Why is this okay?

To me, anything that singles out race is racist. Things that isolate out non-white groups are generally viewed as "okay" because they are targeting a minority group. Since Caucasians are a majority group, without isolating out minority groups the Caucasian majority would most benefit from whatever is being offered.

Take scholarships for example. 5 scholarships being offered to a group of 1000 kids, 100 of which are a minority group, the rest are Caucasian. There is a very high possibility that, even over the course of many years, no minority group kids will ever get a scholarship.

There is a small group that looks at this and shrugs. Who cares if they never get an opportunity, just get rid of them and we won't have to worry about it. Let natural selection occur.

The majority looks at this and feels that everybody needs a fair chance, realizes the skewed odds, and is okay with things like "African American Scholarships"

As a white male, I feel that I definitely have an advantage in almost every aspect of "life". Jobs, school, opportunities, etc. The odds are in my favor whether I want them to be or not. I benefit from "white privilege". Therefore, I have zero issues with minority specific anything so long as it isn't being used in an attempt to force segregation.

Tibbles, you beat me to it. A well-made post.

I agree with what you've written.

My only issue is that this instance is the more neutral "racial." "Racist" is negative, implying bigotry, discrimination, and repression, e.g. segregation.

Given this members history of promoting far right-wing ideas, I hesitate to reply. However: anyone claiming such an organization is racist is an idiot. The best response to idiots is to ignore them. Keep in mind that no one likes a whiner, and that is a role you seem to have assigned to yourself.

Thanks @tibbleinparadise -- this makes sense, but I just have one confusion here.



So why is the above true? Does this imply that these 100 minority kids are being discriminated against by the Caucasian scholarship policies? I mean, if you have a set of criteria such as high school GPA, SAT score, volunteer work, and the quality of scholarship essay, as long as you meet those criteria isn't it fair game?

I am just thinking some minority groups are self-segregating by creating programs and associations that supposedly help kids connect with "their own people". In my view those programs should be banned. I get it, kids do naturally wanna play with people who resemble their looks, but that's the very reason why parents should encourage them to learn that looks don't matter and they should hang out with just anyone.

"kids naturally wanna play with people who resemble their looks" False. I've worked directly with young children in a setting with mixed ethnic groups and have witnessed no self segregation. Racism and segregation are adult concepts.

In the scholarship example, no it doesn't mean the minority group is being discriminated against. It simple means that basic math puts them (as a group) at a disadvantage. It isn't a case of somebody is at fault, it's just math. Society attempts to balance the statistical advantage of Caucasians by allowing minority only scholarships. It's acceptable because the group as a whole recognizes the problem and approves of the solution.

The bottom line is: if there weren't specific scholarships for minority groups then minority groups would be at a great statistical disadvantage to having access to the same opportunities for advancement in society.

The only real solution would be to convince ALL groups that their ethnicity, race, whatever is completely without importance and that we are all just people and part of the same group of one.