I'm really tired right now -- just wanted to make a brief post before I take a nap and maybe don't wake up until morning. Or something.
Amanda's latest post is about the a "Whites-Only Scholarship" offered by a student group at Roger Williams University. There's quite a discussion going on in her blog, and despite the fact that I really hate these discussions, I threw in my two cents in a couple of posts, which I've pasted below:
Comment 1.
I'm also in agreement with Amanda, Lauren, etc., though the tone of some statements here worries me a little and takes away from the main thrust of the argument, I think. Still, I agree with Amanda's conclusion:
"While minority-only scholarships are accepted, we ought to also accept this whites-only award."
However, like Amanda says, I don't think that either should be accepted, so while I support the point that those Roger Williams students are trying to make I don't support their methods for doing so. Such action is neither constructive nor destructive to pave the way for future reconstruction (you'd do that by attacking the notion of race-based scholarships themselves, not upholding it in your own way) -- it's just plain destructive, and, except for the private discussions it sparks (which probably could've been motivated by more positive actions), is only likely to exacerbate the public situation, and not in a good way.
Comment 2.
"Can somebody who supports preferential treatment of minority groups please explain to me how focusing on race in nearly every policy decision we make will ever allow us to not focus on race?"
I second Scotty's question.
If I were to formulate an answer, however, based on replies that I've heard, an honest interlocutor would tell you that a "colorblind" society isn't the real aim -- they've long since abandoned that lofty ideal. Now they believe that race is a necessary and defining characteristic of people, and that treating it as such should be both accepted and encouraged, as long as you smile when you do it.
But contrary to Chris's claim that "scholarships for minorities can help to counteract the implicit racism of our society," I argue that these kinds of scholarships do not, in fact, counteract the implicit racism of our society at all -- they support and uphold it.
But like I said, I hate these discussions -- namely because I think the people who get involved in them haven't really thought the issue through as deeply as I have (which is not something I'm saying to claim any superiority, by the way -- it's a genuinely troubling issue and I wish it didn't come up so often), so their comments are naturally disappointing, even when they manage to graze the heads of a few nails. The discussion at this point is going on about reverse-discrimination, which, while it shouldn't be discounted entirely, is among the weakest arguments against these sort of things. If you really want to take down these kinds of programs, go for the big guns -- if they say that these policies benefit minorities, don't argue that they put someone else at a disadvantage (for they may be willing to accept that); argue that these programs are inherently harmful to everyone, "minorities" included -- and sometimes, especially to the "minorities" supposedly being "benefited." And these aren't only the best arguments to submit -- at least as far as I'm concerned, they're also the most obvious (though perhaps that only becomes the case after you really consider these issues). In comparison, arguments that make reference to reverse-discrimination seem really petty. I'm gonna nap now.
Also, regarding the latter part of yesterday's post -- I think maybe a Batman head might work too. Those are certainly easier to come by, though finding an appropriately sized one may prove difficult...
Lots of Super Turtles. 🙂 Wish I had 'em.
Oh, and if you've been reading SC, thanks for visiting...I may not get the April piece up until next week, but I'm planning on posting another cartoon review this weekend. Don't even try to guess! Unless you read the old blog entry in which I mentioned it briefly, there's no way you've heard of it. 😉