Posted on 11/21/2006 6:24:05 AM PST by LurkedLongEnough
Looking to draw attention to what they call the "worst form of bigotry confronting America today," Boston University's College Republicans are circulating an application for a "Caucasian Achievement and Recognition Scholarship" that requires applicants be at least 25 percent Caucasian.
"Did we do this to give a scholarship to white kids? Of course not," the scholarship reads. "Did we do it to trigger a discussion on what we believe to be the morally wrong practice of basing decisions in our schools and our jobs on racial preferences rather than merit? Absolutely."
The scholarship, which is privately funded by the BUCR without the support of the university, is meant to raise awareness, group members say. BUCR member argue that racial preferences are a form of "bigotry." The group has a similar view on affirmative action.
The application for the $250 scholarship, due Nov. 30, requires applicants be full-time BU undergraduate students and one-fourth Caucasian and maintain at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA. Applicants must submit two essays, one describing the applicant's ancestry and one describing "what it means to you to be a Caucasian-American today."
BUCR President Joe Mroszczyk said he spoke to Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore before publicly releasing the scholarship to make sure it would be legal. Mroszczyk said BUCR members also talked to others beforehand, some of whom were initially "agitated or upset" but understood the point after members explained themselves, he said.
"If you give out a white scholarship, it's racist, and if you give out a Hispanic scholarship, it is OK," the College of Arts and Sciences senior said. "It is the main point. We are not doing this scholarship as a white-supremacy scholarship."
La Fuerza Co-Chair Sara-Marie Pons, who is also on the Admissions Student Diversity Board, said although she agrees with BUCR's claim that racial preference is "contradictory to our American ideals of freedom and equality," she feels American history justifies today's affirmative action." Our country oppressed people of color for centuries while everyone else who was 'preferred' continued to succeed and lead our country in all aspects," the School of Management senior said in an email. "The goal of a university in striving to admit more students of color is a positive movement to increase the diversity of its institution."
Pons said the university's diversity creates a "better learning environment" and "dynamic discussion." She said she believes minority-specific scholarships serve an important function.
"While I can see the controversy over scholarships toward specific ethnic groups, we need to keep in mind its intention," she said. "The [group-specific] scholarship is there to increase the interest of students in that group to continue their education and reach the equality that we all strive for."
After the recipient is chosen, BUCR plans to host an event to honor the winner and speak about the award, as well as hold a forum discussion about racial preference, Mroszczyk said.
Mroszczyk said the BUCR borrowed the scholarship idea from the College Republicans at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I., which sponsored a similar award in 2003. Former RWU College Republicans President Jason Mattera said the "whites-only" scholarship was meant to be a parody, but it brought harsh media attention to their campus.
Mattera, now the Young American's Foundation National Spokesman, a group supporting the conservative movement, said the idea was spurred when RWU administrators "compiled a list of scholarships for people of color only." Although Mattera, a Puerto Rican, would have been eligible for some of these scholarships, he said he still wanted to "expose the inequities."
RWU College Republicans adviser June Speakman said the organization started receiving complaints as soon as it released the scholarship. Despite protests, 15 students applied for the scholarship.
"It was a way to make their protests highly visible, provocative," she said. "They stuck to their guns. They were steadfast."
Speakman said the scholarship was discontinued after its first year when the national and state Republican parties severed ties with RWU College Republicans.
Mattera said people were aware the scholarship had "nothing to do with racism," but the Republican National Committee still did not want to be affiliated with the scholarship.
"The RNC under [former chair] Ed Gillespie disagreed with me," Mattera said. "For Ed Gillespie to be dismissive or to imply that there was racism, he lacked any type of -- to put it bluntly -- balls in standing up against racial preferences. It would have been a great opportunity."
Regarding BU's adaptation of this scholarship, Mattera said he is glad the BUCR is interested in continuing to promote awareness.
"I guarantee that once this happens, be ready for hypocritical charges of racism, and be ready to be attacked," Mattera said, "but once they attack you, the hypocrisy is exposed."
Good idea, but it will be shot down by the PC crowd which sees no need to be consistent and logical.
Good on 'em! I forget - who was it that set up the Society for Creative Bestiality at (Dartmouth?) and applied for funding?
Boston University College Republicans
c/o Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore
Boston University
881 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
Good point. The scholarship should only be offered to people who "think" white, not to people who are white...
</sarcasm>
Lemme dig around. I'll get back to you on that one.
Only when it is to their advantage.
By the way, I'm kind of off-white. Does that make me a person of color? The only way this scholarship could have been better is if it were restricted to caucasian males. Now that would have exposed some hypocricy.
Kudos to this bunch from my Alma Mater!
Actually, "hispanic" isn't a race. That's the dumbest thing about that clasification. Hispanics are various races like white, black, and brown. But most people don't realize that.
Do you have a better idea for addressing this issue or even for attracting more minorities to the Republican Party?
smpons@bu.edu
Sara Marie-Pons' email, if anyone cares.
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1) I don't care about the issue of how "private" universities spend their monies, it is not my business as long as tax dollars are not being used.
2) Attract Black voters through honest and continued explanation of Conservative values along with a continued expose of how liberal policies hold Black America back is the road to take.
This call for a Whites only scholarship program coming from an organization with Republican in its title plays perfectly into the hands of all the left-wing loud-mouths who want Black America to see us as racist. That is remarkably stupid.
If you disagree then tell me why.
For a group that calls itself Republican to lobby for any Whites only entitlements plays right into Hillary's, Schumer's, Kerry's, Jackson's, Sharpton's game plan. Why not just put up a sign on the RNC banner "Whites only".
This sophomoric grand-standing stunt is nothing but a 'look at me' exercise that will not effect any change or accomplish anything positive. It will push Black America further away...that might make you feel good but it is plain stupid.
Finally!
For the first time in modern history there are cracks starting to appear in the dems hold on the Black vote. Their policies are not working as they did for various reasons. Among these are the dems embrace of low-wage illegal workers who will replace the low-wage Black worker and the growth of a Black middle class that is starting to become more conservative or at least less liberal.
The dems know that they can't hold on without changing and they don't know how to change, so what can they do? They can play to the long-held fear among Black America that the GOP is racist (remember Dean said that the only Blacks at a gathering of the GOP were the waiters).
Now, there are two ways to see the college Republican effort to set-up a 'Whites-only' program...
1)It is a legitimate effort by legitimate GOPers. The idea may be emotionally satisfying to some but it must be judged by the ultimate results. Those results will not be to obtain more funds for White students or to reduce the funds earmarked for Black students. The result will be a public discourse wherein the GOP will be painted as the party for Whites not for Blacks (rightfully so given the context).
The left are not fools. They will not stand at the plate and let this home-run pitch go by without swinging for the seats. And they will hit it out of the park. The net result will be a Black recoil from the GOP back to the loving arms of Jesse Jackson and Hillary ("You know what I'm talking about") Clinton. In other words, a PR disaster for the GOP and an easy win for the devil.
No real gain, plenty of down-side...that to me is stupidity on parade.
2) The effort is being pushed by dems posing as GOPers. This is not difficult to imagine, especially given the fact that the Dean of Students, who must authorize the activity, is a Black man who spent years in Boston as a Labor Relations attorney (you can't get more liberal than that). I have no problem believing that this whole effort is a scam for political gain. If this is the case then they have already profited from the deception in the world of Public Relations.
The explanation of conservative values and free market principles has not stemmed the tide of ethnic earmarks and affirmative action set asides. You are trying to make an omlette without breaking the eggs. Do you also oppose lawsuits to ban the use of race in college selection decisions?
The whole issue of fairness and the removal of race-based decisions has to be addressed head on, because the left is far too entrenched to allow a genuine dialogue on the issues. Raising will undoubtedly aggravate some, especially the beneficiaries.
I agree with you that this scholarship issue has some of the hallmarks of a cheap stunt, but as far as I can see without these occasional act of political theater there will be no discussion of the issues. I do think what would make this more effective is if the BUYR could ensure that there numbers include individuals from every type of background and that any "dialogue" provoking actions reflect a consensus of alll the members of the BUYR.
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The point is that this stunt will accomplish no good, the issue is less than trivial at best and the damage to GOP-Black America relations is significant. In other words, this is stupid.
Excellent - I'm glad these college Republicans are ready to do something besides talk.
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