wow. You can even be angry at me specifically, I'm like 90% certain my family was around North America in the 1600's, probably just being the most evil they could manage.
You think your friend should get money that is reserved for Americans with a dark skin colour because you like him and feel he could use the money. That's not a viable argument.
Now I wonder, are there any scholarships for poor immigrants, he might be able to apply for those? Or he could apply for normal scholarships for kids with poor parents. It's not like trying to convince the world that African Americans can be pale white Boers is the only way your pal can go to college.
There's a ton of money available for poor kids regardless of race and there's zero excuse not to pursue it.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
This isn't the same silly goose is it?
Wow, so now it's not "he's white and lived in Africa so his family probably subsist on the tears of Ethiopian orphans"?
PACMAN- no. i keep saying he's really not bothered by it. it was me being bothered because essentially african american scholarships really means "black scholarships" which i have no problem with. I understand why they're in place. I just feel soft PC speech doesn't really help anyone. If people are mad that he should have known it was for "dark skinned people" that proves my point. Why can't we just say what we mean in this stupid country?
And really, shit, Andrew Jackson was basically Hitler to the Native American's Jews, and we put him on the goddamn $20 bill (as illustrated in that comic). If I were Native American, that shit would piss me off.
Since you're ostensibly a moderator on these forums could you please make an attempt not to be so recklessly fucking stupid on them. I'd appreciate it.
Shhh! Thanatos is driven by righteous anger, and therefore cannot be wrong.